Keynote Speakers
Thomas Quaade Bandholm
University of Copenhagen
Exercise therapy to enhance recovery after orthopedic surgery: what, why and how
The talk will focus on the ability of exercise therapy to enhance recovery after major orthopaedic surgery. Emphasis will be put on progressive resistance exercise because it has the potential to restore disused or surgery-induced loss of muscle strength and functional performance. The talk will address the “what”, “why” and “how” of progressive resistance exercise to enhance recovery after surgery: What is it? Why would one use it? How would one use it? and Does it matter to patients?
Silvia Blemker
University of Virginia
Multi-scale computer modeling for treatment discovery in Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Skeletal muscles are extraordinarily adapted motors that enable us to perform many important functions, from walking to sight to speech. Thus, muscle dysfunction arising from muscle atrophy, degeneration, fatty infiltration, and fibrosis present major health care problems. From a basic science perspective, we have a sophisticated understanding of the fundamental biology and mechanics of skeletal muscle. However, how these fundamentals relate to in vivo function and whole muscle adaptation is complex and remains poorly understood, which limits the translation of basic biological understanding to the development of effective treatments for muscle disease. The goal of my lab is to overcome this challenge by developing and validating multi-scale computational models of skeletal muscle that allow us to relate structure, biology, and function across a range of scales. In this presentation, I will describe these approaches and present some recent examples of how computational models of muscle have led to new ideas and insights into the mechanisms and treatments for Duchenne muscular dystrophy.
Anthony Bull
Imperial College London
Developing and using musculoskeletal models to quantify capacity, reserve and compensation
Dr. Blemker directs the Multi-scale Muscle Mechanophysiology (M3) lab at the University of Virginia. Research in the M3 lab combines advanced multi-scale computational and experimental techniques to study skeletal muscle biomechanics and physiology, and the lab is currently applying these techniques to variety of areas, including speech disorders, movement disorders, vision impairments, muscle atrophy, aging, and muscular dystrophies. The M3 lab is enthusiastic to take part in outreach activities, including having active participation of K-12 teachers in the lab and hosting an annual National Biomechanics Day event locally. Dr. Blemker has multiple patents pending and recently co-founded Springbok, Inc, a company focused on image-based muscle analytics for a variety of applications from sports medicine to neuromuscular disorders.
Dr. Thomas Bandholm is Professor of Clinical Exercise Physiology and Rehabilitation at the Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen. He is Head of Research at “Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Research – Copenhagen” (PMR-C), a multi-disciplinary research program in physical medicine and rehabilitation located at Copenhagen University Hospital, Amager and Hvidovre. Professor Bandholm’ s primary research focus is if – and how – physical activity and exercise can enhance clinical recovery in different patient groups – especially in relation to orthopedic surgery. A secondary focus is efforts to enhance quality and transparency of clinical research (e.g. the PREPARE Trial guide: http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/bjsports/51/20/1494.full.pdf).
Preliminary lecture title: “Exercise therapy to enhance recovery after orthopedic surgery: what, why and how?”
Anthony Bull’s research is focused on the basic mechanics of joints (including the tissues of joints and the mechanics of joints within the whole musculoskeletal system) and the application of this knowledge and technologies developed to clinical practice, including the diagnosis and treatment of pathologies and in improving performance. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering and is one of 40 members of the World Council of Biomechanics.
He is Head of Bioengineering at Imperial College London and leads the Centre for Blast Injury Studies that exists to improve the mitigation of injury, improve and advance treatment, rehabilitation and recovery thus increasing lifelong health and quality of life after blast injury (www.imperial.ac.uk/blastinjurystudies). This has a strong biomechanics focus on lower limb and spinal injuries. Associated with his CBIS role, Bull is co-PI on the 20 year cohort study following the war wounded from Afghanistan.
As Director of the MSk Medical Engineering Centre (www.imperial.ac.uk/msk), Professor Bull leads his own research group in musculoskeletal dynamics, and also provides underlying research technology support for other investigators funded through the Centre. He has in addition extensive research activity in orthopaedic implant and surgical design in many areas associated with lower limb and upper limb biomechanics and ageing.