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Research

We aim to improve the treatment, diagnosis and rehabilitation of arthritis via interdisciplinary research, investigating the relationships between mechanical loading, joint function, pain and inflammation.

Our research is driven by a combination of expertise and facilities drawn from across the University, external experts, industry collaborations and funding. This has allowed us to:

  • build a strong base of 2000 volunteer patients
  • develop a tissue repository with over 3000 samples from these volunteers to assist in our studies
  • create interdisciplinary tools and methodologies
  • gain ethical approval that has enabled us to create multiple protocols to be performed longitudinally on individual patients.

We have developed novel projects requiring longer term, longitudinal collection of patient data and the development of new, challenging experimental pipelines to allow the correlation of biomechanics and biology for specific patient groups.

Our projects fall under four main research programmes:

Preclinical research

Preclinical research

This programme aims to understand how mechanical loading leads to anabolic, catabolic, inflammatory and nociceptive signals in joint tissues, and contribute to symptoms, onset and progression of joint disease.

High Tibial Osteotomy (HTO)

High Tibial Osteotomy (HTO)

Our research examines the possibility of slowing, stopping or reversing degenerative joint disease by altering joint biomechanics.

Total Knee Replacement (TKR)

Total Knee Replacement (TKR)

Total knee replacement (TKR) patients are often dissatisfied with post-surgery pain and function, highlighting that that surgical and rehabilitation outcome is not optimal.

Optimisation of Knee Rehabilitation (KNEE REHAB)

Optimisation of Knee Rehabilitation (KNEE REHAB)

Our research looks at how we can optimise knee rehabilitation based on biomechanical analysis and understand functional recovery from a knee injury.