NSERC Medtronic Industrial Research Chair in Spine Biomechanics / Chaire de recherche industrielle CRSNG Medtronic en biomécanique de la colonne vertébrale

脊柱骨科领域的生物医学工程和医疗技术（medtech）行业面临着越来越大的挑战，需要开发高质量的工程解决方案来治疗脊柱病变，并将研究成果快速应用于用户。脊柱是我们身体的一个复杂的中心组成部分，涉及姿势平衡，运动和脊髓的保护。严重的脊柱畸形、创伤和退行性疾病通常采用脊柱内固定手术融合治疗。这是一种广泛的侵入性手术，它永久地限制了脊柱节段的运动，并在融合节段和未融合节段之间的连接处以及假体内施加额外的压力，特别是在骨-植入物界面和密集假体中。尽管在过去的几十年里，生物医学技术有了显著的进步，但脊柱手术仍然具有很大的侵入性，而技术仍然主要是经验和外科医生的特异性。这是一个工程研究对提高脊柱生物力学知识至关重要的领域。该研究计划旨在发展和应用生物力学工程方法：1)提高对三维脊柱生物力学的理解，以探索新的器械，术后条件，同时制定器械指南。2)开发有效的仿真工具，旨在分析和改进仪器技术和手术策略；3)开发和验证手术计划、术中指导和脊柱病理术后管理的创新工具。总之，主席的科技成果将代表目前正在进行的全球竞争中的主要资产，以掌握脊柱生物力学和相关技术的先进知识，并开发综合工程工具，以满足脊柱骨科医疗技术行业的重要需求，从而实现微创和最佳手术，并为加拿大生物医学行业，患者和社会带来所有预期的经济效益。

Biomedical engineering and medical technology (medtech) industry in the field of spine orthopedics facesincreasing challenges to develop high-quality engineering solutions to treat spine pathologies as well as rapidlyimplement research findings to the users. The spine is a complex and central component of our body, involvedin posture equilibrium, movements, and protection of the spinal cord. Severe spinal deformities, trauma, anddegenerative conditions are generally treated with spinal instrumentation surgery involving fusion. This is anextensive and invasive procedure that permanently restricts motion of spinal segments and places additionalstress on the junction between fused and unfused segments and within the construct, especially at thebone-implant interface and in dense constructs. Despite significant improvements in biomedical technologiesover the last decades, spinal surgeries remain very invasive while techniques continue to be mostly empiricaland surgeon-specific. This is an area where engineering research is crucial to improve knowledge of spinebiomechanics.The research program aims to develop and apply biomechanical engineering methods to: 1) Improveunderstanding of the 3 dimensional spine biomechanics to explore new devices, post-surgical conditions and,concurrently, develop instrumentation guidelines. 2) Develop validated simulation tools aimed at analyzing andimproving instrumentation technologies and surgical strategies; 3) Develop and validate innovative tools forsurgical planning, intra-operative guidance, and post-op management of spinal pathologies. In summary, thescientific and technological achievements of the Chair will represent major assets in the global competitionnow underway to master advanced knowledge of spine biomechanics and related technologies, and developcomprehensive engineering tools to address important needs from the spine orthopedic medtech industry,resulting in less invasive and optimal surgeries with all the expected economic benefits to the Canadianbiomedical industry, patients, and society.