Medical and Biological Engineering Research Group

The MBE Group’s expertise lies in modelling and simulation in biomechanics and biomedical engineering applied in particular to understand the mechanobiology of bone and its use in predictive biology.

This includes: (1) at the cellular level – modelling of the osteocyte network and its control of the mechanotransduction, and modelling of the bone remodelling cycle; (2) at the tissue level – modelling the differentiation and growth of bone into scaffolds and the osseo­integration of orthopaedic implants; and (3) at the organ level – modelling the biomechanics of primate, lizard and rodent skulls. See our research pages.

The long term goal of the work is to develop a fully integrated multiscale model of bone. As part of that work we are developing our own voxel-based finite element software VOX-FE, for the analysis of very large-scale, high-resolution models of bone structures.

Current and recent supporters of our research include Action Medical Research, BBSRC, Department of Health, EPSRC, Leverhulme, MRC, NERC, OSPREY, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Royal Society.

Latest publications

• F Gröning, MEH Jones, N Curtis, A Herrel, P O’Higgins, SE. Evans, MJ. Fagan. The importance of accurate muscle modelling for biomechanical analyses: a case study with a lizard skull. Journal of the Royal Society Interface - in press. LINK (open access) 
• F Gröning, MJ Fagan, P O’Higgins. Comparing the distribution of strains with the distribution of bone tissue in a human mandible: a finite element study. Anatomical Record, 296:1, 9-18, 2013. LINK
• Hofe, SR Ell, MJ Fagan, JM Gilbert, PD GreenD, RK Moore, SI Rybchenko. Small-vocabulary speech recognition using a silent speech interface based on magnetic sensing. Speech Communication, 55(1), 22-32, 2013. LINK 
• Jahani, F Ahwal, B Ji, R Patton, P Genever, MJ Fagan. Simulation of osteocyte apoptosis on signalling in the osteocyte-bone lining cell network and implications for osteoporosis. Journal of Biomechanics. 45:16, 2876-83, 2012. LINK
• MEH Jones, I Werneburg, N Curtis, P O'Higgins, MJ Fagan, SE Evans. The head and neck anatomy of sea turtles (Cryptodira: Chelonioidea) and skull shape in Testudines. PLoS One. 2012;7(11):e47852, 2012. LINK
• J Shi, N Curtis, LC Fitton, P O'Higgins, MJ Fagan. Developing a musculoskeletal model of the primate skull: predicting muscle activations, bite force, and joint reaction forces using multibody dynamics analysis and advanced optimisation methods. Journal Journal of Theoretical Biology, 310, 21-30, 2012. LINK
• MEH Jones, P O’Higgins, MJ Fagan, SE Evans, N Curtis. Shearing mechanics and the influence of a flexible symphysis during oral food processing in Sphenodon (Lepidosauria: Rhynchocephalia). Anatomical Record, 295:7, 1075-1091, 2012. LINK
• JA Khan, MNA Abdul Rahman, FAK Mazari, Y Shahin, G Smith, L Madden, MJ Fagan, J Greenman, PT McCollum, IC Chetter. Intraluminal thrombus has a selective influence on matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors (tissue inhibitors of matrix metalloproteinases) in the wall of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Annals of Vascular Surgery, 26:3, 322-329, 2012. LINK
• B Ji, R Patton, P Genever, D Putra, MJ Fagan. A novel mathematical model of bone remodelling cycles for trabecular bone at the cellular level. Biomechanics and Modelling in Mechanobiology. 11:7, 973-982, 2012. LINK 
• LC Fitton, JF Shi, MJ Fagan, P O’Higgins. Masticatory loadings and cranial deformation in Macaca fascicularis: a finite element analysis sensitivity study. Journal of Anatomy. Journal of Anatomy, 221:1, 55-68, 2012. LINK
• PG Cox, EJ Rayfield, MJ Fagan, A Herrel, TC Pataky, N Jeffery. Functional evolution of the feeding system in rodents. PLoS One, 7(4): e36299, 2012. LINK
• F Gröning, JA Bright, MJ Fagan, P O'Higgins. Improving the validation of finite element models with quantitative full-field strain comparisons. Journal of Biomechanics. 45:8, 1498-1506, 2012. LINK
• F Gröning, J Liu, MJ Fagan, P O’Higgins. Modelling the human mandible under masticatory loads. Which input variables are important? Anatomical Record. 295(5):853-63, 2012. LINK