Patient-specific biomechanical modelling for improved treatment of spinal deformity. Spinal deformities negatively affect social acceptance, physical and mental wellbeing in children and adolescents. The direct costs of spinal deformity surgery are approximately $30 million per year in Australia, yet poor treatment outcomes due to post-operative complications incur a much higher cost as patients with persistent pain and disability face a lifetime of dependency and reduced ability to work. The pa ....Patient-specific biomechanical modelling for improved treatment of spinal deformity. Spinal deformities negatively affect social acceptance, physical and mental wellbeing in children and adolescents. The direct costs of spinal deformity surgery are approximately $30 million per year in Australia, yet poor treatment outcomes due to post-operative complications incur a much higher cost as patients with persistent pain and disability face a lifetime of dependency and reduced ability to work. The patient-specific biomechanical modelling techniques developed in this project will reduce complications and improve correction for Australian children who undergo spinal deformity surgery. Better treatment outcomes will ensure quality of life, health and productivity for spinal deformity patients throughout their entire lives.Read moreRead less
The virtual human knee. This project aims to investigate the Virtual Human Knee (VHK) which provides a baseline knowledge about knee mechanics in healthy individuals and a tool for studying knee mechanics in silico. The new knowledge can be used for identifying individuals most at risk for injury, developing solutions for preventing injury and for assessing knee reconstruction and implantation methods. As such, VHK will mitigate the burden of knee injury to Australia and worldwide by progressing ....The virtual human knee. This project aims to investigate the Virtual Human Knee (VHK) which provides a baseline knowledge about knee mechanics in healthy individuals and a tool for studying knee mechanics in silico. The new knowledge can be used for identifying individuals most at risk for injury, developing solutions for preventing injury and for assessing knee reconstruction and implantation methods. As such, VHK will mitigate the burden of knee injury to Australia and worldwide by progressing disciplines including anatomy, bio-mechanics, sport science, rehabilitation, surgery and medical devices.Read moreRead less
Biomechanics of the human spine measured using magnetic resonance imaging. Statistics show that 80% of the population suffer back pain at some time. However, because the spine is very complex our understanding of its mechanics and the causes of back pain are still limited. This project will investigate the anatomy and activity of the spinal muscles and the behaviour of the intervertebral disc in living subjects using innovative Magnetic Resonance Imaging techniques. Significant outcomes will be ....Biomechanics of the human spine measured using magnetic resonance imaging. Statistics show that 80% of the population suffer back pain at some time. However, because the spine is very complex our understanding of its mechanics and the causes of back pain are still limited. This project will investigate the anatomy and activity of the spinal muscles and the behaviour of the intervertebral disc in living subjects using innovative Magnetic Resonance Imaging techniques. Significant outcomes will be new definitive descriptions of the detailed anatomy of the spine and its mechanisms. This will enhance the accuracy and detail of models under development for predicting spinal function following disease, injury or surgical procedures.Read moreRead less
How do mechanics, neural drive and muscle architecture interact in muscles? This project will determine how an individual person’s muscle activity, muscle structure and mechanical properties, and the local mechanical conditions around the muscle interact as muscles move and deform, by using experiments and personalised computational models that can examine these factors and their interactions concurrently. To achieve this, we will develop novel magnetic resonance imaging methods to measure the m ....How do mechanics, neural drive and muscle architecture interact in muscles? This project will determine how an individual person’s muscle activity, muscle structure and mechanical properties, and the local mechanical conditions around the muscle interact as muscles move and deform, by using experiments and personalised computational models that can examine these factors and their interactions concurrently. To achieve this, we will develop novel magnetic resonance imaging methods to measure the mechanical properties of muscles in humans and methods for modelling muscles. As well as answering fundamental scientific questions about muscle function, these new techniques will provide a platform for studying other muscles, and for future development of muscle training methods and technologies to optimise muscle function.Read moreRead less
A novel multiscale model to investigate mechanical properties of cartilage. This project aims to develop a new multiscale model to investigate anisotropic and inhomogeneous mechanical properties of cartilage. It has been found that the mechanical properties of cartilage highly depend on its microstructures and components. The new model is proposed based on a new constitutive relation in the macroscale and a novel algorithm to obtain local stress distributions in the microscale as well as through ....A novel multiscale model to investigate mechanical properties of cartilage. This project aims to develop a new multiscale model to investigate anisotropic and inhomogeneous mechanical properties of cartilage. It has been found that the mechanical properties of cartilage highly depend on its microstructures and components. The new model is proposed based on a new constitutive relation in the macroscale and a novel algorithm to obtain local stress distributions in the microscale as well as through rigorous experimental validations. This model will be a powerful tool to understand cartilage mechanical properties. It will accelerate the design of mechanically viable artificial cartilage biomaterial, which will provide significant economic benefits and place Australia in the forefront of modelling and biomaterials.Read moreRead less
A Multiscale Modelling Framework for Mechanical Properties of ECM. This project aims to develop a novel hierarchical multi-scale modelling framework to understand factors that influence the mechanical deformation behaviour of the extracellular matrix (ECM) such as cartilage, whose mechanical performance is critical to human wellbeing. Modelling ECM presents significant challenges due to the need to incorporate effects at scales from atomic interactions up to the fibre network in a continuum mode ....A Multiscale Modelling Framework for Mechanical Properties of ECM. This project aims to develop a novel hierarchical multi-scale modelling framework to understand factors that influence the mechanical deformation behaviour of the extracellular matrix (ECM) such as cartilage, whose mechanical performance is critical to human wellbeing. Modelling ECM presents significant challenges due to the need to incorporate effects at scales from atomic interactions up to the fibre network in a continuum model. The proposed framework follows ECM's natural hierarchical structure and integrates efficient models for each key structural scale based on rigorous experimental validations. It is expected to provide a powerful tool for designing successful artificial ECM materials and understanding the mechanisms of the ECM degradation.Read moreRead less
Development of Advanced Wear Debris Analysis Techniques for Osteoarthritis Study. Wear and tear of joints is the common cause of osteoarthritis, costing $19.25 billion/year. With this cost on the increase, and no cure to date, comes a need to develop effective methods for its diagnosis. This study will provide new knowledge on osteoarthritis progression by allowing strategic use of national health resources. A fuzzy expert system, to be developed utilising the diagnostic/prognostic techniques of ....Development of Advanced Wear Debris Analysis Techniques for Osteoarthritis Study. Wear and tear of joints is the common cause of osteoarthritis, costing $19.25 billion/year. With this cost on the increase, and no cure to date, comes a need to develop effective methods for its diagnosis. This study will provide new knowledge on osteoarthritis progression by allowing strategic use of national health resources. A fuzzy expert system, to be developed utilising the diagnostic/prognostic techniques of this study will significantly reduce cost and time. The project will contribute to the National Strategy by helping older Australians; the major group of osteoarthritis sufferers, to retain their health, independence and productivity.Read moreRead less
Direct measurement of the kinetics of trans-femoral amputee gait during activities of daily living. This project involves the use of a novel technique to accurately measure the loads placed upon the lower limbs of above-knee amputees. Included in the subject group will be a number of amputees fitted with an artificial leg fitted directly into the bone. The ability to monitor a range of activities is possible by the use of a wireless telemetry system. The outcomes of this work will benefit ampute ....Direct measurement of the kinetics of trans-femoral amputee gait during activities of daily living. This project involves the use of a novel technique to accurately measure the loads placed upon the lower limbs of above-knee amputees. Included in the subject group will be a number of amputees fitted with an artificial leg fitted directly into the bone. The ability to monitor a range of activities is possible by the use of a wireless telemetry system. The outcomes of this work will benefit amputees around the world, as well as clinicians and companies who are dedicated to developing significant improvements in the functional abilities of subjects who have suffered amputation.Read moreRead less
Determination of Conductivity Values for Anisotropic Tissue. Well established mathematical models governing the electrical potential in biological tissue can be combined with measurements of the electric potential on the surface of the tissue to provide insight into subsurface tissue damage. However, before such observations can be convincingly accepted, reliable values for the tissue conductivity must be obtained. The aim of this project is to develop mathematical techniques to calculate the co ....Determination of Conductivity Values for Anisotropic Tissue. Well established mathematical models governing the electrical potential in biological tissue can be combined with measurements of the electric potential on the surface of the tissue to provide insight into subsurface tissue damage. However, before such observations can be convincingly accepted, reliable values for the tissue conductivity must be obtained. The aim of this project is to develop mathematical techniques to calculate the conductivity values so that one can apply the equations to solve problems of potential distribution and proceed to accurately simulate electrical potential distributions in damaged tissue. More accurate and reliable conductivity values will allow a better understanding of the way electric current moves through the heart which, in turn, will result in more efficient defibrillators and better diagnosis of abnormal function.Read moreRead less
Design and Fabrication of an Engineered Bone Graft System (EBGS) by combining a composite scaffold and growth factor delivery system. The lifetime risk for long bone fractures in Caucasians over the age of 50 is 17% for women and 6% for men. The prevalence of age-related fractures - and with it higher mortality rates due to complications following bone fractures - is therefore bound to increase over the coming decades. There is clearly a great need for therapies that take age-related changes in ....Design and Fabrication of an Engineered Bone Graft System (EBGS) by combining a composite scaffold and growth factor delivery system. The lifetime risk for long bone fractures in Caucasians over the age of 50 is 17% for women and 6% for men. The prevalence of age-related fractures - and with it higher mortality rates due to complications following bone fractures - is therefore bound to increase over the coming decades. There is clearly a great need for therapies that take age-related changes into consideration, in particular the diminishing capacity of bone to heal with age. In an effort to address the therapeutic challenges of providing bone grafts, we aim to mesh two leading-edge technologies to design and fabricate an Engineered Bone Graft System (EBGS) system. Read moreRead less