Printhotics: A Digital Solution To Optimise Personalised Children’s Orthotic Devices
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$645,205.00
Summary
Ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) are custom plastic braces worn around the foot and ankle that are crucial for the daily function of children with nerve, muscle and brain disorders. However, AFO usage is limited by significant wait times, poor adherence and a disconnect with patient preferences. My project, Printhotics, will generate novel AFO designs and production methods based on a concurrent discovery pipeline of co-design, 3D scanning, machine learning, and 3D printing.
Epidemiology, Diagnosis And Treatment Of Orthopaedic Infections
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$93,655.00
Summary
Orthopaedic surgery has led to significant improvements in patient's quality of life. With an ageing population, the number of patients requiring joint replacement and other bone and joint surgery will increase exponentially. Infection of the joint replacement is a devastating complication of this surgery. Research into these infections is still evolving. This research proposal aims to examine the clinical features of bone and joint infections, to explore ways to optimise diagnosis and improve t ....Orthopaedic surgery has led to significant improvements in patient's quality of life. With an ageing population, the number of patients requiring joint replacement and other bone and joint surgery will increase exponentially. Infection of the joint replacement is a devastating complication of this surgery. Research into these infections is still evolving. This research proposal aims to examine the clinical features of bone and joint infections, to explore ways to optimise diagnosis and improve treatment and outcomes for patients.Read moreRead less
I am a clinical biomechanical engineer investigating the causes of locomotor dysfunction in children with cerebral palsy and the effects of surgical and neurological interventions for these.
Molecular Mechanisms That Mediate The Anti-osteosarcoma Properties Of Pigment Epithelium-derived Factor (PEDF)
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$123,453.00
Summary
Cancer results from a sequence of alterations to genes which lead to abnormal cells dividing without control. Osteosarcoma is a cancer involving bone and can rapidly spread to surrounding and distant tissues. A number of mediators have been identified as being able to provide some regulation of this abnormal cell division. Pigment epithelium-derived factor is one such protein and further understanding of how it achieves this could be used for the development of targeted osteosarcoma treatment.
Osteocytes, the most abundant and long-lived, yet least studied bone cell, are increasingly recognised as key controllers of bone remodelling and are implicated in many bone diseases. Our work is uncovering novel molecular and cellular pathways by which osteocytes act and survive in bone, which is generally an oxygen-deprived tissue. This will provide a rational basis to seek improved treatments of bone disease.
Development Of Novel Resorbable Biomaterials For Regeneration Of Human Tissue
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$601,484.00
Summary
Large skeletal defects resulting from congenital defects or disease processes are difficult to regenerate and represent a major financial burden to our health system. Bone graft treatments are widely used but have considerable drawbacks. Available synthetic alternatives lack the physical/biological properties necessary. We have developed new scaffolds with improved mechanical/biological properties for bone and cartilage regeneration.
Titanium Implants With Dual Micro- And Nano-Scale Topography For Electrically Stimulated Osteogenic And Antibacterial Functions
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$318,768.00
Summary
The long-term success of titanium implants in high-risk patients (especially diabetics) is compromised and the current project aims to address this by developing nano-engineered therapeutic titanium implants. With appropriate multi-scale roughness, enhanced bioactivity, local antibiotic release and electrical stimulation to further enhance these features, the project aims at patient outcomes, while allowing easy integration into the current implant market.
Regulation Of Key Pathways Causing Peri-implant Bone Loss.
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$403,639.00
Summary
The failure of bone prostheses is becoming a major health problem in our aging population. Despite the impressive success of joint replacement surgery, a significant number of arthroplasties fail. It is now apparent that most implants fail due to bone loss around them which leads to loosening. This project aims to obtain a better understanding of the causes of implant failure and find ways to extend the life of these implants .
Innovative Antimicrobial Treatments For Successful Bone Allografts
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$473,706.00
Summary
Bone healing sites are commonly infected, and this is associated with adverse clinical and significant socioeconomic outcomes. These studies will determine whether our novel antimicrobials can be used to reduce bone infections by studying the combination of antimicrobials and bone in laboratory and bone fracture studies whilst minimising the potential of developing antibiotic resistance.
Novel Biocompatible Nickel-free Shape Memory Alloy Scaffolds For Biomedical Applications
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$530,789.00
Summary
The current project is aimed at the development of a new class of novel biocompatible nickel-free shape memory alloy (SMA) scaffolds for metallic implant applications. The new scaffolds possess the ability to exert a mechanical force on the surrounding bones, and stimulate new bone tissue ingrowth, due to their shape memory effect, superelasticity and bone-mimicking porous structure. The outcomes from this project will provide innovative implant materials.