Research
Research Projects
I have developed modelling methods for the spine; the intervertebral disc and facets (zygapophysial) joints in particular. Those methods build on the concept of direct-controlled calibration and validation for in silico models:
The terms direct calibration and validation define processes where specimen-specific models derived from corresponding experimental (in vitro or in vivo) data are employed, and the same measures are compared in the models and experiments (as first described by Jones and Wilcox in 2008).
The terms controlled calibration and validation define the way in which the experimental data is acquired, such that it enables an exact replication of loads and boundary conditions in the model; this is typically data acquired in vitro.
Direct-controlled calibration and validation provides confidence that the model development methodology can capture the measurable variation within the population of tested specimens. It can also provide direct understanding of how the tissue behave, controlling all aspects but the unknowns of interest.
Those methods are being or have been translated to other joints and tissues through PhD projects and collaborations: hips (natural tissues and interaction between implant and bone), ankles (bone), and knee (bone and ligaments).
PI of EPSRC New Investigator Award Spine-Facets (2022-2025)
Academic team member of EPSRC programme grant Optimising knee therapies through improved population stratification and precision of the intervention led by Prof. Ruth Wilcox (2016-2022).
Previous work on spinal joints
Current work on spinal joints aims at capturing sources of variation in
in vitro degeneration process - If the artificial degeneration process can be modeled, including its inherent variability, then a whole in vitro testing protocol of repair strategies can be replicated in silico; helping to define key aspects of a protocol or new device before actual experimental testing to fine-tune it.
highly degenerated discs biomechanics - Most spinal treatments are aimed at late stage degeneration, however most computaional frameworks for intervertebral discs model early degeneration. Being able to model and capture the variation of highly degenerated discs will lead to models that can be used to assess the mechanical effect of treatment on a range of relevant state of degeneration. work with 1 PhD student (Meg Alipat)
degenerated facet joints biomechanics - Facet joint degeneration is highly prevalent but mostly asymptomatic. After intervertebral disc interventions however, facet joint degeneration can increase and create new symptoms and long term pain for one in four patients. EPSRC project to develop novel testing methods and tools combining experimental and computational modelling to gain a better understanding of the degenerated facet joint biomechanics and how it changes following fusion.
Research Students
Further, I currently supervise students working on
characterisation of meniscus repair in the knee (Sherif Zantiba, co-supervisor)
modelling changes in cartilage mechanics in hemarthrosis (PVS Mahesh, main supervisor),
characterising osteochondral repairs post implentation in an ovine knee model (Lara Esquivel, co-supervisor)
I have supervised student working on modelling the geomerty and impingement in the hip (Robert Cooper, Jiacheng Yao), modelling spinal ligaments (Ayesha Bint-E-Siddiq, co-supervisor), multi-scale characterisation of subchondral bone in the ankle (Lekha Koria, co-supervisor), modelling changes in ankle morphology and contact mechanics in hemarthrosis (Hattie Talbott), in vitro biomechanical evaluation of intervertebral disc therapies (Andrew Dixon), characterisation of subchondral bone lesions in the knee (Segun Kayode), and mesh morphing for the meniscus (Adam Kelly).
I am willing to supervise graduate students who are interested in the biomechanics of musculoskeletal joints and tissues. Contact me for more information.
Software/toolbox projects
All research projects conrtribute to several open-source toolboxes for Abaqus pre-processing, post-processing and optimisation (all available on github):
2DImage2Mesh: Tools to build a good quality abaqus quad mesh from a 2D image, using Simpleware scanIP as image processing software
PostPro4Abq: A set of tools to read an abaqus odb, generate relevant outputs, and write them to files
Opti4Abq: An optimisation toolbox that runs on a set of abaqus models to minimise the difference (in a least square sense) between the FEA output and the corresponding set of experimental data - description and verification of the tools is available in a 2020 paper. There is also a videocast describing the tools available