The skeleton is a load bearing structure, like many common man-made structures. However, unlike metals and other inert materials, bone tissue is a living organ composed of cells in mineralized matrix. These cells create the tissue and enable the structure to respond to a variety of genetic and epigenetic factors. One of the primary epigenetic regulatory factors is the mechanical environment, the stresses and strains, to which the skeleton is subjected during use.

Traditionally, biomechanics has focused on examining the material and structural properties of living tissues, both in their normal and diseased states. This approach is primarily one of mechanics and is relevant to understanding the load bearing capacity of tissues. We focus on understanding the role of tissue mechanical behavior on skeletal structural performance, as well as the role of particular tissue constituents (growth factors and other matrix molecules) on whole bone function. Recently, interest has refocused on the other side of the problem: understanding how mechanical forces influence skeletal structure. This new area has been termed “mechanobiology” to emphasize the modulation of biological processes by mechanical stimuli. We work extensively on in vivo models of skeletal functional adaptation to mechanical stimuli and methods to assess this adaptation.