OHSU

Michael Freeman, PhD, MPH, DC

Affiliate Professor

Dr. Michael Freeman is a Forensic Epidemiologist specializing in the application of probability and epidemiologic data to forensic venues. He serves as Affiliate Professor of Epidemiology and Psychiatry at Oregon Health and Science University School of Medicine, Departments of Public Health and Preventive Medicine and Psychiatry. Dr. Freeman is also an Adjunct Associate Professor of Forensic Medicine and Epidemiology at the Institute of Forensic Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Aarhus, Denmark. He holds a Ph.D. in public health with a focus in epidemiology from Oregon State University, as well as a Masters in Public Health (MPH) degree in biostatistics and epidemiology, also from OSU. Dr. Freeman is currently a medical doctorate candidate at Umeå University in Umeå, Sweden, with a projected completion date in December 2012. 

Dr. Freeman has more than 130 published scientific papers, books, and book chapters on forensic applications of epidemiology, crash-related injuries and death, crash reconstruction, medical diagnostics, chronic pain mechanisms, regenerative joint therapy utilizing stem cell therapy, and a variety of other areas of interest. He has served in US, Canadian, European and Australian courts as an expert in a variety of fields including injury and death litigation, product liability, toxic tort litigation, tobacco litigation, medical negligence, as well as both prosecution and defense expert in a number of homicide cases.

 

Major Areas of research:

Forensic epidemiology, traffic crash-related injury and death, Bayesian inference in forensic medicine, injury biomechanics and causation, adult autologous stem cell therapy
 

Specialty Areas

Forensic Epidemiology and Trauma Epidemiology


Experience and Interests

Dr. Freeman is a Forensic Epidemiologist, and teaches Forensic and Trauma Epidemiology at OHSU every Winter quarter. The course addresses how concepts and data from epidemiology are used to arrive at probabilistic conclusions suitable for presentation in a court of law. Dr. Freeman works in the field of Forensic Epidemiology, and consults on criminal and civil cases in State and Federal venues across the United States and abroad.

 

Selected Publications

  • Freeman MD, Eriksson A, Leith W. Head and neck injury patterns in fatal falls Forensic Sci Int (in review)
  • Colville-Ebeling B, Freeman MD, Banner J, Lynnerup N. Autopsy practice in forensic pathology – evidence-based or experience-based? A review of autopsies performed in a case of multiple, simultaneous deaths. J Forens Leg Med (in review)
  • Dobbertin K, Freeman MD, Lambert W, Laserev M, Kohles S. The Relationship between Vehicle Roof Crush and Head, Neck and Spine Injury Risk in Rollover Crashes. Acc Analysis & Prevention (in revision)
    Centeno CJ, Schultz JR, Cheever M, Freeman M, Faulkner S, Robinson S. A Case Series of Percutaneous Treatment of Non-Union Fractures with Autologous, Culture Expanded, Bone Marrow Derived, Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Platelet Lysate. J Bioengineer & Biomedical Sci S2:007 doi:10.4172/2155- 9538.S2-007
  • Woodham M, Woodham A, Skeate JG, Freeman MD. Long-Term Lumbar Multifidus Muscle Atrophy Changes Documented With Magnetic Resonance Imaging; A Case Series. J Radiol Case Rep (in review)
    Wendlova J, Freeman MD. The Slovak Regression Model of Fall-Related Femoral Neck Fracture Risk. Journal of Forensic Biomechanics (in review)
  • Freeman MD, Dobbertin K, Kohles SS, Uhrenholt L, Eriksson A. Serious head and neck injury as a predictor of occupant position in fatal rollover crashes. Forensic Sci Int 2012;222:228–33.
  • Freeman MD, Kohles SS. An examination of the threshold criteria for the evaluation of specific causation of mesothelioma following a history of significant exposure to chrysotile asbestos-containing brake dust, Int J Occ Env Hlth 2012;18(4):329-36.
  • Freeman MD, Fuerst M. Does the FDA have regulatory authority over adult autologous stem cell therapies? FDCA 21 CFR 1271 and the Emperor’s New Clothes. J Transl Med. 2012 Mar 26;10(1):60.
  • Freeman MD, Everson T, Kohles SS. Forensic epidemiologic and biomechanical analysis of a pelvic cavity blowout injury associated with ejection from a personal watercraft (jet-ski). J Forens Sci 2012 doi: 10.1111/j.1556-4029.2012.02250.x
  • Freeman MD, Kohles SS. Polychorinated Biphenyls (PCB), Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma, and Causation. Journal of Environmental and Public Health, vol. 2012, Article ID 258981, 15 pages, 2012. doi:10.1155/2012/258981.
  • Centeno CJ, Fuerst M, Faulkner SJ, Freeman MD. Is cosmetic platelet-rich plasma a drug to be regulated by the Food and Drug Administration? J Cosm Derm 2011;10:171–3.
  • Centeno CJ, Schultz JR, Cheever M, Freeman M, Faulkner S, Robinson S, Hanson R. Safety and Complications Reporting Update on the Re-Implantation of Culture-Expanded Mesenchymal Stem Cells Using Autologous Platelet Lysate Technique. Cur Stem Cell Res & Ther 2011;6(4):XX
  • Freeman MD, Kohles SS. Application of the Hill Criteria to the Causal Association of Post-Traumatic Headache and Assault. Egypt J Forensic Sci 2011;1:35-40.
  • Freeman MD, Kohles SS. Application of the Bradford-Hill Criteria for Assessing Specific Causation in Post-Traumatic Headache. Brain Inj Prof 2011;8(1):26-8.
  • Freeman MD, Kohles SS. An Evaluation of Applied Biomechanics as an adjunct to systematic specific causation in forensic medicine. Wien Med Wochenschr 2011;161:1-11.
  • Freeman MD, Centeno CJ, Fuerst M, Kohles SS. Should the FDA regulate adult autologous stem cell therapy? A public health perspective. J Epi Pub Hlths (in review)
  • Uhrenholt L, Freeman MD, Jurik AG, Jensen LJ, Gregersen M, Boel LW, Kohles SS, Thomsen AH. Esophageal injury in fatal rear-impact collisions. Forensic Sci Int 2010 Oct 5. [Epub ahead of print] PubMed PMID: 20932695.
  • Freeman MD. A Bayesian assessment of unexplained fracture as a forensic test of child abuse; quantification of uncertainty using the Error Odds approach. Acta Medicinae Legalis et Socialis 2010:179-84.
  • Nystrom NA, Champagne LP, Freeman MD, Blix E. Surgical fasciectomy of the trapezius muscle combined with neurolysis of the spinal accessory nerve; results and long-term follow-up in 30 consecutive cases of refractory chronic whiplash syndrome. J Brachial Plexus and Peripheral Nerve Injury 2010:5;7.
  • Centeno CJ, Schultz J, Cheever M, Robinson B, Freeman MD, Marasco W. Safety of autologous MSC transplantation: an in vivo MRI study of transplanted MSCs culture-expanded using a novel, platelet-lysate technique. Cur Stem Cell Res & Ther 2010;5:81-93.
  • Dagenais S, Gay RE, Tricco A, Mayer, JM, Freeman MD. North American Spine Society Contemporary Concepts in Spine Care: Spinal Manipulation Therapy for Acute Low Back Pain Spine J 2010 Oct;10(10):918-40.
  • Uhrenholt L, Schumacher B, Freeman MD. Road traffic fatalities in Aarhus Police District in 2000-2004 - medical investigations and legal consequences. Ugeskr Laeger. 2010 Sep 27;172(39):2683-2687. Danish
  • Freeman MD, Woodham M, Woodham A. The role of the lumbar multifidus in chronic low back pain; a review. PM R 2010 Feb;2(2):142-6.
  • Freeman MD, Centeno CJ, Kohles SS. A systematic approach to clinical determinations of causation in symptomatic spinal disc injury following motor vehicle crash trauma. PM R 2009;1(10):951-6.
  • Freeman MD, Rosa S, Harshfield D, Smith F, Bennett R, Centeno CJ, Kornel E, Nystrom A, Heffez D, Kohles SS. A case-control study of cerebellar tonsillar ectopia and head/neck (whiplash) trauma. Brain Injury 2010;24(7-8):988-94.
  • Freeman MD, Kohles SS. Applications and limitation of forensic biomechanics; a Bayesian perspective. J Forensic Legal Med 2010;17:67-77.
    Freeman MD, Nystrom A, Centeno C, Hand M. Chronic whiplash and central sensitization; do a trigger points play an important role in pain modulation? J Brachial Plex Peripher Nerve Inj 2009 Apr 23;4:2.
  • Freeman MD, Hand ML, Rossignol AM. Applied Forensic Epidemiology: A Bayesian evaluation of forensic evidence in a vehicular homicide investigation. J Forensic Legal Med 2009 Feb;16(2):83-92. Epub 2008 Oct 21
  • Centeno CJ, Busse D, Kisiday J, Keohan C, Freeman M, Karli D Regeneration of meniscus cartilage in a knee treated with percutaneously implanted autologous mesenchymal stem cells. Med Hypothese. 2008 Dec;71(6):900-8.
  • Centeno CJ, Schultz J, Freeman M. Sclerotherapy of Baker's cyst with imaging confirmation of resolution. Pain Physician 2008 Mar-Apr;11(2):257-61.
  • Centeno CJ, Busse D, Kisiday J, Keohan C, Freeman M, Karli D. Increased knee cartilage volume in degenerative joint disease using percutaneously implanted, autologous mesenchymal stem cells. Pain Physician 2008 May;11(3):343-53.
  • Freeman MD, Centeno CJ. A fatal case of secondary gain; a cautionary tale. Amer J Case Reports 2008;9:97-103.
  • Centeno CJ, Elkins W, Freeman M, Elliott J, Sterling M, Katz E. Total Cervical Translation as a Function of Impact Vector as Measured by Flexion-Extension Radiography Pain Physician 2007 Sep;10(5):667-71.
  • Freeman MD, Rossignol AC, Hand M. Forensic Epidemiology: A systematic approach to probabilistic determinations in disputed matters. J Forensic Legal Med 2008;15(5):281-90.
  • Hatten B, Freeman MD, Horowitz Z. Coral Snake Envenomations 2001-2011: Antivenin Use and Outcomes. Proceedings of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine. 2013, Annual Meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, May 14-18, 2013 (in press). 
  • Rubanzana W, Freeman MD. Exposure to effects of genocide as a risk factor for intentional death in Rwanda: a forensic epidemiological investigation. Scand J Forens Med 2012;18(1):117.
  • Freeman MD, Dobbertin K, Kohles SS, Uhrenholt L, Eriksson A. Serious head and neck injury as a predictor of occupant position in fatal rollover crashes. Scand J Forens Med 2012;18(1):34-5.
  • Freeman MD, Uhrenholt L. Self-defense or attempted murder? A combined ballistic and traffic crash reconstruction of a Texas shooting. Scand J Forens Med (2012;18(1):51.
  • Freeman MD. Applied forensic epidemiology: the evaluation of individual causation in wrongful death cases using relative risk. Scand J Forens Med (2012;18(1):25.
  • Uhrenholt L, Webb A, Pedersen M, Christensen HW, Freeman MD. Does whiplash trauma result in somatic injury. Scand J Forens Med (2012;18(1):121
  • Freeman M, Uhrenholt L. Rollover collisions; the effect of restraint use on skull vault fractures. 2011. Poster session presented at Årsmøde i Dansk Selskab for Retsmedicin og Dansk Selskab for Ulykkes- og Skadeforebyggelse [The Danish Traffic Medicine Society of the Danish Society for Forensic Medicine] November 3-5, 2011] Grenå, Denmark.
  • Uhrenholt L, Freeman M, Jurik AG, Jensen LL, Gregersen MEG, Boel LWT et al. Evidence of somatic injury in rear-impact collisions - esophagus injuries. 2011. Poster session presented at Årsmøde i Dansk Selskab for Retsmedicin og Dansk Selskab for Ulykkes- og Skadeforebyggelse [The Danish Traffic Medicine Society of the Danish Society for Forensic Medicine] November 3-5, 2011] Grenå, Denmark.
  • Uhrenholt L, Freeman M. How microscopy can explain traffic crash-related cervical spine injury. 2011. Poster session presented at Årsmøde i Dansk Selskab for Retsmedicin og Dansk Selskab for Ulykkes- og Skadeforebyggelse [The Danish Traffic Medicine Society of the Danish Society for Forensic Medicine] November 3-5, 2011] Grenå, Denmark.
  • Nystrom NA, Freeman MD. “Trigger Point” Surgery for Soft Tissue Pain in Chronic Whiplash Syndrome. J Rehab Medicine 2011;Suppl 50:27.
  • Freeman MD, Kohles SS. Scientific and Legal Criteria for Evaluating Injury Causation Following Whiplash Trauma. J Rehab Medicine 2011;Suppl 50:20.
  • Rosa S, Freeman MD, Harshfield D. Restoration of Normal Cerebrospinal Fluid Flow in 2 Cases of Confirmed Cerebellar Tonsillar Ectopia with Long-Term Headaches, Following Use of The Atlas Orthogonal Instrumented Manipulation Technique. J Rehab Medicine 2011;Suppl 50:14.
  • Freeman MD, Centeno CJ. “Whiplash-Associated Disorders [WAD]” – the persisting lexicon of a failed venture. J Rehab Medicine 2011;Suppl 50:6-7
  • Kohles SS, Freeman MD. Mathematical Models Characterizing the Probability of Trigger Event, Ambient-Risk, and Coincidental Influences on Inductive and Abductive Conclusions of Specific Causation. Annals of Epidemiology 2010;20(9):713-4.
  • Centeno MD, Freeman MD, Schultz J, Cheever M, Faulkner S, Hanson R, Kohles S. Clinical Percutaneous Implantation of Autologous, Culture-Expanded MSCs into Peripheral Joints. Orthopedic Research Society, 2011 Annual Meeting in Long Beach, California, January 13-16.
  • Kohles SS, Freeman MD. Mathematical Models Characterizing the Probability of Trigger Event, Ambient-Risk, and Coincidental Influences on Inductive and Abductive Conclusions of Specific Causation. Proceedings of American College of Epidemiology Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA. September 2010. P64, Annals of Epidemiology
  • Nystrom A, Freeman MD. Central sensitization is a reversible response to focal soft-tissue neck pain in chronic whiplash. 2010 American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons Annual Meeting March 9-13, 2010, New Orleans, LA.
  • Freeman MD. The Error Odds method of objectively assessing bioengineering based claims of causation; a Bayesian approach to test validity quantification (Special joint session of Jurisprudence and Engineering Sciences) Proceedings of 62nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Feb 2010, Seattle, Washington.
  • Nystrom A, Freeman MD. Central sensitization is an immediately reversible phenomenon in chronic pain after whiplash. A double blind, placebo controlled study. XXVIII European Society for Regional Anaesthesia Annual Congress Salzburg, Austria, September 9-12, 2009
  • Freeman MD, Rosa S, Harshfield D, Smith F, Bennett RM, Centeno CJ, Kornel E, Nystrom A, Heffez D, Kohles SS. A case-control study of cerebellar tonsillar ectopia and cervical spine trauma. European Congress of Radiology, March 4-8, 2010, Vienna, Austria.
  • Uhrenholt L, Freeman MD. The Role of Microscopic Post-Mortem Study in Explaining Traffic-Crash Related Neck Injury; A Review. Proceedings of 62nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Feb 2010, Seattle, Washington.
  • Freeman MD, Uhrenholt L, Newgard C. The effect of restraint use on skull vault fractures in rollover crashes. Proceedings of 62nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Feb 2010, Seattle, Washington.
  • Freeman MD, Uhrenholt L, Newgard C. Head injuries in lower speed collinear collisions; an analysis of the National Automotive Sampling System database. Proceedings of 62nd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences Feb 2010, Seattle, Washington.
  • Freeman MD, Rosa S, Harshfield D, Smith F, Bennett RM, Centeno CJ, Kornel E, Nystrom A, Heffez D, Kohles SS. A case-control study of cerebellar tonsillar ectopia and cervical spine trauma. XXI Congress of the International Academy of Legal Medicine May 2009 Lisbon, Portugal
  • Freeman MD. The Error Odds assessment of accuracy for tests in forensic medicine; a simple application of Bayes’ Law. XXI Congress of the International Academy of Legal Medicine May 2009 Lisbon, Portugal
    Uhrenholt L, Schumacher B, Freeman MD. A cross-sectional study of road traffic fatalities and vehicular homicide investigation practices in Denmark for 2000-2004. Proceedings of 61st Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. Feb 2009, Denver, Colorado.
  • Freeman MD, Centeno CJ. Etiologic and demographic characteristics of traffic crash-related disc injuries. Spine J doi:10.1016/j.spinee.2008.06.373.
Michael Freeman

Dr. Michael Freeman

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