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.

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.

The long term goal of the work is to develop a fully integrated multi-scale model of bone. As part of that work we are developing our own voxel-based finite element solver, for solving 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 and the Royal Society.

MBE News

December 2011: Our recent NATURE paper is named as one of the top ten 2011 Science stories by the Guardian newspaper. LINKs to the Guardian and Nature.

December 2011: The MBE Group is awarded IS013485 accreditation for its Kingston Speech Valve project.

Latest publications

• 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, Epub, 2012. LINK
• F Gröning, MJ Fagan. Comment on "The effects of modelling simplifications on craniofacial finite element models: The alveoli (tooth sockets) and periodontal ligaments" (volume 44, issue 10, pages 1831-1838). Journal of Biomechanics, Epub, 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, Epub, 2012. LINK
• R 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, Epub, 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 Modeling in Mechanobiology. Online First, 2012. LINK  
• J Liu, JF Shi, LC Fitton, R Phillips, P O'Higgins, MJ Fagan. The application of muscle wrapping to voxel-based finite element models of skeletal structures. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 11:1 35-47, 2012. LINK
• N Curtis, MEH Jones, P O’Higgins, SE Evans, MJ Fagan. Functional relationship between skull form and feeding mechanics in diapsid reptiles. PLoS One, 6:12, e29804, 2011. LINK
• MJ Higham, T Compton, C Stringer, R Jacobi, B Shapiro, E Trinkaus, B Chandler, F Gröning, C Collins, S Hillson, P O’Higgins, C FitzGerald, MJ Fagan. The earliest evidence for anatomically modern humans in Europe. Nature, 479, 521-524, 2011. LINK
• PG Cox, MJ Fagan, EJ Rayfield, N Jeffery. Biomechanical performance of the rodent skull: sensitivity analyses of finite element models of rat, guinea pig and squirrel skulls. Journal of Anatomy, 219, 696-709, 2011. LINK
• N Curtis, U Witzel, L Fitton, P O’Higgins, MJ Fagan. The mechanical significance of the temporal fasciae in Macaca fascicularis: an investigation using finite element analysis. Anatomical Record, 294:7, 1178-90, 2011. LINK