Our Approach
A key element for making new discoveries about bone function and health in the laboratory is to understand bone as a living material.
We believe that quantifying material properties of bone in situ or in vivo is important for making new discoveries, developing new therapies, and translating laboratory findings into the clinic.
Pre-Clinical Research
Quantifying bone material quality in pre-clinical laboratories is required for new therapies and is useful for basic research. Animal and cadaveric studies are crucial for making early discoveries about new treatments. However, it is often a challenge to translate such studies into the clinic. BioDent offers a new approach to mechanical testing that can translate into the clinic. Thousands of samples have been measured and over 120 peer-reviewed papers have been published using BioDent.
How does BioDent work?
BioDent is a cyclic or static microindenter that can be used on hard or soft materials, in situ or in vivo. It is based on Reference Point Indentation technology. Click here to learn how it works.
See who is using BioDent
BioDent is being used by life science researchers around the world in a wide range of applications.
Simon Tang, PhD
Dr. Tang is an assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at Washington University St. Louis. His research interests include biological mechanisms regulating the quality and the biomechanical function of skeletal tissues. He is a long-time user of BioDent and pioneered its use in soft tissues.
Jeff Nyman, PhD
Dr. Nyman's research goal is to lower the number of bone fractures associated with osteoporosis, diabetes, cancer, genetic diseases, and aging. Towards that end, his research team investigates ways to improve the clinical assessment of fracture risk and identify regulators of bone toughness (lack of brittleness). He has worked extensively with the BioDent and pioneered the use of OsteoProbe in the operating room.
Mary Bouxsein, PhD
Dr. Bouxsein has more than 20 years of experience in the bone health field with specialty in skeletal fragility from a biomechanics viewpoint. Dr. Bouxsein currently holds positions as the Director of the Center for Advanced Orthopaedic Studies at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center where her team pioneered measurement protocols for BioDent.
