Bretta is a Research Scientist within Clinical and Scientific Affairs. She was introduced to the O&P field her sophomore year at the University of Delaware, while working in a biomechanics lab studying customized 3D printed AFOs. She continued this passion by pursuing a PhD in the Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Engineering Lab at NC State. Her dissertation explored human-prosthesis coordination – specifically, how prosthesis users coordinate their movement with robotic lower-limb prostheses. Her undergraduate and graduate work resulted in multiple peer-reviewed publications and presentations at national and international conferences.

Bretta shifted her focus from engineering to clinical research and is currently involved with coordinating clinical studies, analyzing patient data, publishing manuscripts, presenting at conferences, and writing grants with the Hanger Institute’s academic and industry partners. She is working to use her expertise to improve future technology and clinical care.

Education

• Bachelor of Biomedical Engineering, University of Delaware, 2016
• PhD in Biomedical Engineering, North Carolina State & University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill, 2022