Biography:

 

Dr. Sky (Fariba) Hasanbarani is a movement scientist and founder working at the intersection of women’s health, biomechanics, and preventive wellness. She holds a PhD in Human Motor Control from the University of Tehran, having conducted her doctoral thesis research at Pennsylvania State University. She completed postdoctoral research at McGill University, where her work examined sex-specific differences in muscle fatigue and biomechanics, an area long underrepresented in movement science. She later worked as a Research Scientist at lululemon Labs, translating human-movement research into applied product innovation.

Her current research focuses on women navigating midlife transitions, including perimenopause and menopause. She is the creator of the BMMi (Bio-Mech-Mind Index), a health-behaviour and functional assessment for women in midlife that integrates physiology, movement, and behaviour. The instrument has undergone psychometric validation, with a manuscript in preparation and a larger validation study planned.

Through her venture, BioMechMind Lab, Dr. Hasanbarani applies evidence-based science to build accessible, culturally-responsive health tools for women, including bilingual delivery in English and Farsi. Her broader interests include the development and validation of health-assessment instruments, sex-specific physiology, and the translation of research into practical, preventive health strategies. She is committed to advancing rigorous, women-centred research that improves health outcomes for women and gender-diverse people, particularly those underserved by mainstream health approaches.