Research Groups

Research programme

Low back pain has reached pandemic proportions in the developed world with considerable physical and mental anguish to the patients and huge costs to the community. Degeneration of the intervertebral disc is a major cause of low back pain and involves cellular changes that cause disturbances in the mechanical load bearing capacity of the disc. Management strategies for low back pain due to intervertebral disc degeneration includes physical therapy, spinal fusion and disc replacement. Each of our research wings focuses on a separate aspect of the disc degeneration puzzle and the close interaction between the research scientists and the clinicians ensures that ongoing research is clinically relevant.

Clinical Research Group:

The clinical research group is studying the outcomes of various operative and non-operative treatment modalities for discogenic low back pain. Protocols for the post-operative rehabilitation of patients are being designed to enable early return to work and judicious use of resources. The clinical outcomes of disc replacement surgery are being evaluated with the aim of identifying factors that alter the clinical outcome.

Disc Mechanics Group:

Our disc mechanics group is working to replace spinal fusion with minimally invasive non-fusion technology to restore the mechanical properties of the intervertebral disc. Finite element models are also being used to study the complexities of disc mechanics.

The group consists of a group of highly committed engineers and management personnel working closely with the surgeons and allied health team from the Spine Service. Read more: www.columna.com.au

Disc biology group

Although there are inadequacies in our understanding of the aetiopathology of disc degeneration, we know that there is a reduction in the synthesis of the proteoglycan matrix by the disc cells.

Our disc biology group is focused on attempts to regenerate disc cells via gene therapy and protein stimulation therapy and the use of mesenchymal stem cells. The group works closely with the Department of Haematology and Stem Cell Transplantation, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia. (Garvan Institute).

Orthopaedic Research Institute Department of Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine