Skip to main content
Go to the home page of the European Commission (opens in new window)
English English
CORDIS - EU research results
CORDIS

In-silico simulations for early detection of abnormal bone loads to prevent the development of bony deformities

Project description

In silico prediction of bone deformities

Torsional bony deformities are abnormalities in the rotation or twisting of bones, particularly long bones like the femur or tibia which occur when the bone does not grow or develop correctly along its natural axis. Understanding how mechanical loads influence bone growth is key to improving mobility and preserving health. The ERC-funded INSIDE-BONE project aims to explore the relationship between mechanical loading, bone growth, and femoral morphology in children with typical development and those with torsional deformities. Researchers aim to develop an in-silico simulation strategy for predicting bone growth which will offer a proactive approach to prevent or correct bone deformities.

Objective

Bones are pivotal to long-term health, providing structural support and facilitating mobility. However, various patient groups commonly develop torsional bony deformities, leading to numerous clinical problems. Understanding, monitoring, and ultimately modifying bone growth is crucial for improving the functional mobility of these patients and preserving lifelong health.

Despite recognizing, since the 19th century, that bone growth is influenced by mechanical loads, the specific loading environments leading to typical growth or deformities remain unknown. This project fills this knowledge gap by examining the intricate relationships between mechanical loading, bone growth, and femoral morphology in typically developing children and those with torsional deformities.

Quantifying an individuals bone loads and predicting subsequent femur growth poses scientific and technical challenges. I will address these challenges by advancing state-of-the-art, multi-scale simulations to estimate muscle forces, joint loads, and growth plate stresses, and by refining a mechanobiological model to predict bone growth. The simulations will be personalized and validated using medical images and motion capture data collected longitudinally from growing children. Each simulation step will be extensively tested and validated. After testing, we will use this framework to investigate the effects of both surgical (i.e. derotation osteotomy) and non-surgical (i.e. gait retraining based on real-time biofeedback) interventions on growth plate loads, providing new insight into the capacity of these treatments to normalize bone growth.

This project, if successful, may lead to a paradigm shift away from reactive interventions to treat bony deformities involving invasive surgeries towards proactive non-invasive interventions to prevent the development of deformities. Even partial success promises ground-breaking insights into the intricate relationship between bone loads and morphology.

Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)

CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.

You need to log in or register to use this function

Keywords

Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)

Programme(s)

Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.

Topic(s)

Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.

Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC Grants

See all projects funded under this funding scheme

Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) ERC-2024-COG

See all projects funded under this call

Host institution

UNIVERSITAT WIEN
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 924 258,00
Address
UNIVERSITATSRING 1
1010 WIEN
Austria

See on map

Region
Ostösterreich Wien Wien
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Links
Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 924 258,75

Beneficiaries (1)

My booklet 0 0