2006 IRISH SCIENTIST YEAR BOOK

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Trinity College Dublin
Patrick J. Prendergast
Trinity Centre for Bioengineering (TCBE)

Immunochemical staining for collagen type 1 in (i) control unstrained mesenchymal stem cells and (ii) mesenchymal stem cells strained by 2.5% for 3 days demonstrates an upregulation of the protein under strained conditions.

Established in 2002 under PRTLI Cycle 3 funding, the TCBE has investigators from engineering, dentistry, physiology and anatomy, and collaborates with RCSI, UCD Engineering, and the NCBES.


The three research themes are:

� Mechanobiology and tissue engineering:
Research questions relate to the factors controlling mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) differentiation and proliferation, especially biophysical factors and uses this information in tissue engineering of cartilage and bone. Ongoing work includes identification of the effect of cyclic strain in collagen/glycosaminoglycan scaffolds on adult rat MSC differentiation to identify osteogenic and chondrogenic stimuli and how strain applied to stem cells in a 2D environment regulates the biochemical pathways associated with cell fate decisions. A collaboration with the SFI Nanoscience laboratory investigates single cell stimulation using atomic force microscopy. In collaboration with Zoology in TCD, the new area of developmental mechanobiology is being explored, with investigations into the influence of muscle contractions on embryonic bone growth and joint formation.

� "Bone-for-life":
This is a project on osteoporosis and osteoarthritis, focussing on how bone accumulates microdamage under daily loading leading to fractures and how this can be prevented using drug and other treatments. A model of osteoporosis has been developed and bones scanned to identify differential remodelling responses between normal and osteoporotic animals.

� Pre-clinical testing of medical devices:
This theme involves computational simulations of tissue and the creation of artificial 'mechatronic' muscles. Integrated into this theme is research on the fundamental mechanical properties of human muscle, cardiovascular stents, hip implants (patient-specific prosthesis analysis), and middle-ear implants.


Bioengineering is the science underpinning developments in the medical device industry. The centre has grants from SFI, Enterprise Ireland, and the European Commission which fund the work of some 13 Principal Investigators and 30 research postdoctoral and postgraduate students.

List of PIs
Prof. Patrick Prendergast (Centre Director),
Dr. Kevin O'Kelly (Centre Deputy-Director),
Prof. Brian O'Connell (School of Dental Science, TCD),
Dr. Veronica Campbell (School of Medicine, TCD),
Prof. Clive Lee (Dept. of Anatomy, RCSI),
Mr. Garry Lyons (School of Engineering, TCD),
Dr. Danny Kelly (School of Engineering, TCD),
Prof. David Taylor (School of Engineering, TCD),
Prof. Noel Claffey (School of Dental Science, TCD),
Dr. Fergal O'Brien (Dept. of Anatomy, RCSI),
Dr. Ciaran Simms (School of Engineering, TCD)
Dr. David FitzPatrick (School of Engineering, UCD),
Prof. Peter McHugh (NCBES, Galway).
Contact: Contact: Sheena Brown,
Centre Administrator
E-mail: [email protected] , or

Patrick Prendergast, Centre Director
E-mail: [email protected]

Trinity Centre for Bioengineering,
Parsons Building, Trinity College, Dublin 2.
Web: www.biomechanics.ie