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 Certified Rehabilitation Therapist 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.

• Aging & Disability

• Posture, Balance & Gait

• Fall Prevention

• Smart Aging Solution

• Active Health

• Rehabilitation Engineering

Dr. Ma has been actively involved in the coordination, planning, development, and teaching of many theory and practical courses that related to the Prosthetics and Orthotics, Biomechanics, Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technologies for the older people and/or disabled persons.

The Hong Kong Polytechnic University (2020 onward):

• Wearable Technology for Digital Health
• Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology
• Assistive Technologies: Service learning towards the elderly and disabled
• Biomedical Engineering in Society
• Rehabilitation Engineering
• Smart Ageing Technologies

Jönköping University (2018-2020):

• Prosthetics & Orthotics, Thesis
• Scientific Method and Statistics
• Prosthetic Management & Biomechanics of the Lower Limb I
• Orthotic Management & Biomechanics I 
• Prosthetic & Orthotic Management of the Upper Limb
• Prosthetics & Orthotics - Foot Orthotics
• Biomechanics - Calculations