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Research Roadmap 2021-2022

CDMI Mission

The mission of the Center for Disruptive Musculoskeletal Innovations (CDMI) is to address pressing societal needs associated with the growing burden of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

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Area of interest across all priority areas – Meta-analysis & development of new test standards, approaches, and test methods; prediction and prevention of MSK injury; prediction and prevention of treatment complications; understanding the multidimensionality of MSK pain; Cross-site validation of computational modeling and simulation

Advanced Science Projects – examples but not limited to:

  • Bone fracture

  • Better strategies for improving success in osteoporotic patients (including treatment)

  • 3D printing of tissues to reduce need for metal/screws

  • Causes of and recovery from musculoskeletal fatigue

  • Causal pathways between work organizational/psychosocial influences and tissue loading

  • Causal pathways between pain and function and biology and mechanics

  • Aging population issues (e.g., changes in tissue tolerances, as a function of force, duration, frequency/repetition; recovery time of soft tissue after loading is removed)

  • Regenerative medicine, biologics

  • Mechanisms of back pain and disc degeneration

  • Biomechanical shoulder modeling (e.g., as a function of arm position, load magnitude, velocity and acceleration of movements

  • Influence of genetics in injury

  • Early onset scoliosis/adolescent idiopathic scoliosis/spinal deformity

  • Novel technologically-advanced clinical screening and intervention

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Biomaterials – examples but not limited to:

  • Bone substitute materials that can provide structural integrity

  • Resorption of biomaterials and how to maintain structural integrity

  • Surface modification of materials for antibacterial or better osseointegration properties

  • Bioresorbable cements suitable for fracture healing, drug delivery, etc.

  • High strength, high stiffness, high elongation metallic alloys (e.g. MoRe alloy)

  • Fundamental understanding of how material properties relate to bone growth, inflammation, and infection

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Clinical Outcomes – examples but not limited to:

  • Exposures for secondary injury, particularly to the back

  • Metrics and diagnostic tools for determining patient improvement/safe return-to-work practices

  • Predictive analytics/Artificial intelligence to determine the ‘right’ procedure and success potential for a specific patient/pathology

  • Incorporating new information streams into clinical decision-making (classification, education, documentation, standardization)

  • Digital health/methods to quantify of pain and future digital/sensor based (wearables) outcome measures

  • SMART devices

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Economics Issues – examples but not limited to:

  • Voice of payors – how to protect existing product lines – maintain reimbursement

  • Products that generate clinical and economic value

  • Clarification of reimbursement pathways

  • Leveling the playing field regarding payors and their data

  • Infection

  • Patient preference: Assess patients’ appetite for risk in exchange for possible improvement in outcomes

 

Ergonomics Interventions – examples but not limited to:

  • Improved return-on-investment estimators

  • Determination of trade-offs between potential improvement interventions

  • Worker training interventions for injury

  • Improved methods to assess/reduce risk due to pushing/pulling while turning

 

Innovative Technologies and Testing – examples but not limited to:

  • Risk exposure analyses from Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) / wearable sensor data

  • Biomechanical evaluations of exoskeletons and exosuits

  • Improvements in risk assessment method accuracy/threshold guidelines (use of big data)

  • Development of composite risk indices, both body-part specific and whole body

  • Image guided/robotic surgery

  • Direct and indirect nerve detection & nerve health evaluation

  • Implantable sensors

  • Bone healing and fusion sensing devices

  • Tools/techniques for FDA-required unique identifiers 

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Patient Assessment Tools – examples but not limited to:

  • Application of imaging technology in orthopedics – detection of disc degeneration, loosening of devices, assessment of osteoporosis, risk of fracture evaluation

  • Functional testing

 

Other NSF initiatives – examples but not limited to:

 

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Questions? 
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