Karyn Ross graduated with B.Sc Hons in Prosthetics and Orthotics from the University of Strathclyde in 1989 and after five years working in clinical practice in Republic of Ireland, returned to Glasgow to take up a position as a teaching fellow in the National Centre for Prosthetics and Orthotics, Department of Biomedical Engineering, with promotion to senior teaching fellow in 2017. Her principal teaching, clinical and research interests are in the orthotic management of the lower limb with a research interest in the orthotic management of the upper and lower limbs of patients with rheumatological conditions and the use of stance control KAFOS in lower limb rehabilitation of patients with functional deficit as a result of polio myelitis or incompete spinal cord injury.

Her current suite of research related to orthotic managment of the wrist and hand is funded by Versus Arthritis. This research will inform existing clinical practice and will be commercialised with an anticipated product launch in 2021 to enhance patient care in this area. 

In 2016, she became the director of the MSc in Prosthetic and Orthotics Rehabilitation Studies, the only online masters programme globally. This successful programme attracts students from all over the world and has been awarded 17 full scholarships from the Commonwealth Distance Learning Scheme.

In recognition of expertise in lower limb orthotics, she was an "expert reviewer" on the subject of the lower limb orthotic management of cerebral palsy for an ISPO consensus conference in 2008 which has resulted in a number of publications. As an invited member of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO) teaching faculty she contributed to instructional courses in the areas of lower limb orthotic management in stroke and cerebral palsy. In 2006 she was involved with NHS Quality Improvement Scotland in a scoping workshop which lead to the production of the publication, "The road to recovery: One step at a time: The use of ankle-foot orthoses following stroke". Subsequently, she was a member of the working group tasked with the development of a Best Practice Statement on the use of ankle-foot orthoses following stroke, which was published in 2009.

She has been a visiting lecturer on the B.Sc. Course in Prosthetics and Orthotics in Tumaini University, Moshi, Tanzania, and the BSc. Physiotherapy Course, Robert Gordon University. 

Karyn is both vice convenor of the University Ethics Committee and convenor of the Departmental Ethics Committee.

Membership of professional bodies

• Member of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics (ISPO)
• HCPC-Registered Prosthetist/Orthotist with the UK Health Professions Council (HCPC).

External responsibilities

• Manuscript reviewer for "Prosthetics and Orthotics International" (the journal of the International Society for Prosthetics and Orthotics) 

Karyn teaches at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels in the area of knee-ankle-foot orthotics, hip and foot orthotics and ethics pertaining to healthcare research. Additonally, she develops and delivers continuing professional development courses for medical and allied health professionals in the area of lower limb orthotic rehabilitation as part of the departmental portfolio of short courses.

Karyn has conducted cross faculty action research in teaching, learning and assessment with an emphasis in the development of emotional intelligence of undergraduate students of prosthetic and orthotic science. She has also undertaken research into the area of prosthetic componentry resulting in patent publication. Karyn is currently the principal investigator for a suite of research projects funded by Versus Arthritis investigating the use of orthoses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In particular, the project has  developed an enhanced design of wrist-hand orthosis for patients with dysfunction of the wrist/hand as a result of arthritic changes. A license agreement and ongoing colloboration with TalarMade will now facilitate the process of bringing this product to market.