SPINNER is a doctoral training programme aimed at Bioengineering early stage researchers, to train bioengineers to be in a position to design the next generation of repair materials and techniques for spine surgery. SPINNER brings together partners from the biomaterials (Finceramica), implantable devices (Aesculap), and computational modelling (Ansys, Adagos) industries with orthopaedic clinicians (National Centre for Spinal Disorders, NCSD) and academic experts in cell, tissue and organ scale biomaterials and medical device testing (Universities of Sheffield and Bologna).

KEY SPINNER OBJECTIVES ARE:

1. Training of orthopaedic Bioengineers capable of integrating in vitro, ex vivo and in silico data across scales for a holistic approach to spine reconstruction.
2. Development of bioactive, bioresorbable, mechanically competent materials for restoration of the vertebral bone and stable fusion.
3. Mechanical characterisation of implant materials and reconstructed spines in vitro and in silico.
4. Integrated, user-friendly, in silico models of the mechanics of damaged and reconstructed spinal segments that can be used for predictive design, patient specific analysis and surgical navigation.