Orthopaedic and Developmental Biomechanics Laboratory

The Orthopaedic and Developmental Biomechanics Laboratory houses both wet lab and computational facilities for characterization of structure-function relationships in biological and other materials. The wet lab (750 square feet) contains materials testing equipment, including a biaxial (axial-torsional) servohydraulic materials testing system (Instron model 8874) with a variety of extensometers and load cells; a custom-built miniature torsional testing system; and a multi-channel signal conditioning and amplification system. This equipment enables both monotonic and fatigue testing at loads of .01-25 kN, torques of .01-100 Nm, and frequencies up to 100 Hz. Additional equipment includes a micro-computed tomography system (Scanco uCT40), cabinet X-ray system (HP Faxitron), saws (Isomet low-speed), ultrasonic cleaner, oscilloscopes, function generator, and analytical balance. The wet lab space also contains a separate room for tissue culture.

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Computational facilities include PC workstations equipped with software for image processing, finite element analysis, statistical analysis and general computing.

Current research projects in the lab focus on quantification of physiological loading conditions in bone; the role of mechanical cues in directing tissue differentiation during skeletal repair; and age-related biomechanical consequences of bone damage. A unifying theme of these projects is the study of the dynamic interplay between the mechanical behavior, structure, mechanical environment and biological function of tissues.