Collaborative Research: Integration of Implantable MEMS Sensors and Computational Modeling to Assess Mechanical Regulation of Bone Regeneration

这些研究将在组织水平和局部细胞水平上提供体内骨愈合机械环境的详细特征。此外，本研究中先进的传感器的小规模和无线特性将为广泛的再生工程和医学应用提供一个平台，使局部机械环境的非侵入性量化成为可能。最终，这些传感器可用于改变组织置换的方法、模式和成本，并能够实时评估移植物排斥反应和脊柱固定等情况。该项目还将结合一项教育计划和三条扩大参与的途径：(1)向K-12学生提供微型和纳米技术的外展计划；(2) GT-ENGAGE，一个让来自代表性不足群体的高中生参与工程研究项目的项目；(3) GT-SURE本科生研究机会计划。通过这种方法，来自K-college的各个年龄段的学生将获得广泛而详细的研究和技术开发体验。该奖项的研究目标是开发一种多尺度力学方法，以全面表征组织工程结构在再生过程中的体内机械环境。根据该合同进行的研究将利用植入式无线微机电（MEMS）传感器、生物力学测试和基于图像的有限元建模。组织工程构建体和动态固定板将配备无线MEMS传感器；然后，这些将在一个完善的体内临界尺寸的节段性骨缺损模型中实施。在再生过程中，将实时测量工程结构内局部应变梯度的体内测量，以获得加载历史。利用可植入MEMS传感器的体内数据，建立并验证骨再生过程中局部机械应变的基于图像的有限元模型。

These studies will provide a detailed characterization of the bone healing mechanical environment in vivo at both the tissue level and the local cell level. Additionally, the small scale and wireless properties of sensors advanced in this study will provide a platform to enable non-invasive quantification of the local mechanical environment for a broad range of regenerative engineering and medicine applications. Ultimately, these sensors could be utilized to transform the methods, modes, and costs of tissue replacements and enable the real time assessment of such cases as graft rejection and spinal fixation. This project will also combine an educational plan with three routes for broadening participation: (1) outreach programs in micro- and nanotechnology to K-12 participants; (2) GT-ENGAGE, a program which immerses high-school students from underrepresented groups in engineering research projects; and (3) the GT-SURE undergraduate research opportunity program. Through this approach, students across age ranges from K-college will be provided both a broad and detailed immersion in the research and technology development experience. The research objective of this award is to develop a multi-scale mechanics approach to comprehensively characterize the in vivo mechanical environment within a tissue engineered construct during regeneration. Studies conducted under this award will utilize implantable wireless microelectromechanical (MEMS) sensors, biomechanical testing, and image-based finite element modeling. Tissue engineered constructs and dynamic fixation plates will be instrumented with wireless MEMS sensors; these will then be implemented in a well-established in vivo critically sized segmental bone defect model. In vivo measurements of the local strain gradients within the engineered constructs will be measured in real time during the course of regeneration to obtain a loading history. Image-based finite element models of the local mechanical strains in regenerating bone will be created and validated using the in vivo data from the implantable MEMS sensors.