Barclay Morrison III

Barclay Morrison III

Senior Vice Dean of Academic Programs

Barclay Morrison and his laboratory study the biomechanics of brain injuries from common occurrences like motor vehicle crashes, falls, and sports-related concussions to reduce their socioeconomic toll by developing better safety systems to prevent injuries and understanding the pathobiology to better treat brain injuries.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) results in approximately 50,000 deaths and 85,000 permanently disabled persons per year in the United States with an estimated primary care cost of $76 billion per year. The clinical situation is quite dire as there are no drug treatments which target the underlying pathobiology of TBI. This profound need for improvements in the prevention and treatment of TBI is the driving force behind Morrison’s research. 

The long-term goal of his laboratory is to understand the consequences of mechanical forces on the most complex system of the human body, the brain, and to develop strategies to mitigate and perhaps reverse these injurious effects. His research explores the specific cellular, molecular, and metabolic effects of injury on brain cells in response to precisely controlled biomechanical stimuli. His research program has three main focus areas:

  • Improvement of prevention strategies through development of critical biomechanical data for the living brain
  • Identification of novel treatment options by understanding the post-traumatic pathobiology in greater detail
  • Engineering new research tools to enhance studies in the first two areas

Morrison received a BS in biomedical engineering from John Hopkins University in 1992 and a MSE and PhD in bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania in 1994 and 1999, respectively.

Research Areas

  • Neuroengineering
  • Bioelectronics
  • Mechanobiology
  • Biomechanics
  • Biosignals
  • Cell & Tissue Engineering
  • Cell and Tissue Biomechanics

Additional Information

  • Professional Affiliations
    • Biomedical Engineering Society
    • Engineering in Medicine and Biology Society
    • National Neurotrauma Society
    • Guest Associate Editor, Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, Special Issue: “Impact and Injury Biomechanics”, 2024
    • Editorial Board, Journal of Neurotrauma, 2016 –
    • Associate Editor, BrainMultiphysics, 2020 –President, International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury, 2018 –
    • Council member, International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury, 2012 –
    • Associate editor, Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 2012 –     
    • Review editor, Frontiers in Neurotrauma, 2011, 2012
    • Associate editor, BMC Neuroscience, 2010 – 2013
    • Advisory Board member, Engineering Conferences International, 2006-2013
  • Honors & Awards
    • Great Teacher Award, Society of Columbia Graduates, Columbia University, New York, NY, 2019
    • Elected President of the International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury, 2018
    • Elected Vice President of the International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury, 2015
    • Cover image, Journal of Neurotrauma for Hue, C.D., Cao, S., Haider, S.F., Vo, K. V., Effgen, G.B., Vogel, E.W., Panzer, M.B., Bass, C.R., Meaney, D.F., Morrison III, B., Blood-brain barrier dysfunction after primary blast injury in vitro, J. Neurotrauma, 2013, 30: 1652-1663.
    • Keynote speaker, annual meeting of the International Research Council on Biomechanics of Injury, 2009
    • Invited speaker, annual National Neurotrauma Symposium, 2010
    • Invited speaker, annual National Neurotrauma Symposium, 2006
    • The Kim Award for Student-Faculty Involvement, Columbia Engineering, 2006
    • John Paul Stapp Best Paper Award in the Stapp Car Crash Journal for 2003
    • Richard Skalak Best Paper Award in the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering for 2000
    • The S.R. Pollack Award for Excellence in Graduate Bioengineering Research, University of Pennsylvania, 1999
    • Biomedical Engineering Society Graduate Student Research Award, 1999
    • First Place, National Neurotrauma Society Student Competition, 1999
    • Biomedical Engineering Society Travel Award, 1999
    • National Neurotrauma Society Travel Award, 1999
    • Ashton Fellowship, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 1993-1997
  • Professional Experience
    • Vice Dean of Academic Programs, Columbia Engineering, 2024 –
    • Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, NY, 2016 –
    • Vice Dean of Undergraduate Programs, Columbia Engineering, Columbia University, NY, 2014 – 2024
    • Associate Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, NY, 2012 – 2016
    • Vice Chair of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, NY, 2012 – 2014
    • Associate Professor (untenured) of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, NY, 2008 – 2012
    • Director, Neurotrauma and Repair Laboratory, Columbia University, NY, 2004
    • Assistant Professor of Biomedical Engineering, Columbia University, NY, 2003 – 2008
  • Education
    • PhD, Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania
    • MSE, Bioengineering University of Pennsylvania
    • BS, Biomedical Engineering, Johns Hopkins University