Boyko Gueorguiev-Rüegg

There have been long-lasting collaborations between the Biomedical Development Program of the AO Foundation at Davos headed by Prof. Gueorguiev-Rüegg and the Continuum Biomechanics and Mechanobiology research group at the University of Stuttgart.

The SFB 1313 Research Project B05 and Research Project C05 have a strong expertise in XRCT measurements for environmental and technical applications. However, for specific biomedical applications, no experiences are available and the experimental infrasructure in Stuttgart is insufficient. In contrary, the AO Foundation is a world leader in medical applications and its experimental investigations. In particular the AO Research Institute (ARI) division is world-renowned for its excellence in applied preclinical research, its development within trauma and disorders of the musculoskeletal system, and clinical translation to improve effective patient care worldwide. With their excellent experimental infrastructure, e.g. anatomical labs, biomechanical testing facilities, excellent prototype workshop, scanning facilities and extensive knowledge about clinically relevant biomaterials (e.g. bone cements), they are the ideal partner for experimental studies supporting and shaping this research project. The ARI has extensive experience and well-established procedures for investigating and assessing the bone cement considered within Research Project C03. This holds not only for vertebroplasty but also for other medical procedures, in which the use of bone cement is essential, e.g., for implant augmentation.

The excellent experimental infrastructure and their world-class (experimental) research on spine mechanics and bone-cement properties make the AO Foundation an extremely valuable collaborative partner for SFB 1313 .