Electromechanics of cartilage: surface mapping, instrumentation/software development, structure/function relationships

软骨机电：表面测绘、仪器/软件开发、结构/功能关系

• 批准号: 445265-2012
• 负责人: Buschmann, Michael
• 金额: $ 8.74万
• 依托单位: École Polytechnique de Montréal
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Collaborative Research and Development Grants
• 财政年份: 2015
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2015-01-01 至 2016-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=575036
• 关键词: Electromechanics; cartilage; surface; mapping; instrumentation

Articular cartilage is the white tissue covering the ends of bones allowing for joint motion and loading in daily activities. It has no nerves and no natural capacity to heal so that injury and disease of cartilage generally progresses until it is worn down to expose bone and cause pain and Arthritis. The current lack of treatments for Arthritis and cartilage disease is largely due to our inability to accurately and sensitively monitor cartilage changes in early stages of degeneration where treatments may effectively intervene. Current clinical diagnostic tools for cartilage are insufficient in terms of sensitivity and specificity and predictive value for disease progression. The group at Polytechnique are experts in the electromechanical properties and methods of monitoring electric fields produced by cartilage under load. They have invented two technologies which detect these electric fields produced in cartilage under load and shown that these measurements are very sensitive to cartilage changes, namely degeneration. These inventions have been patented and transferred to a Canadian company owned by former graduate students of Ecole Polytechnique. This project aims to continue this collaboration between the company, Biomomentum Inc, and the University to provide all of the necessary data, instrumentation and software to bring these two diagnostic instruments to commercial sale. Achieving this goal promises to expand Biomomentum's market and sales, generate significant scientific advances in cartilage science, and aid clinical and pharmaceutical communities in developing effective treatments for joint disease.

关节软骨是覆盖骨骼末端的白色组织，允许关节运动和日常活动中的负荷。它没有神经，也没有自然的愈合能力，因此软骨的损伤和疾病通常会发展，直到它被磨损，暴露骨骼，引起疼痛和关节炎。目前缺乏关节炎和软骨疾病的治疗方法，主要是由于我们无法准确和灵敏地监测退化早期阶段的软骨变化，而治疗可以有效地干预。目前软骨的临床诊断工具在灵敏度和特异性以及疾病进展的预测价值方面是不足的。 Polytechnique的团队是机电特性和监测负载下软骨产生的电场的方法的专家。他们发明了两种技术，可以检测在负荷下软骨中产生的这些电场，并表明这些测量对软骨变化（即退化）非常敏感。这些发明已获得专利，并转让给一家加拿大公司，该公司由Ecole Polytechnique的前研究生拥有。该项目旨在继续该公司，Biomomentum Inc和大学之间的合作，提供所有必要的数据，仪器和软件，使这两种诊断仪器商业销售。实现这一目标有望扩大Biomomentum的市场和销售，在软骨科学方面取得重大科学进展，并帮助临床和制药界开发有效的关节疾病治疗方法。