Conference to highlight advances in bone and joint research

Musculoskeletal conditions such as arthritis, skeletal fractures, back pain, and sports or work-related injuries are debilitating and painful for millions of Canadians and billions of people worldwide. The number of people affected is steadily growing and expected to increase by approximately 8 million people in Canada by 2031. These conditions take a huge toll on a person’s quality of life, as well as social and healthcare systems.

This growing epidemic will be explored at the Canadian Bone and Joint Research Conference, which is being April 8-9 at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel & Suites London.

Organized by Western University’s Bone & Joint Institute, the conference will cover seven themes: Imaging, Spine and Joint Therapies, Rehabilitation, Inflammation and Chronic Diseases, Biological Repair and Tissue Regeneration, Orthopaedic Devices, and Orthopaedic Trauma.

The conference has attracted nearly 150 trainees, physicians, and scientists with special invited guests from across Canada and the United States. The conference provides an ideal forum for knowledge sharing and for the development of crucial collaborations needed to advance discoveries and innovation that will help to decrease the burden of musculoskeletal conditions in Canada and beyond.

Some conference highlights include:

April 8, 10:45 a.m.

“3D Visualization and Simulation Technologies to Improve Outcomes in Complex Spine Treatments,” presented by invited speaker Carl-Éric Aubin, Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Québec

April 9, 8:45 a.m.

“Musculoskeletal responses to in vivo loading: from preventing bone loss to damaging cartilage,” presented by invited speaker Marjolein van der Meulen, the James M. and Marsha McCormick Director of Biomedical Engineering and Swanson Professor of Biomedical Engineering in the Meinig School of Biomedical Engineering and Sibley School of Mechanical & Aerospace Engineering, Cornell University, New York

April 9, 10:45 a.m.

“Mechatronics – Enabled Wearable Devices,” presented by invited speaker Ana Luisa Trejos, Assistant Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Western University

April 9, 1:15 p.m.

“The ABCs of Orthopaedic Research: Lessons learned from a 20 Year Journey!,” presented by invited speaker Dr. Emil Schemitsch, MD, FRCSC, Chief of Surgery, Schulich School of Medicine and Dentistry, Western University

For more information, please visit www.boneandjoint.imaging.robarts.ca

MEDIA CONTACT: Shannon Woodhouse, Operations Manager, The Dr. Sandy Kirkley Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, 519-661-2111, ext. 34567, shannon.woodhouse@schulich.uwo.ca

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