UNM engineering - School of Engineering - University of New Mexico

systems to model biological tissues in the Journal ofBiomechanical Engineering.Fixing Bones with Bridge-Building ToolsRecently, Taha started another biomechanics researchcollaboration with the orthopedic surgeons at the School ofMedicine. The team is studying femur fractures in patientswith osteoporosis and evaluating which methods of fixation,or stabilization of the fracture with a metal plate, can be moreeffective. “Femur fractures in patients with osteoporosis orpoor bone quality are challenging,” says Deana Mercer, residentphysician in the Department of Orthopaedics at the SOM. “Thecurrent technology does not work well in some situations due toproblems with capturing enough bone to stabilize the fracture.”Mercer says collaborating with Taha is strategic because hisexpertise in load transfer in structures is complementary to theorthopedic surgeons’ focus on human body biomechanics.Taha is using an innovative new engineering modelingtechnique to simulate osteoporosis in bones in finite elementmodels and then analyze fixation options. “Our research mightshow that of all the options, only one or two methods areappropriate for patients with osteoporosis,” says Taha. Withonly a small part of the research complete, Taha says he’salready seeing good initial results.Above: an image showing the finite-element mesh usedin the computer model of a dentate mandible. Each meshelement is shaped like a tetrahedron. Also shown are twoband plates bridging a symphyseal fracture.Below: A contour plot of the nodal displacements ormovement of the jaw under biting action showing thestrains that the bands experienceThe value of collaborating with the SOM is two-fold, saysTaha. “We get to address issues of clinical relevance withsolutions that have a direct impact on people’s lives—and that isextremely satisfactory for me,” he says. “And multidisciplinaryresearch brings people together that think differently andspeak different scientific languages. By doing so you can seethings other people can’t, and that is key to innovation.”Taha adds that this collaborative research lays the groundworkfor his ultimate goal: creating a large biomechanics program atthe SOE, which means even more talented engineers will usetheir knowledge and insight to solve medical problems. dTechnology), entered a UNM business plan competition withtheir idea for a company that would design and marketmore stable, less intrusive orthopedic implants. They wonthe competition and $28,000, which they used to start theircompany, Satyrne.The partners are now promoting the company full time andsearching for start-up funds. Ultimately, they’ll need $1 millionto $2 million to move into full production. Lovald is alsofinalizing Satyrne’s nine new plate designs. “For the first time,plates have been designed from a mechanistic perspective toprovide more stability and less volume,” explains Lovald. Thetitanium plates, which feature cross bars for better load sharingbetween screws, are the smallest, most stable plates in theindustry, according to Lovald. Satyrne’s first plate design hasbeen patented and is now going through FDA approval.Ultimately, Lovald and Smith hope to enter a strategic partnershipwith a larger orthopedic implant manufacturer or have anothercompany acquire Satyrne. In the meantime, Lovald says,building the company is the chance of a lifetime. “It’s a greatfeeling knowing that our small project is coming to fruition andsustaining itself,” he says. “We’re passionate about this becausewe know we have a product that can do some real good.” dUNM Engineering 05