Key elements: 3-year sponsored research study + clinical evaluations
Smith and Nephew join forces with Imperial's Biomechanics Research Group
Imperial academics partner with the medical device giant to develop enhanced surgical techniques to treat sports injuries of the knee
This programme grant will allow us to follow through on some of our ideas, from basic anatomy through to design and testing of novel operative procedures to treat sports injuries of the knee."
Professor Andrew Amis
Professor of Orthopaedic Biomechanics, Imperial College London
Smith & Nephew have signed a 3-year partnership with the Department of Mechanical Engineering's Biomechanics Research Group to find new ways to support one of our most important joints.
With an increasing participation in sport, and an emerging trend of keeping active later in life, the treatment of sports injuries of the knee has been identified by Smith & Nephew as one offering high growth opportunities.
The USD $1m research study is led by Professor Andrew Amis, Professor of Orthopaedic Biomechanics and leader of the group, who already has a long-standing working relationship with the company. His expertise with artificial ligaments and total and partial knee prostheses as well as field experience working directly with surgeons has set the groundwork for this latest agreement.
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Meniscus repair is one of the greatest challenges of Sports Medicine. By combining the clinical expertise of Imperial College with our pioneering approach to new product development we expect to be able both to advance surgical techniques and accelerate the development of next generation products."
Andy Weymann
Chief Medical Officer, Smith and Nephew
The research will lead to improved understanding of the functional anatomy of key structures, their mechanical performance, and thus lead to enhanced methods of reconstruction, which will be designed and tested as part of the work. This will lead in a short time to clinical evaluations. While the partnership will provide Smith & Nephew with vital new clues as to where to direct its product development energy, it also builds on the substantial implant design work already started by The Biomechanics Group, allowing yet more progress in this area.
You can read the full news article here.