At the Orthopedic Biomaterials and Mechanics (OBM) Laboratory, we unite biomechanics, biomaterials, regenerative medicine, and advanced manufacturing to tackle some of orthopedic medicine's most persistent challenges. Our multidisciplinary team is developing living tissue replacements, evidence-based fracture fixation strategies, realistic surgical training tools, and personalized orthotic devices, all aimed at restoring function and improving quality of life for patients.
Explore our research areas below to see how engineering-driven innovation is shaping the future of orthopedic care.
Regenerating the Knee: Meniscus Tissue Engineering and Bioprinting
The Challenge
The knee meniscus distributes loads, absorbs shock, stabilizes the joint, and protects articular cartilage. Meniscal injuries have a limited ability to heal and are a major contributor to osteoarthritis, often leading to chronic pain, loss of mobility, and reduced quality of life.
Current treatments, including partial meniscectomy, allografts, and synthetic implants, can relieve symptoms but do not fully restore the complex biological and mechanical function of the native meniscus.
Our Approach
We are developing next-generation, tissue-engineered meniscus replacements that combine stem cell biology, biomaterials, biomechanics, and advanced bioprinting technologies. Our goal is to create living meniscal constructs that replicate both the anatomical shape and the mechanical behavior, composition, and biological function of native tissue.
Our research spans the complete tissue engineering pipeline:
- Stem cell expansion and bioink formulation
- 3D bioprinting and bioreactor culture
- Mechanical conditioning of engineered constructs
- Comprehensive biological and biomechanical evaluation
We investigate how scaffold architecture, biomaterial composition, biochemical signals, and mechanical loading influence tissue maturation and extracellular matrix formation, allowing us to engineer constructs that more closely resemble the native meniscus.
Looking Ahead
By combining regenerative medicine with advanced manufacturing, we aim to develop clinically translatable solutions that restore knee function, delay or prevent osteoarthritis, and improve long-term outcomes for patients with traumatic and degenerative meniscal injuries, bridging engineering and medicine to move beyond replacement toward true biological regeneration.
Orthopedic Trauma Biomechanics and Fracture Fixation
The Challenge
Every year, millions of patients sustain fractures that require surgical stabilization, yet there is rarely a single "correct" fixation strategy. Surgeons must balance competing priorities: maximizing construct stability, preserving blood supply, minimizing surgical trauma, and creating an environment that promotes rapid and reliable bone healing.
Our research seeks to answer one of the most fundamental questions in orthopedic trauma: what fixation strategy provides the optimal mechanical environment for fracture healing?
Our Approach
We investigate the biomechanics of internal and external fixation systems for lower-extremity fractures, with a particular focus on complex periarticular injuries, osteoporotic bone, and minimally invasive surgical techniques. Using experimental biomechanics, computational modeling, advanced manufacturing, and clinically relevant fracture models, we evaluate how different fixation strategies influence construct stiffness, interfragmentary motion, implant loading, and overall mechanical stability.
Current research includes the biomechanical evaluation of:
- Open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) techniques
- Locking plate constructs
- Intramedullary nailing
- Dual plating and hybrid fixation systems
- External fixation devices
Rather than comparing implants in isolation, we investigate how implant configuration, screw trajectory, fracture morphology, bone quality, and surgical technique interact to influence the healing environment.
Featured Project
A major focus of the laboratory is developing less-invasive fixation strategies that preserve the biological integrity of fracture healing while maintaining sufficient mechanical stability. In one example, our work on distal femur fractures in osteoporotic bone showed that a minimally invasive construct, combining a lateral locking plate with cannulated medial column screws, can achieve biomechanical stability comparable to conventional dual plating while reducing surgical exposure and implant burden. This work, supported by DePuy Synthes, reflects our broader vision of optimizing fixation through engineering-driven innovation rather than simply increasing implant complexity.
Looking Ahead
Beyond evaluating existing implants, we are advancing next-generation fixation technologies, including novel implant materials, patient-specific fixation concepts, additive manufacturing, and computational optimization, to design constructs that better replicate physiological load transfer while reducing complications such as implant failure, nonunion, stress shielding, and loss of fixation.
Our goal is to provide surgeons with evidence-based biomechanical data that guides clinical decision-making, inspires innovative implant design, and improves outcomes, helping shape a future where implants are not simply stronger, but smarter, biologically respectful, and mechanically optimized for healing.
Realistic Orthopedic Surgical Simulation and Bone Models
The Challenge
Successful orthopedic surgery depends not only on the strength of implants, but also on the surgeon's ability to navigate complex anatomy, assess bone quality, and perform procedures with precision. We are developing next-generation, patient-specific surgical simulation models that realistically replicate both the anatomy and mechanical behavior of human bone to improve surgical education, implant development, and procedural planning.
Our Approach
Our research goes far beyond conventional 3D-printed bone replicas. We engineer biomimetic models that reproduce the distinct cortical and cancellous architecture of healthy and osteoporotic bone by controlling internal density gradients, porosity, and material composition. These models are mechanically validated to reproduce clinically relevant drilling, screw insertion, and fracture fixation behavior.
A unique focus of our laboratory is integrating patient-specific anatomy and soft tissue simulation into training models. Modern trauma surgery frequently relies on minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) techniques, where surgeons must identify anatomical landmarks and safely position implants through small incisions with limited visualization. To recreate these challenges, our models incorporate:
- Soft tissue envelopes and anatomical constraints around bone models
- Realistic simulation of fluoroscopy-guided drilling, plate positioning, and screw placement
- Scenarios for high body mass index (BMI) patients, where soft tissue thickness increases surgical complexity
Looking Ahead
Our research also evaluates the interaction between orthopedic implants and bone under a wide range of clinical conditions, including osteoporotic fractures, complex periarticular injuries, and high-energy trauma. By combining advanced additive manufacturing, computational design, and clinically informed surgical simulation, we are developing affordable, reproducible, and patient-specific platforms that support surgical education, implant evaluation, and innovation in orthopedic trauma care.
Engineering Personalized Solutions for Plantar Heel Pain
The Challenge
Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of heel pain, affecting millions of people worldwide and often limiting mobility, physical activity, and overall quality of life.
Our Approach
We are developing next-generation, patient-specific orthopedic insoles that combine biomechanics, computational design, and additive manufacturing to provide more effective and affordable treatment solutions. Our research explores how advanced 3D printing technologies can create orthotic insoles customized to each patient's anatomy, gait, and mechanical loading.
By intelligently varying the internal architecture of the insole and introducing novel pressure-relief structures, we aim to improve plantar pressure distribution, enhance comfort, and reduce stress on the plantar fascia, producing orthotics that are not only more effective than conventional designs but also faster and cheaper to manufacture.
Looking Ahead
By integrating engineering design with clinical biomechanics, we are working toward personalized orthopedic devices that improve mobility, reduce pain, and enhance quality of life for patients suffering from plantar fasciitis.
Personalized Orthotic Design for Diabetic Foot Care
The Challenge
Diabetic foot ulcers are among the most serious complications of diabetes, often leading to chronic wounds, infection, and lower-limb amputation. Preventing excessive plantar pressure before tissue damage occurs is one of the most effective strategies for reducing these complications.
Our Approach
We are developing advanced 3D-printed orthopedic insoles that provide personalized pressure relief for individuals at risk of diabetic foot ulceration. Unlike conventional insoles with uniform mechanical properties, our research focuses on engineering orthotics with region-specific stiffness tailored to each patient's anatomy and plantar pressure distribution.
We have developed a novel Gradient Ellipsoid Lattice Infill (GELI) architecture that enables smooth transitions in material stiffness across the insole, allowing vulnerable areas of the foot to receive greater cushioning while maintaining structural support where needed.
Looking Ahead
By combining advanced materials, computational design, additive manufacturing, and biomechanical testing, we are working toward the next generation of intelligent orthopedic devices that help prevent diabetic foot ulcers, improve mobility, and enhance long-term quality of life for patients living with diabetes.