Naveen Chandrashekar

Naveen Chandrashekar is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering at the University of Waterloo.

His research interests are in orthopaedic biomechanics, the design of biomedical devices, and tissue engineering. Professor Chandrashekar and his team are conducting innovative research on the anterior cruciate ligament, commonly known as the ACL. He has designed a simulator to enact the movements of a human knee to measure the damage inflicted on the ACL during athletic maneuvers. A sensor is attached to the mechanical ligament on the knee simulator, and readings from the sensor provide insight into how different motions and factors like movement from the hip influence the injury. Using this approach, the team is working on designing and evaluating new knee braces.

Professor Chandrashekar teaches several upper-year Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering courses at the university. He has published several articles in the Journal of Biomechanics and the Journal of Mechanical Behaviour of Biomedical Materials. He has also taken part in several conferences such as the Annual Meetings of Orthopaedic Research Society, American Society of Biomechanics, Biennial Meeting of Canadian Society of Biomechanics, and the Annual Ontario Biomechanics Conference. Professor Chandrashekar’s research has been funded by several organizations, including the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, Ontario Centres of Excellence, and the Canada Foundation for Innovation.

• Knee Mechanics
• Orthopaedics
• Ligament Injury
• Musculoskeletal Biomechanics
• Implant Design
• Cartilage Injury
• In-Vitro Injury Simulation
• Tissue Engineering
• Instrumentation Design
• Biomechanics and Biotechnology

• 2005, Doctorate, Mechanical Engineering, Texas Tech University
• 2003, Master's, Mechanical Engineering, Texas Tech University
• 2000, Bachelor's, Mechanical Engineering, Bapuji Institute of Engineering and Technology (Affiliated to Kuvempu University)

• BME 281 - Mechanics of Deformable Solids
  • Taught in 2018, 2020, 2021
• BME 281L - Mechanics of Deformable Solids Laboratory
  • Taught in 2020, 2021
• ME 220 - Mechanics of Deformable Solids 2
  • Taught in 2022
• ME 559 - Finite Element Methods
  • Taught in 2018, 2020
• MTE 119 - Statics
  • Taught in 2018, 2020, 2021, 2022

• Bakker, Ryan and Tomescu, Sebastian and Brenneman, Elora and Hangalur, Gajendra and Laing, Andrew and Chandrashekar, Naveen, Effect of sagittal plane mechanics on ACL strain during jump landing, Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 2016
• Chandrashekar, N and Bakker, R and Tomescu, S and Brennan, E and Hangalur, G and Laing, A, The effect of sagittal-plane mechanics on ACL strain during jump landing, Journal of Athletic Training, 50(10), 2015, 1107 - 1108
• Hangalur, Gajendra and Brenneman, Elora and Nicholls, Micah and Bakker, Ryan and Laing, Andrew and Chandrashekar, Naveen, Can a knee brace reduce the strain in the anterior cruciate ligament? A study using combined in vivo/in vitro method, Prosthetics and orthotics international, 2015
• Barker, Jeffrey B and Cronin, Duane S and Chandrashekar, Naveen, Accepted Manuscript Not Copyedited, , 2014
• Barker, Jeffrey B and Cronin, Duane S and Chandrashekar, Naveen, High Rotation Rate Behavior of Cervical Spine Segments in Flexion and Extension, Journal of biomechanical engineering, 136(12), 2014

• Currently considering applications from graduate students. A completed online application is required for admission; start the application process now.