Biomechanics and mechanobiology

Dr. Noailly, Jérôme
Senior research associate


Torre I - Planta 10 | Baldiri Reixac, 4 | 08028 | Barcelona
Email : jnoaillyibecbarcelona.eu

Research Topics

Bone mechanobiology (bone tissue engineering, bone distraction, fracture healing) / Spine biomechanics (mechanobiology of disc degeneration, disc angiogenesis, disc implant analysis)

The focus of the Biomechanics and Mechanobiology research line is the study of the effect of mechanical stimuli on biological response. The group’s objective is to make scientific advancements in simulations of in vitro and in vivo biomechanics and mechanobiology and in experimental in vitro mechanobiology. The current focus of the group is mainly on the development of simulations in spine biomechanics, tissue engineering and cell mechanics. These numerical simulations based on the finite element method are complemented with in vitro tests using bioreactors and microfluid chambers.

Fluid flow distribution in a 3D network of new capillaries
being formed around veins and arteries.

In 2010, major progress was made in all these areas of interest. In tissue engineering, a new study simulating the angiogenic process in an irregular scaffold for bone regeneration demonstrated the importance of controlling the pore architecture and mechanical loading in the formation of blood vessels and bone tissue (Biomaterials 31, 2446-2452). The effect of mechanical loading history in a highly porous scaffold was also found to be very critical (Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology 9, 583-596). For the first time, in vitro cell seeding and proliferation was done on a large scaffold using a perfusion bioreactor system developed within the group (J. Biomedical Materials Research 95A, 1011-1018). Computational fluid dynamics method was also used for the design of a bioreactor for large-scale human cartilage drafts by optimizing the uniformity of fluid flow within the bioreactor (Biomaterials 34, 8946-8952). In spine biomechanics, recent developments have been made in the study of collagen fibre angle and distribution within the annulus fibrosis of the intervertebral disc and in the development of a numerical method, including for the first time coupling between mechanical loading and solutes (oxygen and lactate) transport. In the area of cell mechanics, progress has been made in the development of a single cell finite element model and in the study of the effect of microfluidic flow on cell attachment.

Finally, during 2010 the group was awarded a major EU-funded project as coordinator (MySPINE – FP7-ICT-2009-6-269909) to improve treatment and prognosis of patient-specific spinal diseases. This project will start in March 2011 and will last three years.

Confocal picture of microtubules of rat mesenchymal stem cells used to develop the single cell model.

• Dr. Jérôme Noailly | Senior research associate
• Dr. Andy Olivares | Postdoctoral Researcher
• Aura María Cardona | PhD Student
• Andrea Malandrino | PhD Student
• Carlos Ruiz | PhD Student
• Themis Toumanidou | PhD Student

• Olivares, A. & Lacroix, D. (2012). Simulation of cell seeding within a 3D porous scaffold: A fluid-particle analysis. Tissue Engineering Part C: Methods, in press.
• Malandrino, A., Fritsch, A., Lahayne, O., Kropik, K., Redl, H., Noailly, J., Lacroix, D. & Hellmich, C. (2012). Anisotropic tissue elasticity in human lumbar vertebra, by means of a coupled ultrasound-micromechanics approach. Materials Letters, 78, 154–158.
• Malandrino, A., Noailly, J. & Lacroix, D. (2012). Regional annulus fibre orientations used as a tool for the calibration of lumbar intervertebral disc finite element models. Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin., in press.
• Noailly, J. & Lacroix, D (2012). Finite element modelling of the spine. In Ambrosio, L. & Tanner, K. E. (editors), Biomaterials for Spinal Surgery, Part I: Fundamentals of Biomaterials for Spinal Surgery. (Woodhead Publishing Series in Biomaterials no. 39). Woodhead Publishing Ltd, Cambridge, UK.
• Melchels, F. P., Tonnarelli, B., Olivares, A., Martin, I., Lacroix, D., Feijen, J., Wendt, D. J. & Grijpma, D. W. (2011). The influence of the scaffold design on the distribution of adhering cells after perfusion cell seeding. Biomaterials(32), 2878-2884.
• Malandrino, A., Noailly, J. & Lacroix, D. (2011). The effect of sustained compression on oxygen metabolic transport in the intervertebral disc decreases with degenerative changes. PLoS Computational Biology, 7(8), e1002112.
• Bohner, M., Loosli, Y., Baroud, G. & Lacroix, D. (2011). Commentary: Deciphering the link between architecture and biological response of a bone graft substitute. Acta Biomaterialia, 7(2), 478-484.
• Galbusera, F., Schmidt, H., Noailly, J., Malandrino, A., Lacroix, D., Wilke, H.-J. & Shirazi-Adi, A. (2011). Comparison of four methods to simulate swelling in poroelastic finite element models of intervertebral discs. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 4(7), 1234-41.
• Lacroix, D. & Ramirez Patin, J. (2011). Finite element analysis of donning procedure of a prosthetic transfemoral socket. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 39, 2972-2983.
• Noailly, J., Ambrosio, L., Tanner, K., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2011). In silico evaluation of a new composite disc substitute with a L3-L5 lumbar spine finite element model. European Spine Journal.
• Lacroix, D., Bohner, M., Loosli, Y. & Baroud, G. (2010). Deciphering the link between architecture and biological response of a bone graft substitute.. Acta Biomateriala(7), 478-484.
• Prendergast, P. J., Checa, S. & Lacroix, D (2010). Computational Models of Tissue Differentiation. In De, Suvranu, Guilak, Farshid, K., M. R. & Mohammad (editors), Computational Modeling in Biomechanics. Springer Netherlands.
• Planell, J. A., Navarro, M., Altankov, G., Aparicio, C., Engel, E., Gil, J., Ginebra, M. P. & Lacroix, D (2010). Materials Surface Effects on Biological Interactions. In Shastri, Prasad, V., Altankov, George, Lendlein & Andreas (editors), Advances in Regenerative Medicine: Role of Nanotechnology, and Engineering Principles. Springer Netherlands.
• Noailly, J., Planell, J. & Lacroix, D. (2010). On the collagen criss-cross angles in the annuli fibrosi of lumbar spine finite element models. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology(10), 203-219.
• Koch, M. A., Vrij, E. J., Engel, E., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2010). Perfusion cell seeding on large porous PLA/calcium phosphate composite scaffolds in a perfusion bioreactor system under varying perfusion parameters. Journal of Biomedical Materials Research Part A, 95A(4), 1011-1018.
• Santoro, R., Olivares, A., Brans, G., Wirz, D., Longinotti, C., Lacroix, D., Martin, I. & Wendt, D. (2010). Bioreactor based engineering of large-scale human cartilage grafts for joint resurfacing. Biomaterials, 31(34), 8946 - 8952.
• Milan, J.-L., Planell, J. & Lacroix, D. (2010). Simulation of bone tissue formation within a porous scaffold under dynamic compression. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 9, 583-596.
• Sandino, C., Checa, S., Prendergast, P. J. & Lacroix, D. (2010). Simulation of angiogenesis and cell differentiation in a CaP scaffold subjected to compressive strains using a lattice modeling approach. Biomaterials, 31(8), 2446 - 2452.
• Sandino, C. & Lacroix, D. (2010). A dynamical study of the mechanical stimuli and tissue differentiation within a CaP scaffold based on micro-CT finite element models. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 1-12.
• Olivares, A. L., Marsal, È., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2009). Finite element study of scaffold architecture design and culture conditions for tissue engineering. Biomaterials, 30(30), 6142 - 6149.
• Milan, J.-L., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2009). Computational modelling of the mechanical environment of osteogenesis within a polylactic acid-calcium phosphate glass scaffold. Biomaterials, 30(25), 4219 - 4226.
• Malandrino, A., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2009). Statistical factorial analysis on the poroelastic material properties sensitivity of the lumbar intervertebral disc under compression, flexion and axial rotation. Journal of Biomechanics, 42(16), 2780 - 2788.
• Lacroix, D., Planell, J. A. & Prendergast, P. J. (2009). Computer-aided design and finite-element modelling of biomaterial scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A: Mathematical, Physical and Engineering Sciences, 367(1895), 1993-2009.
• Engel, E., Michiardi, A., Navarro, M., Lacroix, D. & Planell, J. A. (2008). Nanotechnology in regenerative medicine: the materials side. Trends in Biotechnology, 26(1), 39 - 47.
• Sandino, C., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2008). A finite element study of mechanical stimuli in scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Journal of Biomechanics, 41(5), 1005-1014.
• Charles-Harris, M., Koch, M., Navarro, M., Lacroix, D., Engel, E. & Planell, J. (2008). A PLA/calcium phosphate degradable composite material for bone tissue engineering: an in vitro study. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 19, 1503-1513.
• Roca, D., Lacroix, D., Caja, V. L., Proubasta, I. & Planell, J. A. (2007). Tratamiento quirúrgico de la pseudoartrosis aséptica de la diáfisis humeral. Estudio biomecánico. Rev Ortop Traumatol(51), 118-123.
• Charles-Harris, M., del Valle, S., Hentges, E., Bleuet, P., Lacroix, D. & Planell, J. A. (2007). Mechanical and structural characterisation of completely degradable polylactic acid/calcium phosphate glass scaffolds. Biomaterials, 28(30), 4429 - 4438.
• Noailly, J., Wilke, H.-J., Planell, J. A. & Lacroix, D. (2007). How does the geometry affect the internal biomechanics of a lumbar spine bi-segment finite element model? Consequences on the validation process. Journal of Biomechanics, 40(11), 2414 - 2425.
• Byrne, D. P., Lacroix, D., Planell, J. A., Kelly, D. J. & Prendergast, P. J. (2007). Simulation of tissue differentiation in a scaffold as a function of porosity, Young's modulus and dissolution rate: Application of mechanobiological models in tissue engineering. Biomaterials, 28(36), 5544 - 5554.
• Lacroix, D., Noailly, J., Salo, G., Caceres, E. & Planell, J. A. (2006). The effect of bone graft geometry on spinal fusion vertebral stresses. Journal of Applied Biomaterials & Biomechanics(4), 123-142.
• Lacroix, D., Chateau, A., Ginebra, M.-P. & Planell, J. A. (2006). Micro-finite element models of bone tissue-engineering scaffolds. Biomaterials, 27(30), 5326 - 5334.

Projects

• A Systems Approach to Tissue Engineering Processes and Products (European Commission, FP6 Integrated Project) Damien Lacroix
• SEVBIOM Mechanistic and Evolutive Development of Spine Biomechanical Modelling (2009-2011) Damien Lacroix
• Materiales biofuncionalizados para reparación y regeneración de tejidos (BIOFUSS) Josep A. Planell
• Highly Porous Bioactive Scaffolds Controlling Angiogenesis for Tissue Engineering (ANGIOSCAFF) Josep A. Planell
  
• Disc regeneration: Novel biofunctional highly porous polymer scaffolds and techniques controlling angiogenesis for the regeneration and repair of the degenerated intervertebral disc Josep A. Planell
• Micromechanical finite element study of the lumbar spine Damien Lacroix
• My Spine: Functional prognosis simulation of patient-specfic spinal treatment for clinical use Damien Lacroix
• Virtual Physiological Human Network of Excellence (European Commission, FP7 NoE) Damien Lacroix
• Biofunctionalized surfaces for tissue repair and regeneration (Spanish Ministry of Science and Education) Damien Lacroix
• Novel biofunctional highly porous polymer scaffolds and techniques controlling angiogenesis for the regeneration and repair of the degenerated intervertebral disc (European Commission, FP7 Large-scale integrated project) Damien Lacroix
• Angiogenesis-inducing Bioactive and Bioresponsive Scaffolds in Tissue Engineering (European Commission, FP7 Large-scale integrating project) Damien Lacroix
• Biomechanical study of coxarthrosis in young adults (2010-2011). Damien Lacroix

Collaborations

• Dr. Màrius Valera Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain


• Prof. Alejandro Frangi Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain


• Dr Péter Pál Varga National Center for Spinal Disorders, Budapest, Hungary


• Dr Ignacio Proubasta Hospital de Sant Pau, Barcelona, Spain


• Prof. Matteo Santin University of Brighton, Brighton, United Kingdom


• Prof. Christian Hellmich Vienna University of Technology - Institute for Mechanics of Materials and Structures, Vienna, Austria


• Prof. Jess Gerrit Snedeker University and ETH Zurich, Zurich Switzerland


• Dr. Luigi Ambrosio Institute of Composite and Biomedical Materials - National Research Council of Italy, Naples, Italy


• Prof. Marie-Christine Ho Ba Tho Compiègne University of Technology, Compiègne, France


• Prof. Keita Ito Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands


• Prof. Hans-Joachim Wilke Institute of Orthopaedic Research and Biomechanics, University of Ulm, Germany


• Prof. Patrick Prendergast Trinity Centre for Bioengineering, Trinity College, Ireland


• Prof. Luigi Ambrosio Institute of Composite and Biomedical Materials, University of Naples "Federico II", Italy

• High performance computing infrastructure (32 cores, 240 GB RAM and a 11TB disc space)
• Access to the Centre of Supercomputing of Catalonia (CESCA)
• Bose ElectroForce BioDynamic bioreactor system
• Microfluidic chamber
• Universal mechanical testing machine (MTS)
• Image reconstruction software (Mimics)
• Perfusion bioreactor system
• Strain gauges data acquisition system
• Constant head permeater
• Finite element software (Abaqus, Fluent, TDyn, MSC Marc)

14/12/2011

"A patient-specific predictive platform to treat back pathologies"

The European Research Media Center's website, youris.com, features an article about the MySpine project, which is coordinated by IBEC group leader Damien Lacroix.

05/08/2011

Researchers shed new light on predicting spinal disc degeneration

The misery of lower back pain is, unfortunately, all too familiar to many people. Now researchers have taken a big step towards understanding one of the most common and debilitating complaints in the industrialized world, with results that could help to predict the onset of disc degeneration.

15/07/2011

"L’estudi de l’efecte biomecànic sobre el cos humà"

The Biomechanics and Mechanobiology group's work and Damien Lacroix's recent ERC grant is the subject of an article in this month's Teraflop, the magazine of the Centre de Serveis Científics i Acadèmics de Catalunya (CESCA).

25/05/2011

ERC Starting Grant for IBEC researcher

Biomechanics and mechanobiology group leader Damien Lacroix has been awarded a prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grant for his research on finite element simulations of mechanobiology in tissue engineering.

23/03/2011

Kick-off meeting of MY SPINE

The kick-off meeting of one of IBEC's EU projects, MySpine, is taking place at the institute this week. The consortium partners from the Netherlands, Austria, France, Spain and Hungary have gathered to outline the work packages for ‘Functional prognosis simulation of patient-specific spinal treatment’ and discuss the plans for the next six months.

16/01/2011

Ràdio 4: Interview with Damien Lacroix about MySpine

An interview with Biomechanics and mechanobiology group leader Damien Lacroix about the new EU-project he coordinates, MySpine, has been broadcast on Ràdio 4’s L'Observatori programme.

21/12/2010

MySpine: a virtual spine for a real problem

EU-funded project aims to improve treatment and prognosis of spinal diseases

20/07/2010

Dr. Damien Lacroix elected president of the European Society of Biomechanics (ESB)

Dr. Damien Lacroix, head of the research line Biomechanics and Mechanobiology of IBEC, has been elected president of the European Society of Biomechanics (ESB). Damien Lacroix has belonged to the ESB since 1999, and been part of the council since 2004. He is author of 27 articles in specialized journals and has participated in more than 80 conferences.

29/04/2010

Prize for excellence in research on biomaterials

Damien Lacroix, group leader  in research on Biomechanics and Mecanobiology at IBEC (Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia) has been awarded a prize by the European Society for Biomaterials (ESB) for his innovative contributions in the field of biomaterials.