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Manuela has a BSc in Mechatronics engineering from the Tecnologico de Monterrey, Campus Leon in Mexico. After graduation she obtained a DAAD Scholarship for her master’s studies in Biomedical Engineering in Germany at the University of Lubeck. Manuela spent one year working at the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) in Cologne. Her project 'Improvement, completion and verification of an artificial muscle biomechanical rack (AMBR)' was aimed to build a test rig to deepen the understanding of the muscle-bone mechanics of the lower leg with the objective of reducing the effects of microgravity in astronauts' bones, preventing and counteracting osteoporosis.
Prior to her PhD, Manuela worked as a Lecturer at the Tecnologico de Monterrey at the Engineering and Sciences Division. She oriented her work to education innovation for engineers, social service and impact of students. The most important accomplishments were the foundation of a student-led group which provided low-cost 3D-printed hand prostheses, as well as being named honorary youth member of the Academy of Engineering in Mexico.
She carried her PhD research at the Centre for Sports Engineering Research (CSER). She investigated the biomechanical effects of football shoes on the ankle joint, focusing primarily on preventing injuries and enhancing players' performance.
Manuela carried her post-doctoral research at the University of Warwick, working in the EPSRC-funded Project: PROLIMB – A Sensorimotor Prosthesis for the Upper Limb. Collaborating with University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire. This project aimed to design and validated an affordable, body-powered prosthetic fingertip with integrated mechanical haptic feedback.
Manuela was recognized as one of the Top 50 Women in Engineering (WE50), honouring exceptional women engineers whose achievements embody 2026 theme, Engineering Intelligence.
Conducted doctoral research focused on the biomechanical impact of stud design on ankle injuries in football. The study involved selecting and validating appropriate analysis methodologies to assess ankle biomechanics, ultimately identifying key relationships between stud characteristics and injury mechanisms. Findings provided objective metrics to guide footwear designers in developing safer, performance-enhancing products.
Other research projects: Supervised final-year student Victor Ribeiro, whose project "Fingertip Prosthetics for Cyclist Amputees" won the prestigious David Holme Memorial Award (2024/25). This award recognises excellence in research and innovation in engineering.
Supervised final-year student Emanuele Carriero, whose project abstract was accepted for oral presentation at BioMedEng25, the UK's flagship biomedical engineering conference, to be held at the Technology and Innovation Centre, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow.
Third place in the academic poster competition. Arsenal FC Sports and Exercise Medicine and Science (SEMS) Conference. Emirates Stadium, London.
Student research grant – International Society of Biomechanics in Sports (ISBS). €484 fund Designed to assist the student in the early stages of their professional development to encourage the pursuit of biomechanics research. – 2019.
Student Engagement Award – International Sports Engineering Association (ISEA), €500 fund to support PhD research activities – 2019.
- Wearable biomedical sensors for monitoring and control applications
- Sports biomechanics
- Sports equipment design and testing
- TinyML and embedded systems Urban art, spray painting and airbrush
- Art practice focuses on translating research data into urban-style paintings