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Ken Gall

Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science

Overview


Professor Gall’s research aims to develop a fundamental understanding of the relationship between the processing, structure, and mechanical properties of materials.  His scientific contributions range from the creation and understanding of shape memory metals and polymers to the discovery of a new phase transformation in metal nanowires.  His current research interests are 3D printed metals and polymers, soft synthetic biomaterials, and biopolymers with structured surface porous networks. 

In addition to his research he has consulted for industry, the US Military and the US Intelligence Community, and served as an expert witness in multiple patent and product litigations.  Finally, he is a passionate entrepreneur who uses fundamental scientific knowledge to hasten the commercialization of new materials and improve the effectiveness of existing materials.   He founded two medical device start-up companies, MedShape and Vertera who have commercialized university based technologies in the orthopedic medical device space.

Current Duke Appointments & Affiliations


Professor in the Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science · 2016 - Present Thomas Lord Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, Pratt School of Engineering
Professor of Biomedical Engineering · 2015 - Present Biomedical Engineering, Pratt School of Engineering
Professor in Orthopaedic Surgery · 2016 - Present Orthopaedic Surgery, Clinical Science Departments

Recent News Items


Published October 27, 2025
Discover New Innovations at Invented at Duke 2025
Published March 28, 2025
10 Years, 60 Startups, $105 Million – and Counting: Duke Capital Partners Leads the Way in Alumni Investing
Published October 25, 2024
Hard-Earned Lessons from Spinning Out a Startup Company from a University

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Recent Scholarly Works


Outcomes of pelvis resections and reconstructions using 3D printed cutting guides referencing the acetabulum

Journal article Surgical Oncology Insight · September 1, 2026 Background: Oncologic resections and reconstructions of the pelvis are among the most challenging procedures in orthopedic surgery due to complex anatomy, tumor variability, and the need for precise margins. Patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) created w ... Full text Cite

Biomechanical Comparison of 1- and 2-Tunnel Suture Suspensionplasty Constructs for Basilar Thumb Arthritis.

Journal article Hand (N Y) · August 2026 BACKGROUND: Trapeziectomy with suture button suspensionplasty (SBS) is a common treatment for thumb carpometacarpal (CMC) osteoarthritis. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of bone tunnel configuration and suture count on the construct stability. METH ... Full text Link to item Cite

Effect of build and unit cell orientation on the tensile, compressive, and torsional behavior of Ti-6Al-4V gyroid sheet-based structures

Journal article Advances in Manufacturing · June 1, 2026 Laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) enables the fabrication of intricate porous metallic structures, such as the sheet-based gyroid, recently used in orthopedic implants. Many implants are subjected to a complex stress environment, making strength verification ... Full text Cite
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Recent Grants


Overcoming Complications of Polypropylene Prolapse Meshes: Development of Novel Elastomeric Membranes

ResearchCo-Principal Investigator · Awarded by Magee-Womens Research Institute and Foundation · 2019 - 2030

Duke KURe Program

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEMentor · Awarded by National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases · 2013 - 2028

Title: NRT-FW-HTF: NSF Traineeship in the Advancement of Surgical Technologies

Inst. Training Prgm or CMEParticipants · Awarded by National Science Foundation · 2021 - 2027

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Education


University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign · 1998 Ph.D.
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign · 1996 M.S.
University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign · 1995 B.S.

External Links


Gall Group