2007 Borelli Award - Rick Lieber

Skeletal muscles represent a classic biological example of a structure-function relationship. As such, muscle mechanical and muscle physiological studies over the past 100 years have exploited tools that permit comparison between structure and function. In this lecture, I will review some of our findings based on “fancy” as well as “simple” tools. The key concept to be conveyed is that science progresses by asking great questions and using whatever tool is appropriate to answer that question. If the tool does not exist, make it! If it does, use it! I would argue that the converse approach (having a tool and looking for a question) is not as fruitful. Biomechanists are uniquely positioned in the scientific community to have high impact by asking the right questions and applying the right tools.