Research lab

Mechanobiology Services Eindhoven

Contract research for academics and industry

Photo made by Bart van Overbeeke

MS/e background
The TU/e has a unique track record in the field of mechanobiology and regenerative medicine. Our state-of-the-art laboratories enable researchers to develop novel cell culture platforms and characterize mechanobiological behavior. The majority of this work is performed within the Regenerative Engineering & Materials (REM) cluster, one of the three research clusters within the department of Biomedical Engineering. MS/e is the service provider of the REM cluster. We perform contract research for industrial and academic partners, valorizing our equipment and the tools used and developed by our scientists.

Expertise
Our main area of expertise is mechanobiology, ranging from single cell to whole tissue. Our groups have acquired and developed a wide variety of platforms to measure and characterize biological materials. With these dedicated culture platforms, we subject cells and (engineered) tissues to mechanical loading such as fluid shear stress, stretch or compression. These dynamic cultures have shown to be essential to model cell and tissue function in vitro. Next to dynamic cultures, our groups have developed an array of bioassays and culture techniques for the evaluation of material biocompatibility or bioactivity.
ext to the cell and tissue culture, we characterize biological materials. To do so, we have a wide spectrum of techniques available. For the mechanical characterization, we execute all sorts of mechanical tests, spanning a force range from micro- to kilonewtons. For the structural characterization of materials different imaging modalities are available such as microscopy and microCT imaging.

Mechanical analysis

Our laboratory is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to characterize the mechanical behavior of biological and synthetic materials. We have dedicated protocols in place for all sorts of biological materials, from soft hydrogels and tissues to load bearing tissues such as bone and tendons. Our services include microindentation, compression and tensile testing (uni- and biaxial). Detailed information about our testing equipment HERE.

Structural analysis

MicroCT imaging is a high-resolution non-destructive imaging technique, based on density differences within a material or sample. The 3D reconstruction of the scans is used to obtain structural information of a sample without destructing the sample. In our groups, microCT imaging is frequently used on bone research, but it holds great potential for many other fields. Quantification of pore sizes, volume fractions or 3D visualization of internal structures are of great value for researchers in food industry, 3D printing, geology or paleontology. Our microCT imaging services include the visualization and characterization of materials, reporting features such as the pore size, porosity, volume fractions and a large number of parameters that are important for bone characterization. Detailed information about the equipment can be found HERE.

Partners

Contact