Multimodal Imaging
Mechanical loading is an important physiological factor regulating bone adaptation and regeneration. Hence, a detailed understanding of the underlying mechano-molecular mechanisms, also referred to as mechanomics, is needed. This knowledge on mechanomics will allow for identification of mechano-responsive therapeutic targets and enable individualized mechanical intervention therapies for improvement of compromised bone properties and impaired regeneration.
Our Goal
At the in vivo mechanomics team, we aim for a spatio-temporal, systems-level understanding of the mechano-molecular mechanisms governing load-induced bone adaptation and regeneration. We aim to also transfer this mechanomic knowledge to clinical applications.
Our Expertise
We combine expertise from different disciplines (e.g. biology, engineering, informatics, veterinary medicine) allowing a multi-scale and multi-disciplinary approach combining in vivo models with in silico modelling and omics technologies. We use gene editing for generating mouse lines, which enable the spatio-temporal in vivo assessment of different bone phenotypes during bone adaptation and regeneration. Via application of time-lapsed in vivo micro-computed tomography with subsequent micro-finite element analyses, we want to characterize the local mechanical in vivo environment (LivE) of single bone cells. Omics technologies are then established to investigate molecular responses of cells to LivE changes in well-established and novel mouse models of bone adaptation and regeneration. Based on the in vivo findings observed, we develop novel in silico models and computational tools, allowing prediction of individualized bone adaptation and regeneration capacities under different diseases and treatments.
Principle Investigator
Institut für Biomechanik
Gloriastrasse 37/ 39
8092
Zürich
Switzerland
