Personalised pulsed-ultrasound to promote bone fracture healing

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This project will make use of our established in vitro experimental systems and state of the art laser Doppler vibrometry to investigate the micro-motion and nano-displacements induced by low-intensity, pulsed-ultrasound waves as they interact with osteoblast cells lines and bone tissue phantoms. Acoustic simulation (OnScale) will be used to establish the resulting forces imposed on the cells and tissues involved and how these are influenced by the propagation environment (anatomy) and drive parameters employed (frequency, acoustic pressure, etc). With clinical support, the student will use the data gathered to design more effective ultrasound devices, capable of delivering controlled low-intensity, pulsed-ultrasound fields to promote fracture healing across a range of presentations. In addition to the clear prospects offered by successfully advancing the technology, we anticipate potential commercialisation opportunities once we can demonstrate that optimisation of the field to suit the individual presents a significant healing advantage.