Jacqueline Cole is an Associate Professor in the Lampe Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and North Carolina State University within the Engineering faculty. She earned her Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University in 2007, an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University in 2004, and a B.M.E. in Mechanical Engineering from Auburn University in 2001. Joining the faculty in 2013, Cole directs the Orthopaedic Mechanobiology Lab, integrating biological and mechanical approaches to investigate bone interactions with vasculature, muscles, and nerves. Her research aims to uncover mechanisms of bone deficits and deformities in conditions including stroke, brachial plexus birth injury, obesity, aging, and pediatric scoliosis, with the goal of developing therapies to prevent or treat bone loss and musculoskeletal dysfunction. The lab utilizes high-resolution computed tomography, materials characterization techniques such as microscopy, spectroscopy, nanoindentation, mechanical testing, cellular and molecular assays, and finite element modeling.

Cole's academic interests encompass rehabilitation engineering, regenerative medicine, bone mechanics and regeneration, musculoskeletal development, and bone-vascular interactions. She has earned significant recognition, including the 2023 Michael Dickey Outstanding Research Mentor Award from NC State University, two 2021 Outstanding Teaching Awards (NC State Outstanding Teacher Award and NC State Alumni Association Outstanding Teacher Award), the 2019 Wake County Public School System School-to-Career Superintendent’s Mentoring Award, the 2018 World Changer Award for K-12 STEM outreach from NC State College of Engineering, the 2017 Junior Faculty Research Award from the American Society of Biomechanics, NIH K12 Scholar status in the Interdisciplinary Rehabilitation Engineering Research Career Development Program in 2015-2016, F32 NIH Ruth L. Kirschstein National Research Service Award Postdoctoral Fellowship from 2008-2010, the 2009 Harold M. Frost Young Investigator Award from the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research, and the 2007 Young Investigator Award from the same society. Notable publications include "Whole bone mechanics and bone quality" in Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research (2011), "Noninvasive Raman tomographic imaging of canine bone tissue" in Journal of Biomedical Optics (2008), "Thrombin-responsive transcutaneous patch for auto-anticoagulant regulation" in Advanced Materials (2016), and "Transcutaneous Raman Spectroscopy of Murine Bone In Vivo" in Applied Spectroscopy (2009). She teaches BME 444/544: Orthopaedic Biomechanics and BME 438/538: Bone Mechanobiology.

Professional Email: jacquecole@ncsu.edu