Richard L. Lieber

Dr. Richard (Rick) L. Lieber is a world renowned American scientist, recognized for his exceptional contributions to the field of muscle physiology. With a career spanning several decades, Dr. Lieber has consistently pushed boundaries and spearheaded groundbreaking research. Currently, Dr. Lieber serves as the Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice-President at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, the highest ranked rehabilitation research hospital in the world. In this role, Dr. Lieber leads revolutionary research initiatives, driving innovation and transforming the lives of individuals with disabilities. He also holds the positions of Professor of Physiology, Biomedical Engineering & Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine, and Senior Research Career Scientist at the Edward Hines Jr. Veterans Administration Hospital. 
From 1985 to 2014, Dr. Lieber held the positions of Professor and Vice-Chair for the Orthopedic Surgery Department at the University of California in San Diego. Prior to his tenure at the University of California, San Diego, Dr. Lieber served as a Biomedical Engineer at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in San Diego from 1983 to 2000.
Dr. Lieber's remarkable accomplishments have garnered widespread recognition and accolades. In 2023, he received the Paul B. Magnuson Award from the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital and the Elsass Foundation Research Prize for Impacting Lives of People with CP.
==Early Life and Education==
Dr. Lieber was born in Walnut Creek, California, the son of a big band musician and hospital administrator. His early years were marked by cars and sports, which consumed most of his time. After graduation from Las Lomas High School in Walnut Creek, he completed a B.S. in Physiology in 1978 at University of California, Davis. In 1983, he earned his Ph.D. in Biophysics from University of California, Davis theory of light diffraction that was applied to mechanical studies of single muscle cells. He received his M.B.A. in 2013 from Rady School of Management, UC San Diego.
==Career and Research==
Lieber’s research focuses on design and plasticity of skeletal muscle. Currently, he is developing biological and biophysical approaches to understanding muscle contractures that result from cerebral palsy, stroke and spinal cord injury. Lieber has published over 300 articles in journals.
==Awards and Honors==
Fellow, Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS), November, 2020, Rosemont, IL.
Hay Award in Sport Biomechanics, American Society of Biomechanics, August 2017, Boulder, CO.
Honorary Member, American Physical Therapy Association, February 2015.
Distinguished Alumnus, University of California, Davis, College of Letters and Sciences, July 2012.
Fellow, American Society for Biomechanics, July 2012.
International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine (ISSLS) Research Award, Göteborg, Sweden. June 2011.
Nicolas Andry Award, American Bone and Joint SurgeonsClinical Orthopaedics and Related Research|, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, May 2002.
National Institutes of Health Predoctoral Fellowship, 1978-1981.
Talbot Award, Biophysical Society, February 1981.
Sigma Xi Grant-in-aid of Research, 1979-1980.
Graduation with Honors, University of California, Davis University of California, Davis|, 1978
Life Member, California Scholarship Federation, 1974
The Harvard Book Award, 1973
==Publications==
Selected publications
# Lieber, R.L., R.J. Baskin and Y. Yeh. (1984). Sarcomere length determination using laser diffraction: effect of beam and fiber diameter. Biophys. J. 45:1007-1016. PMC1434983.
# Lieber RL, Yeh Y, Baskin RJ. Sarcomere length determination using laser diffraction. Effect of beam and fiber diameter. Biophysical Journal. 1984;45:1007-16
# Lieber, R.L. and J.L. Boakes. (1988). Sarcomere length and joint kinematics during torque production in the frog hindlimb. Am. J. Physiol. 254:C759-C768. PMID3259840
# Lieber, R.L. and F.T. Blevins. (1989). Skeletal muscle architecture of the rabbit hindlimb: Functional implications of muscle design. J. Morphol. 199:93-101. PMID2921772
# Lieber, R.L., M.E. Leonard, C.G. Brown, and C.L. Trestik. (1991). Frog semitendinosis tendon load-strain and stress-strain properties during passive loading. Am. J. Physiol. 261:C86-C92. PMID1858862
# Lieber, R.L., Raab, R., Kashin, S. and V.R. Edgerton (1992). Sarcomere length changes during fish swimming. J. Exp. Biol. 169:251-254. PMID11536506
# Lieber RL, Baskin RJ, Yeh Y. (1984). Sarcomere length determination using laser diffraction: effect of beam and fiber diameter. Biophys. J. 45:1007-1016. PMC 434983
# Lieber, R.L. G.J. Loren and J. Fridén. (1994). In vivo measurement of human wrist extensor muscle sarcomere length changes. J. Neurophysiol. 71:874-881. PMID8201427
# Sam M, Shah S, Fridén J, Milner DJ, Capetanaki Y, Lieber RL. (2000). Desmin knockout muscles generate lower stress and are less vulnerable to injury compared to wildtype muscles. Am. J. Physiol. 279:C1116-1122. PMID 1003592.
# Sam, M., S. Shah, J. Fridén, D.J. Milner, Y. Capetanaki and R.L. Lieber. (2000). Desmin knockout muscles generate lower stress and are less vulnerable to injury compared to wildtype muscles. Am. J. Physiol. 279:C1116-1122. PMID11003592
# Lieber, R.L. and J. Fridén. (2002). Spasticity causes a fundamental rearrangement of muscle-joint interaction. Muscle & Nerve 25:265-270. PMID11870696
# Lieber, R.L., J. Fridén, T. Hobbs, A.G. Rothwell. (2003). Analysis of posterior deltoid function one year after surgical restoration of elbow extension. J. Hand. Surg. (Am.) 28A:288-293. PMID 12671862.
# Patel, T.J., R. Das, J. Fridén, G.J. Lutz and R.L. Lieber. (2004). Sarcomere strain and heterogeneity correlate with injury to frog skeletal muscle fiber bundles. J. Appl. Physiol. 97:1803-1813. PMID15208284
# Lieber, R.L., W. Murray, D.L. Clark, V.R. Hentz and J. Fridén. (2005). Biomechanical properties of the brachioradialis muscle: Implications for surgical tendon transfer. J. Hand Surg. (Am.) 30:273-282. PMID15781349.
# Hentzen, E.R., M. Lahey, D. Peters, L. Mathew, I.A. Barash, J. Fridén and R.L. Lieber. (2006). Stress-dependent and -independent expression of the myogenic regulatory factors and the MARP genes after eccentric contractions in rats. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 570:157-167. PMC1464283
# Smith, L.R., K.S. Lee, S.R. Ward, H.G. Chambers, R.L. Lieber. (2011) Hamstring contractures in children with spastic cerebral palsy result from a stiffer ECM and increased in vivo sarcomere length. J. Physiol. (Lond.) 589:2625-2639. PMID 21486759.
# Palmisano, M.G., S.N. Bremner, S. Huang, A.A. Domenighetti, T. Hornberger, S.B. Shah, M. Kellermeyer, A.F. Ryan, and R.L. Lieber. (2014). Skeletal muscle intermediate filaments act as a stress-transmitting and stress-transducing signaling network. J. Cell Sci.128:219-224. PMC4294770
# Young KW, Radic S, Myslivets E, Lieber RL. (2014). Resonant reflection spectroscopy of biomolecular arrays in muscle. Biophys. J. 107:2352-2360. PMID 25418304.
# Young, K.W., S. Radic, E. Myslivets, and R.L. Lieber. (2014). Resonant reflection spectroscopy of biomolecular arrays in muscle. Biophys. J. 107:2352-2360. PMC4241457.
# Palmisano, M.G., S.N. Bremner, A.A. Domenighetti, T. Hornberger, S.B. Shah, M. Kellermeyer, A.F. Ryan, and R.L. Lieber. (2014). Skeletal muscle intermediate filaments act as a stress-transmitting and stress-transducing signaling network. J. Cell Sci. 128:219-224. PMID 25413344.
# Mathewson, M.A., S.R. Ward, H.G. Chambers and R.L. Lieber. (2014). High resolution muscle measurements provide insight into equinus contracture in patients with cerebral palsy. J. Orthop Res. 33:33-39. PMC2903973
# Young, K.W., B.P.P Kuo, S.M. O’Connor, S. Radic and R.L. Lieber. (2017). In vivo sarcomere length measurement in whole muscles during passive stretch and twitch contractions. Biophys. J. 112:805-812. PMID 28256239.
# Domenighetti, A., M.A. Mathewson, R. Pichika, L. Zhao, H.G. Chambers and R.L. Lieber. (2018). Loss of myogenic potential and fusion capacity of satellite cells isolated from contractured muscle in children with cerebral palsy. Am. J. Physiol. 315:C247-C257. PMID 29694232.
Category:People from Walnut Creek, California
Category:American people
Category:University of California, Davis alumni
Category:University of California, San Diego alumni
Category:Scientists