Academic Staff

Dr. Christina Zong-Hao Ma is an Assistant Professor, a Certified Prosthetist and Orthotist (CPO, ISPO Category I), and a Certified Rehabilitation Therapist (CRT) at PolyU BME. Before her appointment at PolyU, she served as a Lecturer, later promoted to Assistant Professor (permanent position), in Prosthetics and Orthotics at Department of Rehabilitation, Jönköping University (JU), Sweden, from 2018 to 2020. She received her PhD from Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2018); and BSc from West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University (2012). She also used to work as a Certified Prosthetist and Orthotist and a Clinical Instructor at China Rehabilitation Research Center (permanent employment, 2012-2013), and a Visiting Research Scholar in Mechanical Engineering at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor (2017).

Dr. Ma’s research is focused on:

• investigating the mechanism of human posture and motion control;
• promoting physical activity and active health; and
• developing solutions for improving balance and preventing falls in older/disabled people. 

To address these challenges, Dr. Ma has contributed to research and development (R&D) of a series of smart wearable devices that could monitor the postural balance, walking pattern, and muscle contraction performance; and then provide some real-time corresponding reminders/warnings to users for necessary motion adjustments. Such devices can not only act as balance/motion aids in daily life, but also facilitate community-/home-based training. Her research outcomes can benefit older adults, patients with stroke, trainers/trainees of muscular fitness training, lower-limb amputees, and patients with low back pain, etc.

As a CPO and CRT who used to work in hospitals and rehabilitation centers, Dr. Ma is well-aware of how physical disability could significantly affect the quality of life of older adults and patients, as well as their families. This is why Dr. Ma has a genuine interest in promoting these persons’ quality of life with research and development. Dr. Ma's multidisciplinary academic background in Healthcare and Engineering and her clinical experience enabled her to employ various interdisciplinary approaches such as Biomechanics, Electronics, Rehabilitation, Biomedical Ultrasound Imaging, and Smart Wearable Technology to achieve her research goals.

• PhD in Prosthetics, Orthotics and Rehabilitation Engineering, 
  Faculty of Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, December 2013 - December 2017 (Awarded in September 2018)
• BSc in Prosthetics and Orthotics, 
  West China School of Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China, September 2008 - June 2012
  
   

• Certified Rehabilitation Therapist (CRT), National Health and Family Planning Commission (currently National Health Commission), China, May 2013
• Certified Prosthetist and Orthotist (CPO, ISPO Category I), International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO), June 2012
  
   

• Assistant Professor (Lab in-charge: Gerontechnology Lab), Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, July 2020 - Current 
• Assistant Professor in Prosthetics and Orthotics (Universitetslektor, permanent position), Department of Rehabilitation, Jönköping University (JU), Jönköping, Sweden, April 2020 – June 2020
• Lecturer in Prosthetics and Orthotics (Universitetsadjunkt), Department of Rehabilitation, Jönköping University (JU), Jönköping, Sweden,  December 2018 – March 2020
• Postdoctoral Research Associate in Biomedical Ultrasound Imaging, Department of Biomedical Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, December 2017 – November 2018
• Visiting Research Scholar in Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Michigan (UM), Ann Arbor, USA, June 2017 – December 2017
• Certified Prosthetist & Orthotist / Clinical Instructor (permanent employment), Prosthetic and Orthotic Center, China Rehabilitation Research Center, Beijing, China   July 2012 – December 2013
• Intern Prosthetist, Prosthetic and Orthotic Center, Sichuan Rehabilitation Center, Chengdu, China, January 2012 – June 2012
• Intern Orthotist, Prosthetic and Orthotic Center, West China Hospital, Chengdu, China, July 2011 – December 2011