Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (BMMB) Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (BMMB)

Research Topics:

Theoretical modelling; Computational Analysis; Biomechanics; Mutiphysics; Systems (Mechano)Biology; Multiscale Modelling; Patient-specific Modelling; In Silico Medicine

RESEARCH | PEOPLE | PROJECTS & COLLABORATIONS | JOB OPPORTUNITIES | PUBLICATIONS

RESEARCH

Biomechanics and Mechanobiology (BMMB) is one of the eight Research Areas of BCN MedTech. It settled at UPF in 2015. Research at BMMB focuses on the load-bearing organs and tissues of the human body in health and disease, and it targets (i) the interactions between tissue multiphysics and biological processes, (ii) the multiscale regulation of organ functional biomechanics, (iii) the identification of mechanistic risk factors associated with different diseases and disorders, based on synthetic data and on the virtual augmentation of real world data.

Numerical methods that combine different modelling and simulation techniques are used to describe both the tissues at the organ level, and the tissue-cell interactions at the tissue and cellular levels. Models are usually developed to admit real world biological and/or clinical data as inputs, in addition to mechanical data from motion analyses where relevant. Theoretical and numerical concepts are tested against in vivo and in vitro data, allowing mechanistic interpretations of both experimental and clinical evidences, in addition to model validations.

On the one hand, emphasis is given in the study of the multiscale transfer of mechanical effects from the system level to the cell level in different scenarios, e.g. simulated treatments, organ/tissue condition or cell cultures; relative to a chosen reference state. On the other hand, advanced tissue models are used to link observable phenotypes to possible mechanisms of spatiotemporal tissue regulation that will depend on the prediction of different cell microenvironments. Both top-down and bottom-up approaches are adopted, to eventually apprehend the regulation of highly multifactorial diseases and disorders.

SPINE & INTERVERTEBRAL DISC

Finite element modelling of the spine and intervertebral disc, for:

Spine surgery planning and prognosis
Intervertebral disc pathophysiology exploration

Coupling with:

image- and point-processing for patient-specific modelling (statistical shape modelling, mesh morphing)
Tissue multiphysics modelling
Systems biology models (network, agent-based) for dynamic modelling of intervertebral disc biological regulation

| REFERENCE ARTICLE 1 | REFERENCE ARTICLE 2 | REFERENCE ARTICLE 3 |

CARTILAGE & OSTEOARTHRITIS

Gait analysis and knee finite element modelling to:

Capture patient-specific knee joint loads
Calculate different stress and composition changes in the knee cartilage

Coupled with:

Osteoarthritis patient clinical and biological data
Tissue multiphysics modelling
Network models for chondrocyte biochemical regulation coupled to mechanotransduction

| REFERENCE ARTICLE 1 | REFERENCE ARTICLE 2 |

BONE & OSTEOPOROSIS

Patient-specific (mesh morphing) and structured finite element modelling to:

Explore mechanical fracture predictors in osteoporosis patients
Quantify the mechanical effect of drug treatments in osteoporosis

Coupled with:

The exploitation of DXA image through the 3D Shaper® technology
The exploration of the respective contributions of the trabecular and cortical bone tissues
Different bone constitutive modelling (elastic; elasto-plastic; multi-scale) approaches

| REFERENCE ARTICLE |

MOTION ANALYSIS & BODY FUNCTION

Subject motion & posture capture and analysis to:

Assess clinical decisions and phenotypes
Identify descriptors of body stability, e.g., associated with joint coordination, muscle tension or breathing

Coupled with:

Patient clinical data
Multivariate statiscal analyses & Machine Learning
Alternative motion sensor technologies

| REFERENCE ARTICLE 1 | REFERENCE ARTICLE 2 | REFERENCE ARTICLE 3 |

ATHEROSCLEROSIS

RESPIRATION & CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISEASE

RESSOURCES & INFRASTRUCTURES

PEOPLE

Current Members

HEAD

Jérôme Noailly

POSDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS

Simone Tassani

Carlos Ruiz Wills

Laura Baumgartner

PhD CANDIDATES

Morteza Rasouligandomani

Maria Segarra Queralt

Sofia Tseranidou

Estefano Muñoz

Jorge Mateos Arriola

Former MembersThemis Toumanidou (PhD Candidate) - Now, research Engineer at Medtronics.

PROJECTS & COLLABORATIONS

CURRENT PROJECTS

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FUNDING:

Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación y la Agencia Estatal de Investigaciónllllllllll

ANDAMIO (RTC2019-007413-1)

will predict, from 2D DXA images, the risk of osteoporotic fracture in 3D in the lumbar spine. The predictive algorithm will rely on biomechanical simulations that integrate the bone morphology and quality, external and internal loads, and the influence of soft tissues. The software will integrate the 3D-SHAPER technology, and use 3D-SHAPER outputs to:

Generate a 3D biomechanical model of the patient's lumbar spine,
Simulate several external load conditions, and calculate boundary loads on the vertebrae
Compute the distribution of stresses and strains in the vertebrae, and
Provide the medical doctor with an estimate of the risk of femoral fracture

The ultimate clinical goal for ANDAMIO is to predict at least 80% of osteoporotic fractures. In the case of successful clinical validation, the technology will be integrated into a commercial software version that will be personalized to be compatible with machines of the main leaders of the market.

PARTNERS:

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BYMBOS

It is a multi-disciplinary project that aims to describ the probability to develop musculoskeletal conditions related to physical and psychological stress.

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disc4all

Training network to advance integrated computational simulations in translational medicine, applied to intervertebral disc degeneration.

Past projects

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HOLOA

Clinical and virtual examination of patients for holistic and objective description of the osteoarthritis progression mechanisms.