Our current students bring a variety of experiences and backgrounds to the Movement Science Program.
Kayla Bell, DPT is originally from Belleville, IL. She received her bachelor’s degree in Human Health Sciences with minors in Health Advocacy and Spanish from the University of Kentucky in 2021, with an interest in pursuing Physical Therapy. After completing her undergraduate studies and prior to attending PT school, she completed a Clinical Research Fellowship in Orthopaedic Trauma under the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine at the University of Kentucky. During her fellowship, she discovered her passion for working in research. Following the completion of her fellowship, she went on to pursue and receive her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from WashU Medicine in 2025. During her professional studies, she participated in the NIH TiDe Program and worked in a neuro rehabilitation laboratory that studies accelerometry as a means to quantify human movement. Kayla will be mentored by Dr. Gammon Earhart in the Movement Science Program. Outside of the lab, Kayla enjoys watching sports, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family, especially her dog, Norbert.
Christina Bourantas, BA is originally from Wilmington, DE. Christina graduated from DePauw University with a Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology and Physics. At DePauw, she conducted research in both the Kinesiology and Physics departments, researching force output of Division III swimmers and astrophysics, respectively. In addition to on campus research, Christina researched at the Nemours Children’s Hospital in Wilmington, DE. Her research focused on long-term rehabilitation in children with cerebral palsy and casting effects of children with arthrogryposis. In the Movement Science Program, Christina will be mentored by Dr. Michael Harris and have the opportunity to research orthopaedic biomechanics. Outside of the lab, Christina enjoys playing field hockey, cooking, Greek dancing, and traveling!
Stacey Chen, PT, DPT, MSCI, ATC received her bachelor’s degree in athletic training from the University of Evansville in 2015. While pursuing her clinical degree, she concurrently worked in a biomechanics laboratory. As she became more passionate in both clinical care and clinical research, she decided to advance her training in both areas and completed a Master of Science in Clinical Investigation and Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2021 and 2023 at WashU Medicine. She is currently mentored by Dr. Rebekah Lawrence and her research focuses on understanding factors contributing to rotator cuff pathology and developing targeted treatment strategies to improve an individual’s quality of life. In her free time, Stacey enjoys playing pickleball, listening to podcasts, and working on jigsaw puzzles.
Dakota Kamm, MS received both his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Exercise Physiology from Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. During graduate school, Dakota worked on his thesis detailing the impact of both a Western Diet consumption and sexual dimorphic differences on the permeability of the blood brain barrier in a senescence accelerated mouse model. Prior to his time at WashU, Dakota worked as a research assistant at Saint Louis University, where he was involved with multiple studies investigating the effect of ketogenic diets and ketone bodies on rescuing the functionality of the heart in a mouse model of induced heart failure. Here at Wash U, he is mentored by Dr. Gretchen Meyer. In Dr. Meyer’s lab, Dakota will have the opportunity to investigate muscle physiology and pathology, specifically the role of adipose-derived stem cells, their mechanosensing properties, and how to harbor and direct those stem cells to promote muscle regeneration. Outside of the lab, Dakota enjoys reading, working out, hiking, watching football, and spending time with his wife and daughter.
Yi Kang, DPT, originally from Beijing, China, earned her bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science with a minor in Mathematics from Benedictine College in 2021. In 2024, she completed her Doctor of Physical Therapy degree at WashU Medicine. During her studies, she participated in research on hip and spine biomechanics and their role in lower back pain. She also worked in an epidemiology lab, investigating how lifestyle factors, such as circadian rhythm disruptions, influence gastrointestinal cancer risk using accelerometer data. Yi is currently pursuing her PhD under the mentorship of Dr. Jennifer Zellers, focusing on Achilles tendon pathology. Her research combines clinical performance measures, advanced diagnostic imaging, and experimental animal studies to identify factors contributing to tendon dysfunction. Outside of the lab, Yi enjoys hiking, skiing, traveling, photography, painting, and attending musicals and concerts.
Kayla Krueger, PT, DPT received a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise and Sports Science from the University of Alabama and a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) degree from Samford University. While pursuing her DPT, Kayla developed an interest in musculoskeletal pain conditions and the efficacy of current treatments. Her research, mentored by Dr. Linda Van Dillen, focuses on understanding how spinal movement impairments contribute to the development and course of low back pain. In her spare time, Kayla enjoys watching college football, working out, and playing tennis.
Anna Spracklin, PT, DPT, MS is originally from Kenosha, WI. She received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Minnesota in biomedical engineering. There, she performed research in shoulder biomechanics and modeling, which inspired her to pursue physical therapy and research. Then, Anna studied at Northwestern University, where she obtained her doctorate in physical therapy. She worked in an outpatient orthopedics clinic, where she treated many patients with shoulder pain, which led her back to research. Anna is currently mentored by Dr. Rebekah Lawrence, focusing on how shoulder morphology and kinematics affect individuals with shoulder pain to ultimately inform treatment strategies. Outside of the lab, Anna enjoys reading, playing volleyball, going on hikes with her dog Ollie, and stand up paddleboarding.
Madison Wissman is from Charlotte, North Carolina. She received a Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical and Health Sciences Engineering from the Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University. During her time in Chapel Hill, Madison worked in a biomechanics lab researching how changes to the foot and ankle as a result of aging may impact their ability to function effectively during walking. In the Movement Science Program, Madison is mentored by Dr. Michael Harris and has the opportunity to focus her research on orthopaedic biomechanics as it relates to the hip. Outside of the lab, Madison enjoys reading, baking, and spending time with family and friends.
Affiliated PhD Students
Gerson Moreno Romero, BS, Department of Biomedical Engineering. Gerson is from El Salvador and grew up in Miami, FL, where he received his bachelor’s in biomedical engineering from Florida International University in the Fall of 2020. Gerson began his PhD in Biomedical Engineering at WashU and joined the PMRF Lab, led by Dr. Jacob G. McPherson in the Fall of 2022. In the lab, Gerson has been exploring the implementation of in-vivo electrophysiology and neural computer interfaces to understand the changes of neuronal circuits throughout spinal cord injury to leverage intrinsic properties of these networks to develop multi-modal therapeutics for motor and sensory deficits. Outside of the lab, he enjoys spending time at Forest Park, exploring creative mediums, spending time with friends, and trying out new restaurants.