Biomechanics Seminar Series: Cody Anderson

The focus of the seminar series is to call for experts related to academia and research in the areas related to biomechanics, variability, motor disorders, physical therapy, and related studies.

Presentation Title: Developing Accessible Biomarkers for Cardiovascular Disease Risk Stratification Using Wearable Device Biosensors

Presentation Abstract:

Modern advances in technology have made biological sensors inexpensive and widely accessible through commercial health devices. Harnessing these biosensors for real-time health monitoring could have a substantial impact on personalized medicine, including the timely detection and risk stratification of cardiovascular disease. However, significant challenges remain in translating these technologies from consumer and research applications into clinical practice. In this seminar, I will present the path that led to my research on cardiovascular health biomarkers, including the use of microvascular photoplethysmography and near-infrared spectroscopy to assess microvascular stiffness and cuffless blood pressure, and ultimately to detect lower-extremity peripheral artery disease. I will also discuss signal-processing strategies for facilitating the translation of biomarkers derived from wearable devices into clinical practice. Finally, I will discuss future research directions for detecting lower-extremity peripheral artery disease using pulse arrival time derived from photoplethysmography.

About the speaker:

Dr. Cody Anderson is an Assistant Professor in the School of Health and Kinesiology at the University of Nebraska at Omaha. He received his PhD in Biomechanics and Kinesiology, with a concentration in Physiology of Exercise, from the University of Nebraska at Omaha in 2026. His research training has included the study of gait in patients with peripheral artery disease using musculoskeletal modeling, as well as the investigation of the vascular and metabolic consequences of peripheral artery disease and the potential mechanistic links between physical inactivity and the development of cardiovascular diseases. Building on his training in data analytics and physiology, Dr. Anderson’s research focuses on developing cardiovascular health biomarkers that can be derived through signal processing of biosensors available in wearable devices, with the ultimate goal of improving the timely detection and risk stratification of cardiovascular disease.