Structure

EBM is structured into three focal research areas (FRA) focusing on cerebral (A), spinal (B), and cellular mechanics (C), and an overarching cross-sectional research area (XRA).

A – Cerebral Mechanics:

FRA A focuses on brain development with special emphasis on brain malformations associated with neurological disorders such as epilepsy. Computational modelling in A01 will help systematically understand physical mechanisms underlying brain malformations and benefits from quantitative characterisation of human brain malformations in A02 and the in vitro and in vivo insights gained for brain development in Xenopus (A03/A05) and organoids (A03/A04) based on engineered brain tissue-like matrices.

FRA B – Spinal Mechanics:

FRA B focuses on spinal cord injury and disease with special emphasis on mechanically stimulated regeneration of CNS function. Computational modelling of spinal cord injury, disease and regeneration in B01 assists and builds on unravelling regeneration/disease-promoting/limiting characteristics and determinants of its mechanical landscape in B02, B03, B04, and exploration of in vivo mechanical manipulation in B05.

FRA C – Cellular Mechanics:

FRA C focuses on the role of mechanics in cell-matrix-interactions. Computational modelling of cell-matrix-interactions in C01 targets the role of mechanics for neuronal ‘plasticity’, seizure-like hyperactivity and cellular differentiation investigated in C02, C03 and C04, all informed by the versatile experimental platform established in C05 and corresponding insights into mechanosensing and -transduction.

XRA – Cross-sectional projects:

The overarching cross-sectional projects in XRA will focus on the standardisation and integration of in vivo and ex vivo testing data across scales (X01), the transferability of data from different species and experimental methods through advanced machine learning techniques (X02), and the design of engineered substitute materials for brain tissue (X03).

 

EBM structure (PDF)

A  Celebral mechanics B  Spinal mechanics C  Cellular mechanics
A01 In silico modelling of brain malformations

S. Budday

B01 In silico modelling of spinal cord regeneration

P. Steinmann, S. Budday

C01 In silico modelling of mechanical cell-matrix-interactions

V. Zaburdaev, P. Steinmann

A02 Quantitative characterisation of human brain malformations

I. Blümcke, A. Dörfler, F. Paulsen

B02 Pre and post metamorphosis spinal cord regeneration in frogs

K. Franze

C02 The role of mechanics for neuronal ‚plasticity‘

R. Frischknecht

A03 In vitro model for the mechanics of early brain development

A. Schambony

B03 The determinants of spinal cord mechanics in homeostasis

J. Guck/S. Möllmert

C03 The role of matrix mechanics in synchronised neuronal activity

K. Kobow

A04 The role of mechanics in orchestrating neural lineage decisions

M. Karow/S. Falk

B04 Spinal cord mechanics in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis

S. Kürten

C04 Cellular differentiation in brain-tissue like matrices
A. Bosserhoff
A05 In vivo model for the mechanics of brain development

K. Franze

B05 In vivo mechanical manipulation of spinal cord regeneration

D. Wehner

C05 Molecular mechanisms of neuronal mechanotransduction

B. Fabry

X  Cross-sectional projects
X01 Model-based reconciliation of ex vivo and in vivo test data

J. Guo/I. Sack, P. Steinmann, K. Willner

X02 Data analysis and machine learning for heterogeneous, cross-species data

A. Maier/K. Breininger

X03 Engineering brain-tissue-like matrices

A. Boccaccini

Y Establishing MRE at FAU

A. Dörfler/F. Laun, J. Guo/I. Sack

Z Scientific coordination and fiscal administration

P. Steinmann, S. Budday

iRTG Integrated Research Training Group

F. Paulsen