Riann M. Palmieri-Smith, PhD, ATC, FNATA, FNAK, is a Professor of AthleticTraining in the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology, Associate Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery, and Co-Director of the Orthopedic Rehabilitation & Biomechanics Laboratory. She is also a Co-Director of the University of Michigan Human Performance & Sport Science Center with Drs. Sandra Hunter, Ken Kozloff, and Ron Zernicke. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Athletic Training from California University of Pennsylvania, her master’s degree in Athletic Training from Indiana State University, and her doctorate in Sports Medicine and Athletic Training from the University of Virginia.

 Since joining the University of Michigan faculty in 2004, Dr. Palmieri-Smith’s primary research focus has been to elucidate mechanisms that can inform rehabilitation strategies to restore muscle strength and promote cartilage health following traumatic joint injury. Her research also examines the biomechanical and neuromuscular consequences of orthopaedic injuries and diseases, with the goal of identifying approaches to re-establish normal joint mechanics and neurological function. Her laboratory has particular expertise in anterior cruciate ligament injury and reconstruction, quadriceps dysfunction, altered movement and joint loading, post-traumatic osteoarthritis, and rehabilitation strategies designed to improve recovery and long-term musculoskeletal health.

Dr. Palmieri-Smith’s research has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Football League, and other organizations. She has authored more than 120 peer-reviewed publications and collaborates across Kinesiology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine to translate scientific findings into clinical and human-performance applications. She is a Fellow of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and the National Academy of Kinesiology and serves as Co-Chair of the University of Michigan Health Sciences and Behavioral Sciences Institutional Review Board. She is also deeply committed to mentoring students, postdoctoral fellows, and early-career researchers in athletic training and human-performance science.