Kristin Popp

Dr. Kristin Popp is an affiliate faculty in the School of Kinesiology at the University of Minnesota and a Research Investigator at the HealthPartners Institute TRIA Research and Education Center. She also holds an academic affiliation with Boston Children’s Hospital, serving as the Associate Director of Research for the Wu Tsai Alliance Female Athlete Program. 

Dr. Popp’s research focuses on bone stress injuries (i.e., stress reactions and stress fractures) in athletes and military personnel, with an emphasis on bone structure, strength, and microarchitecture, as well as the risk factors that compromise these properties. Her work integrates bone metabolism markers, advanced imaging techniques, reproductive health, and rehabilitation strategies to optimize injury recovery, prevention, and long-term bone health. Much of her research has focused on athlete and military populations, aiming to develop strategies that enhance performance, readiness, and lifelong musculoskeletal health. In addition to her academic roles, she serves as a Senior Sports Scientist at Orreco in Galway, Ireland, collaborating with professional sports teams on biomarker analysis to enhance performance and recovery.

Dr. Popp earned her PhD in exercise physiology from the University of Minnesota, where her research focused on bone geometry and strength in athletes with a history of bone stress injuries. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, MA, and previously worked as a Scientist for Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education at the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine (USARIEM). She is open to research collaborations and discussions with students and colleagues interested in bone health, injury prevention, and athlete and military rehabilitation.