Personalised pulsed-ultrasound to promote bone fracture healing

该项目将利用我们建立的体外实验系统和最先进的激光多普勒振动测量技术来研究低强度脉冲超声波与成骨细胞系和骨组织幻影相互作用时引起的微运动和纳米位移。声学模拟（OnScale）将用于建立施加在相关细胞和组织上的作用力，以及这些作用力如何受到传播环境（解剖结构）和所采用的驱动参数（频率、声压等）的影响。在临床支持下，学生将使用收集到的数据来设计更有效的超声设备，能够提供可控的低强度脉冲超声场，以促进骨折愈合。除了成功推进该技术所提供的清晰前景之外，一旦我们能够证明适合个人的优化领域具有显着的治疗优势，我们预计潜在的商业化机会。

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.