Professor Damien Lacroix
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
Professor of Mechanobiology
Insigneo Institute Co-Director
d.lacroix@sheffield.ac.uk
F21, Pam Liversidge Building
Full contact details
Professor Damien Lacroix
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
F21
Pam Liversidge Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
School of Mechanical, Aerospace and Civil Engineering
F21
Pam Liversidge Building
Mappin Street
Sheffield
S1 3JD
- Profile
-
I am a Professor of Mechanobiology in Mechanical Engineering. I hold a first degree in Mechanical Engineering from the National Institute of Applied Science (INSA Lyon, France) and a PhD in Biomechanics from Trinity College Dublin.
After a post-doc in 2001 in Toulouse (France) for Smith and Nephew at the Purpan Hospital, I was awarded a Marie-Curie TMR EU fellowship in 2002 and a Ramon y Cajal senior fellowship in 2004 at the Technical University of Catalonia (Spain).
In 2008 I was appointed Group Leader of Biomechanics and Mechanobiology at the Institute of Bioengineering of Catalonia (Spain) and I joined Mechanical Engineering in 2012 when I took a Chair in Biomedical Engineering within the INSIGNEO research institute.
- Research interests
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My research covers bone mechanobiology (osteoarthritis, bone tissue engineering, fracture healing) and spine biomechanics (mechanobiology of disc degeneration, disc angiogenesis, disc implant analysis).
The focus of my research group 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 and modelling of inflammation in osteoarthritic joints. These numerical simulations based on the finite element method are complemented with in vitro tests using bioreactors and microfluid chambers.
Projects
- Multiscale modelling of the musculoskeletal system
- Development of a predictive computational platform for disc degeneration and bone fracture
- Simulation of a biological / biomaterials interactions in tissue engineering
- Simulation of inflammation in osteoarthritic joints
- Publications
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Books
- Multiscale Mechanobiology in Tissue Engineering. Springer Singapore.
Journal articles
- Editorial: Biomechanical and biochemical regulation of the musculoskeletal system. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 11.
- A novel three-dimensional computational method to assess rod contour deformation and to map bony fusion in a lumbopelvic reconstruction after en-bloc sacrectomy.. Frontiers in Surgery, 8(1). View this article in WRRO
- A systematic approach to the scale separation problem in the development of multiscale models. PLoS ONE, 16(5). View this article in WRRO
- Analysis of mechanotransduction dynamics during combined mechanical stimulation and modulation of the extracellular-regulated kinase cascade uncovers hidden information within the signalling noise. Interface Focus, 11(1). View this article in WRRO
- Development of a computer-aided design and finite element analysis combined method for affordable spine surgical navigation with 3D-printed customized template. Frontiers in Surgery, 7.
- Revealing the nanoindentation response of a single cell using a 3D structural finite element model. Journal of Materials Research.
- Finite element modelling of hybrid stabilization systems for the human lumbar spine. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine.
- Changes in scaffold porosity during bone tissue engineering in perfusion bioreactors considerably affect cellular mechanical stimulation for mineralization. Bone Reports, 12. View this article in WRRO
- Revealing hidden information in osteoblast’s mechanotransduction through analysis of time patterns of critical events. BMC Bioinformatics, 21(1). View this article in WRRO
- An extended discrete element method for the estimation of contact pressure at the ankle joint during stance phase. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine. View this article in WRRO
- A novel algorithm to predict bone changes in the mouse tibia properties under physiological conditions. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology. View this article in WRRO
- Heterogeneity in the mechanical properties of integrins determines mechanotransduction dynamics in bone osteoblasts. Scientific Reports, 9(1). View this article in WRRO
- Finite element modelling of the developing infant femur using paired CT and MRI scans. PLoS ONE, 14(6). View this article in WRRO
- Effect of cell sample size in atomic force microscopy nanoindentation. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 94, 259-266. View this article in WRRO
- Comparison of HR-pQCT- and microCT-based finite element models for the estimation of the mechanical properties of the calcaneus trabecular bone. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 17(6), 1715-1730. View this article in WRRO
- Hyaluronic acid selective anchoring to the cytoskeleton: An atomic force microscopy study. PLoS ONE, 13(10). View this article in WRRO
- Poroelastic modeling of highly hydrated collagen hydrogels: Experimental results vs. numerical simulation with custom and commercial finite element solvers. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 6. View this article in WRRO
- Early life vitamin D depletion alters the postnatal response to skeletal loading in growing and mature bone.. PLoS ONE, 13(1). View this article in WRRO
- Flow perfusion rate modulates cell deposition onto scaffold substrate during cell seeding. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 17(3), 675-687. View this article in WRRO
- Micromechanical study of the load transfer in a polycaprolactone–collagen hybrid scaffold when subjected to unconfined and confined compression. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 17(2), 531-541. View this article in WRRO
- µ-Particle tracking velocimetry and computational fluid dynamics study of cell seeding within a 3D porous scaffold. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 75, 463-469. View this article in WRRO
- Short bursts of cyclic mechanical compression modulate tissue formation in a 3D hybrid scaffold. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 71, 165-174. View this article in WRRO
- Local displacement and strain uncertainties in different bone types by digital volume correlation of synchrotron microtomograms. Journal of Biomechanics, 58, 27-36. View this article in WRRO
- 2D µ-Particle Image Velocimetry and Computational Fluid Dynamics Study Within a 3D Porous Scaffold. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 45(5), 1341-1351. View this article in WRRO
- Mechanical response of 3D Insert® PCL to compression. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 65, 478-489. View this article in WRRO
- Effects of oxidative stress-induced changes in the actin cytoskeletal structure on myoblast damage under compressive stress: confocal-based cell-specific finite element analysis. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 15(6), 1495-1508.
- In Vitro Bone Cell Models: Impact of Fluid Shear Stress on Bone Formation. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, 4. View this article in WRRO
- In silico bone mechanobiology: modeling a multifaceted biological system.. Wiley Interdiscip Rev Syst Biol Med. View this article in WRRO
- Simulating the sensitivity of cell nutritive environment to composition changes within the intervertebral disc. Journal of the Mechanics and Physics of Solids, 90, 108-123. View this article in WRRO
- Combined numerical and experimental biomechanical characterization of soft collagen hydrogel substrate. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 27(4). View this article in WRRO
- Traction Forces of Endothelial Cells under Slow Shear Flow. Biophysical Journal, 109(8), 1533-1536. View this article in WRRO
- Primary cilia mechanics affects cell mechanosensation: A computational study. Journal of Theoretical Biology, 379, 38-46.
- The inter-sample structural variability of regular tissue-engineered scaffolds significantly affects the micromechanical local cell environment. Interface Focus, 5(2), 20140097-20140097.
- GS11-6 The Effects of Actin Filament Structure on C2C12 Myoblasts under Compressive Stress In-vitro : Finite Element Analysis(GS11: Computational Biomechanics). The Proceedings of the Asian Pacific Conference on Biomechanics : emerging science and technology in biomechanics, 2015.8(0), 219-219.
- The effect of mechanical stimuli on cell adhesion. JOURNAL OF TISSUE ENGINEERING AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, 8, 33-34.
- Effect of mechanical stimulation on osteogenesis of self-assembled collagen-heMSC/MG63 microspheres. JOURNAL OF TISSUE ENGINEERING AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, 8, 258-258.
- Microfluidic bioreactor for high-throughput and prolonged perfusion of bone scaffolds. JOURNAL OF TISSUE ENGINEERING AND REGENERATIVE MEDICINE, 8, 480-480.
- Computational techniques for the assessment of fracture repair.. Injury, 45 Suppl 2, S23-S31. View this article in WRRO
- The role of endplate poromechanical properties on the nutrient availability in the intervertebral disc.. Osteoarthritis Cartilage, 22(7), 1053-1060.
- Numerical exploration of the combined effect of nutrient supply, tissue condition and deformation in the intervertebral disc. Journal of Biomechanics.
- Impact of hip anatomical variations on the cartilage stress: A finite element analysis towards the biomechanical exploration of the factors that may explain primary hip arthritis in morphologically normal subjects. Clinical Biomechanics.
- Structural finite element analysis to explain cell mechanics variability.. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater, 38, 219-231.
- Material property discontinuities in intervertebral disc porohyperelastic finite element models generate numerical instabilities due to volumetric strain variations.. J Mech Behav Biomed Mater, 26, 1-10.
- A multi-structural single cell model of force-induced interactions of cytoskeletal components. Biomaterials, 34(26), 6119-6126. View this article in WRRO
- Regional annulus fibre orientations used as a tool for the calibration of lumbar intervertebral disc finite element models.. Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin, 16(9), 923-928.
- MICROFLUIDIC STUDY OF ENDOTHELIAL CELLS TRACTION FORCE UNDER SHEAR STRESS. Journal of Biomechanics, 45, S414-S414.
- EXPERIMENTAL AND COMPUTATIONAL APPROACH OF DYNAMIC CELL SEEDING FOR TISSUE ENGINEERING. Journal of Biomechanics, 45, S646-S646.
- EFFECT OF THE CYTOSKELETON FIBERS AND SUBSTRATE RIGIDITY ON ADHERENT CELLS. Journal of Biomechanics, 45, S418-S418.
- Simulation of cell seeding within a three-dimensional porous scaffold: a fluid-particle analysis.. Tissue Eng Part C Methods, 18(8), 624-631.
- Finite element modelling of the spine, 144-232.
- Anisotropic tissue elasticity in human lumbar vertebra, by means of a coupled ultrasound-micromechanics approach. Materials Letters, 78, 154-158.
- In silico evaluation of a new composite disc substitute with a L3-L5 lumbar spine finite element model.. Eur Spine J, 21 Suppl 5, S675-S687.
- Carpectomía proximal. Estudio por elementos finitos. Revista Iberoamericana de Cirugía de la Mano, 39(01), 022-031.
- Simulation of Fracture Healing in the Tibia: Mechanoregulation of Cell Activity Using a Lattice Modeling Approach. JOURNAL OF ORTHOPAEDIC RESEARCH, 29(10), 1496-1503.
- 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), 1234-1241.
- The Effect of Sustained Compression on Oxygen Metabolic Transport in the Intervertebral Disc Decreases with Degenerative Changes. PLoS Computational Biology, 7(8). View this article in WRRO
- A dynamical study of the mechanical stimuli and tissue differentiation within a CaP scaffold based on micro-CT finite element models.. Biomech Model Mechanobiol, 10(4), 565-576.
- On the collagen criss-cross angles in the annuli fibrosi of lumbar spine finite element models.. Biomech Model Mechanobiol, 10(2), 203-219.
- Commentary: Deciphering the link between architecture and biological response of a bone graft substitute. ACTA BIOMATERIALIA, 7(2), 478-484.
- The influence of the scaffold design on the distribution of adhering cells after perfusion cell seeding. Biomaterials, 32(11), 2878-2884.
- Finite element analysis of donning procedure of a prosthetic transfemoral socket. Annals of Biomedical Engineering, 39(12), 2972-2983.
- Bioreactor based engineering of large-scale human cartilage grafts for joint resurfacing. Biomaterials, 31(34), 8946-8952.
- Aplication of a mechanorregulatory model to simulate peri implant tissue formation in an in vivo bone chamber. Bone, 47, S127-S128.
- Simulation of angiogenesis and cell differentiation in a CaP scaffold subjected to compressive strains using a lattice modeling approach. Biomaterials, 31(8), 2446-2452.
- Computational models of tissue differentiation, 353-372.
- 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, 95(4), 1011-1018.
- Simulation of bone tissue formation within a porous scaffold under dynamic compression. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 9(5), 583-596.
- Statistical factorial analysis on the poroelastic material properties sensitivity of the lumbar intervertebral disc under compression, flexion and axial rotation.. J Biomech, 42(16), 2780-2788.
- Computational modelling of the mechanical environment of osteogenesis within a polylactic acid-calcium phosphate glass scaffold. Biomaterials, 30(25), 4219-4226.
- Bone repair biomaterials. Bone Repair Biomaterials, 1-477.
- Computer-aided design and finite-element modelling of biomaterial scaffolds for bone tissue engineering.. Philos Trans A Math Phys Eng Sci, 367(1895), 1993-2009.
- Mode of failure of a biomaterial composite scaffold for bone tissue engineering using synchrotron micro-tomography and finite element analysis. 12th International Conference on Fracture 2009, ICF-12, 8, 6179-6186.
- Biomaterials: Processing, characterization, and applications, 123-154.
- Finite element study of scaffold architecture design and culture conditions for tissue engineering. Biomaterials, 30(30), 6142-6149.
- Material characterization and dynamic cell seeding on PLA/glass composite scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. 8th World Biomaterials Congress 2008, 3, 1248.
- A PLA/calcium phosphate degradable composite material for bone tissue engineering: An in vitro study. Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, 19(4), 1503-1513.
- Nanotechnology in regenerative medicine: the materials side. Trends in Biotechnology, 26(1), 39-47.
- A finite element study of mechanical stimuli in scaffolds for bone tissue engineering. Journal of Biomechanics, 41(5), 1005-1014.
- 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.
- Mechanical and structural characterisation of completely degradable polylactic acid/calcium phosphate glass scaffolds.. Biomaterials, 28(30), 4429-4438.
- Biomechanical Performance of Anterior Grafts in Lumbar Spine Surgery. A Comparative Finite-element Analysis. Revista Española de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología (English Edition), 51(5), 284-295.
- Surgical Treatment of Non-septic Non-unions of the Humeral Shaft. A Biomechanical Study. Revista Española de Cirugía Ortopédica y Traumatología (English Edition), 51(2), 88-93.
- Surgical treatment of aseptic nonunions of the humeral shaft. A biomechanical study. Revista de Ortopedia y Traumatologia, 51(2), 88-93.
- Biomechanical performance of the anterior graft in lumbar spine surgery. Comparative finite-element analysis. Revista de Ortopedia y Traumatologia, 51(5), 284-295.
- How does the geometry affect the internal biomechanics of a lumbar spine bi-segment finite element model? Consequences on the validation process.. J Biomech, 40(11), 2414-2425.
- Micro-finite element models of bone tissue-engineering scaffolds.. Biomaterials, 27(30), 5326-5334.
- The effect of bone graft geometry on spinal fusion vertebral stresses.. J Appl Biomater Biomech, 4(3), 135-142.
- Finite element study of a novel intervertebral disc substitute.. Spine (Phila Pa 1976), 30(20), 2257-2264.
- Intramedullary nails vs osteosynthesis plates for femoral fracture stabilization: A finite element analysis.. J Appl Biomater Biomech, 3(3), 157-167.
- Continuous mandibular distraction osteogenesis using superelastic shape memory alloy (SMA).. J Mater Sci Mater Med, 15(4), 541-546.
- Three-dimensional simulation of fracture repair in the human tibia.. Comput Methods Biomech Biomed Engin, 5(5), 369-376.
- A mechano-regulation model for tissue differentiation during fracture healing: analysis of gap size and loading.. J Biomech, 35(9), 1163-1171.
- Biomechanical model to simulate tissue differentiation and bone regeneration: application to fracture healing.. Med Biol Eng Comput, 40(1), 14-21.
- Three-dimensional finite element analysis of glenoid replacement prostheses: a comparison of keeled and pegged anchorage systems.. J Biomech Eng, 122(4), 430-436.
- Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland Section of Bioengineering. Irish Journal of Medical Science, 168(3), 208-220.
- Stress analysis of glenoid component designs for shoulder arthroplasty.. Proc Inst Mech Eng H, 211(6), 467-474.
- β-glycerophosphate, not low magnitude fluid shear stress, increases osteocytogenesis in the osteoblast-to-osteocyte cell line IDG-SW3. Connective Tissue Research, 1-17.
- Comparison of patient-specific computational models vs. clinical follow-up, for adjacent segment disc degeneration and bone remodelling after spinal fusion. PLOS ONE, 13(8), e0200899-e0200899. View this article in WRRO
- Influence of indentation test factors on the mechanical response of the skin. Universitas Scientiarum, 24(1), 49-72.
Chapters
- Mechanical Properties, Biomedical Materials (pp. 303-336). Springer International Publishing
- The Future of Tissue Engineering Design for Bioreactor Stimulation, Frontiers of Biomechanics (pp. 195-199). Springer Singapore
- Quantification of CSK Mechanics and Deformation in Relation to Cellular Functioning, Frontiers of Biomechanics (pp. 181-193). Springer Singapore
- A Review of Bioreactors and Mechanical Stimuli, Frontiers of Biomechanics (pp. 1-22). Springer Singapore
- Mechanical Stimulation in a PCL Additive Manufacturing Scaffold, Frontiers of Biomechanics (pp. 37-57). Springer Singapore
- Multiscale Simulation of Bioreactor Design and In Vitro Conditions, Frontiers of Biomechanics (pp. 23-36). Springer Singapore
- Collagen Gel Cell Encapsulation to Study Mechanotransduction, Frontiers of Biomechanics (pp. 105-125). Springer Singapore
- Computational Simulation of Cell Seeding in a Tissue Engineering Scaffold, Frontiers of Biomechanics (pp. 81-104). Springer Singapore
- Towards a New Approach to Analyse Quality Control and Morphometric Variability in a Scaffold, Frontiers of Biomechanics (pp. 59-80). Springer Singapore
- Computational Modelling of Collagen Hydrogel, Frontiers of Biomechanics (pp. 143-158). Springer Singapore
- Collagen Gel Cell Encapsulation to Study the Effect of Fluid Flow on Mechanotransduction, Frontiers of Biomechanics (pp. 127-142). Springer Singapore
- List of contributors, Bone Repair Biomaterials (pp. xi-xiv). Elsevier
- Biomechanical aspects of bone repair, Bone Repair Biomaterials (pp. 53-64). Elsevier
- Mechanical Load Transfer at the Cellular Level, Frontiers of Biomechanics (pp. 159-179). Springer Singapore
- Multiscale Mechanobiology in Tissue Engineering Preface, MULTISCALE MECHANOBIOLOGY IN TISSUE ENGINEERING (pp. V-VIII).
- Computational modelling of the intervertebral disc: A case-study for biomedical composites, Biomedical Composites (pp. 479-500). Elsevier
- Contributor contact details, Biomaterials for Spinal Surgery (pp. xiii-xvii). Elsevier
- Computational Methods in the Modeling of Scaffolds for Tissue Engineering, Computational Modeling in Tissue Engineering (pp. 107-126). Springer Berlin Heidelberg
- Finite element modelling of the spine, Biomaterials for Spinal Surgery (pp. 144-234e). Elsevier
- Biomechanical aspects of bone repair, Bone Repair Biomaterials (pp. 106-118).
Conference proceedings papers
- MultiSim: Report of Stakeholder Workshop Outcomes. MultiSim: Report of Stakeholder Workshop Outcomes, Vol. 1(1) (pp 1-7). Insigneo Institute for in silico medicine, 7 September 2014 - 7 September 2014. View this article in WRRO
- Effect of Mechanical Stimulation on Osteogenic Differentiation of Self-Assembled Collagen-Cell Seeded Hydrogels. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, Vol. 21 (pp S271-S271)
- mu-Particle Image Velocimetry and Computational Fluid Dynamics Study of Perfusion Cell Seeding Within a 3d Porous Scaffold. TISSUE ENGINEERING PART A, Vol. 21 (pp S117-S118)
- Intervertebral Disc Cell Death Explained by Metabolism-Deformation Couplings in a Porohyperelastic Finite Element Model. Poromechanics V
- Computational techniques for selection of biomaterial scaffolds for tissue engineering (pp 55-69)
- Materials Surface Effects on Biological Interactions. ADVANCES IN REGENERATIVE MEDICINE: ROLE OF NANOTECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES (pp 233-+)
Datasets
- Data for "Changes in cell mechanical properties at different stages of bone cell differentiation".
- Data for "Single molecule force spectroscopy of Hyaluronic Acid".
- Data for "Evaluation of the bone glycocalyx mechanical properties by AFM nanoindentation".
- Data for "Variability of the mechanical properties of a single bone cell population".
- Dataset SRACC: Synchrotron microCT for testing accuracy of Digital Volume Correlation (DVC) methods.
- Data for manuscript titled "A systematic approach to the scale separation problem in the development of multiscale models".
Presentations
Preprints
- ABM of osteoblast's mechanotransduction pathway: time patterns of critical events, arXiv.
- A multi-structural finite element model to simulate atomic force microscopy nanoindentation of single cells.
- Multiscale Mechanobiology in Tissue Engineering. Springer Singapore.
- Grants
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- European Commission, Horizon Europe Programme 'Computer-aided effective fracture risk stratification of patients with vertebral metastases for personalised treatment through robust computational models validated in clinical settings (METASTRA)' 07/2023-06/2028. €0.98m. Co-Investigator
- European Research Council Starting Grant, MECHANOBIO - 'Finite element simulations of mechanobiology in tissue engineering', 10/2011-09/2016. €1.49m
- European Commission, FP7 ICT 269909, MySpine - 'Functional prognosis simulation of patient-specific spinal treatment for clinical use', 03/2011-02/2014. €0.68m.
- ESPRC Frontier Engineering Award (EP/K03877X/1), M J Hounslow, D Lacroix, M Viceconti, S A Billings, V Kadirkamanathan, A pavic, E McCloskey, T Skerry, 'Modelling Complex and Partially Identified Engineering Problems - Application to the Individualised Multi-scale Simulation of the Musculoskeletal System', 01.09.2013 to 31.08.2018 £4.86m
- Teaching interests
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Professor Lacroix supervises final year undergraduate and MSc projects.
- Professional activities and memberships
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- Past-President of the European Society of Biomechanics
- Council Member of the European Alliance for Medical and Biological Engineering and Science (EAMBES)
- Editorial Board member of Biomaterials, Journal of Biomechanics and Clinical Biomechanics
- 2010 Jean Leray Award from the European Society of Biomaterials
- 2006 City Award of Barcelona in Technology Research for the development of a new injectable porous material based on calcium phosphate
- Recipient of European Research Council Starting Grant in 2011
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Member of the Board of Directors, Virtual Physiological Human Institute