Tack C. Lam, M.D., Ph.D.

Dr. Lam addresses both medical and biomechanical issues involving injuries and fatalities incurred in vehicular accidents (e.g., frontal, rear-end, and side impacts), recreational activities (e.g., bicycling, skiing, aviation), and in the workplace (e.g., slip or trip and falls, amputations, hearing loss, repetitive stress disorders). Dr. Lam has expertise in the areas of human tolerance to acute and repetitive mechanical forces applied to the head and brain, and to the musculo-skeletal system such as the neck, low back, shoulders, hands, knees, and ankles. He has also worked on injury analysis involving orthopedic medical devices. His research activities have included studies of ligament mechanics in the knee joint, viability of ligament transplantation, orthopaedic implant design, and health effects of fine particulate matter on the cardiovascular system. He is also interested in using his experience in injury causation to develop safe designs in the automotive and aviation industry, and promote safety programs in the workplace.

Dr. Lam is a practising board certified physician specializing in occupational medicine and toxicology. With his background in both medicine and biomechanical engineering, Dr. Lam brings a unique understanding and perspective into investigating the biomechanics of injury causation, and whether the resulting clinical sequelae is consistent with the mechanism of injury.

Scher I, Richards D, Carhart M, Thomas R, Hurlen N, Lam T. Pediatric head and neck injuries: Evaluating the influence of helmets. Journal of ASTM International 2008; 5(4):1–10.

Villarraga ML, Guerin HL, Lam T. Medical device recalls from 2004–2006: A focus on Class I recalls. Food Drug Law 2007; 62(3):581–591.

Lam T. The effect of concentrated ambient fine particles on aged rats. M.Sc. Thesis in Toxicology, University of California, Irvine, 2005.

Lam T, Frank C, Shrive N. Variation in rupture site and surface strains at failure in the maturing medial collateral ligament complex. Biomechanical Engineering 1995; 117(455–446).

Dillon M, Lam T, Beardy N. Maternal serum screening in the Sioux Lookout Zone: complicated test for an unspecified need. Can Fam Phys 1994; 40(1766–1771).

Lam T, Frank C, Shrive N. Changes in the static and cyclic relaxation of the rabbit bone medial collateral ligament during maturation. Journal of Biomechanics 1993; 26(1):9–17.

Lam T, Frank C, Shrive N. Calibration characteristics of a video dimension analyzer. Journal of Biomechanics 1992; 25(10):1227–1231.

Sabiston P, Lam T, Frank C, Shrive N. Transplantation of the rabbit medial collateral ligament. I. Biomechanical evaluation of fresh autografts. Journal of Orthopaedic Research 1990; 8(1):35–45.

Sabiston P, Lam T, Frank C, Shrive N. Transplantation of the rabbit medial collateral ligament. II. Biomechanical evaluation of frozen/thawed allografts. Journal of Orthopaedic Research 1990; 8(1):46–56.

Sabiston P, Lam T, Frank C, Shrive N. Allograft ligament transplantation. A morphological and biochemical evaluation of a medial collateral ligament complex in a rabbit model. American Journal of Sports Medicine 1990; 18(2):180–196.

Lam T, Thomas C, Shrive N, Frank C. The effect of temperature on the viscoelastic properties of the rabbit medial collateral ligament. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering 1990; 112(2):147–152.

Lam T. Mechanics of the knee meniscus: a review. Ontario Centre for Materials Research Internal Report, University of Toronto, 1990.

Kiefer GN, Sundby K, McAllister D, Shrive N, Frank CB, Lam T, Shachar NS. The effect of cryopreservation on the biomechanical behaviour of bovine articular cartilage. Journal of Orthopaedic Research 1989; 7(4):494–501.

Lam T, Rorabeck C, Bourne R, Finlay J. Effect of different total hip replacement cup designs on the pattern of surface strain in periacetabular bone. PSI Report, 1989.

Lam T. The mechanical properties of the maturing medial collateral ligament. PhD Thesis, University of Calgary, 1989.

Lam T, Shrive N, Frank C. Comment on the influence of specimen length on the failure properties of tendon collagen. Journal of Biomechanics 1988; 1:67.

Shrive N, Lam T, Damson E, Frank C. A new method of measuring the cross-sectional area of soft tissues. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering 1988; 110:104–109.

Presentations and Published Abstracts

Scher I, Richards D, Carhart M, Thomas R, Lam T. Pediatric head and neck injuries in snow sports: evaluating the influence of helmets. ASTM International Conference, Glasgow, Scotland, 2006.

Lam T, Hamade A, Kleinman M. Heart rate changes in 24 month old Fischer 344 rats exposed to concentrated particulate matter close to a freeway in Diamond Bar, California. Society of Toxicology 44th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA, 2005.

Lam T, Hamade A, Kleinman M. Concentrated fine ambient particulates paradoxically increase heart rate variability in aged rats. 90th American Occupational Health Conference, Vol. 90, p. 18, 2005.

Lam T, Shrive N, Frank C. Ligament viscoelastic behaviour changes with maturation. 35th Orthopaedic Research Society, Atlanta, GA, Vol. 14, p. 187, 1989.

Walsh S, Lam T, Frank C, Chimich D, Hart D. Immobilization inhibits biomechanical maturation of growing ligament. 35th Orthopaedic Research Society, Atlanta, GA, Vol. 14, p. 253, 1989.

Lam T, Frank C, Shrive N. Effect of maturation on viscoelastic behaviour of ligaments. 45th Canadian Orthopaedic Research Society, Vol. 45, p. 69, 1989.

Lam T, Frank C, Shrive N. Mechanical behaviour of an extra-articular ligament autograft. 45th Canadian Orthopaedic Research Society, Vol. 45, p. 70, 1989.

Lam T, Thomas, C., Shrive N, Frank C. Importance of a ‘Ligament Zero’ in determining temperature effects. 34th Orthopaedic Research Society, San Francisco, CA, No, 13, p. 208, 1988.

Sabiston P, Lam T, Frank C, Shrive N. Allograft ligament transplantation: a multidisciplinary study in a rabbit model. 34th Orthopaedic Research Society, San Francisco, CA, Vol. 13, p. 104, 1988.

Forbes I, Lam T, Frank C, Shrive N. The biomechanical effects of combined ligament injuries on the medial collateral ligament. 34th Orthopaedic Research Society, San Francisco, CA, Vol. 13, p. 186, 1988.

Lam T, Frank C, Shrive N. Strain constancy during ligament maturation: A potential homeostatic mechanism? 44th Canadian Orthopaedic Research Society, Vol. 44, p. 40, 1988.

Lam T, Shrive N, Frank C. Strain heterogeneity at failure in maturing rabbit ligaments. 44th Canadian Orthopaedic Research Society, Vol. 44, p. 39, 1988.

Sabiston P, Frank C, Shrive N. Allograft ligament transplantation: a multidisciplinary study using the a rabbit model. Canadian Orthopaedic Research Society, Vol. 43, p. 51, 1987.

Lam T, Thomas C, Shrive N, Frank C. Temperature Effects on Ligament Properties. Canadian Medical and Biological Engineering Society, Halifax, No. 13, p. 191, 1987.

Sabiston P, Frank C, Lam T, Shrive, N. Allograft ligament transplantation: a multidisciplinary study in a rabbit model. American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine (AOSSM) Basic Science Award Paper, Miami, FL, 1987.

Sabiston P, Lam T, Frank C, Shrive N. Biomechanical analysis of allograft ligament transplantation. Proceedings, Alberta Heritage for Medical Research Foundation, Vol. 6, p. 52, 1986.

• American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine
• Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine
• Society of Automotive Engineers
• American Society of Safety Engineers