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Why do humans have chins? Testing the mechanical significance of modern human symphyseal morphology with finite element analysis (2010)
Journal Article
Gröning, F., Liu, J., Fagan, M. J., & O'Higgins, P. (2011). Why do humans have chins? Testing the mechanical significance of modern human symphyseal morphology with finite element analysis. American journal of physical anthropology, 144(4), 593-606. https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.21447

The modern human mandibular symphysis differs from those of all other primates in being vertically orientated and possessing a chin, but the functional significance of this unique morphology is not well understood. Some hypotheses propose that it is... Read More about Why do humans have chins? Testing the mechanical significance of modern human symphyseal morphology with finite element analysis.

Combining geometric morphometrics and functional simulation: an emerging toolkit for virtual functional analyses (2010)
Journal Article
O'Higgins, P., Cobb, S. N., Fitton, L. C., Gröning, F., Phillips, R., Liu, J., & Fagan, M. J. (2011). Combining geometric morphometrics and functional simulation: an emerging toolkit for virtual functional analyses. Journal of anatomy, 218(1), 3-15. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7580.2010.01301.x

The development of virtual methods for anatomical reconstruction and functional simulation of skeletal structures offers great promise in evolutionary and ontogenetic investigations of form-function relationships. Key developments reviewed here inclu... Read More about Combining geometric morphometrics and functional simulation: an emerging toolkit for virtual functional analyses.

Isolated word recognition of silent speech using magnetic implants and sensors (2010)
Journal Article
Gilbert, J. M., Rybchenko, S. I., Hofe, R., Ell, S. R., Fagan, M. J., Moore, R. K., & Green, P. (2010). Isolated word recognition of silent speech using magnetic implants and sensors. Medical engineering & physics, 32(10), 1189-1197. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.medengphy.2010.08.011

There are a number of situations where individuals wish to communicate verbally but are unable to use conventional means so called 'silent speech'. These include speakers in noisy and covert situations as well as patients who have lost their voice as... Read More about Isolated word recognition of silent speech using magnetic implants and sensors.

Feedback control from the jaw joints during biting: An investigation of the reptile Sphenodon using multibody modelling (2010)
Journal Article
Curtis, N., Jones, M. E. H., Evans, S., Evans, S. E., O'Higgins, P., & Fagan, M. J. (2010). Feedback control from the jaw joints during biting: An investigation of the reptile Sphenodon using multibody modelling. Journal of biomechanics, 43(16), 3132-3137. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2010.08.001

Sphenodon, a lizard-like reptile, is the only living representative of a group that was once widespread at the time of the dinosaurs. Unique jaw mechanics incorporate crushing and shearing motions to breakdown food, but during this process excessive... Read More about Feedback control from the jaw joints during biting: An investigation of the reptile Sphenodon using multibody modelling.

Comparison between in vivo and theoretical bite performance: Using multi-body modelling to predict muscle and bite forces in a reptile skull (2010)
Journal Article
Curtis, N., Jones, M. E. H., Lappin, A. K., O'Higgins, P., Evans, S. E., & Fagan, M. J. (2010). Comparison between in vivo and theoretical bite performance: Using multi-body modelling to predict muscle and bite forces in a reptile skull. Journal of biomechanics, 43(14), 2804-2809. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2010.05.037

In biomechanical investigations, geometrically accurate computer models of anatomical structures can be created readily using computed-tomography scan images. However, representation of soft tissue structures is more challenging, relying on approxima... Read More about Comparison between in vivo and theoretical bite performance: Using multi-body modelling to predict muscle and bite forces in a reptile skull.

Validation of a morphometric reconstruction technique applied to a juvenile pelvis (2010)
Journal Article
Watson, P., O'Higgins, P., Fagan, M. J., & Dobson, C. A. (2011). Validation of a morphometric reconstruction technique applied to a juvenile pelvis. Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H: Journal of Engineering in Medicine, 225(1), 48-57. https://doi.org/10.1243/09544119jeim810

Three-dimensional reconstructions of bone geometry from microCT (computed tomography) data are frequently used in biomechanical and finite element analyses. Digitization of bone models is usually a simple process for specimens with a complete geometr... Read More about Validation of a morphometric reconstruction technique applied to a juvenile pelvis.

Visualising muscle anatomy using three-dimensional computer models - an example using the head and neck muscles of Sphenodon (2009)
Journal Article
Curtis, N., Jones, M. E., Evans, S. E., O'Higgins, P., & Fagan, M. J. (2009). Visualising muscle anatomy using three-dimensional computer models - an example using the head and neck muscles of Sphenodon. Palaeontologia electronica, 12(3), Article 12.3.7T

We demonstrate how the computer-based technique of multi-body dynamics analysis (MDA) can be used to create schematic, but informative three-dimensional (3D) representations of complex muscle anatomy. As an example we provide an overview of the head... Read More about Visualising muscle anatomy using three-dimensional computer models - an example using the head and neck muscles of Sphenodon.

A single-channel telemetric intramedullary nail for in vivo measurement of fracture healing (2009)
Journal Article
Wilson, D. J., Morgan, R. L., Hesselden, K. L., Dodd, J. R., Janna, S. W., & Fagan, M. J. (2009). A single-channel telemetric intramedullary nail for in vivo measurement of fracture healing. Journal of orthopaedic trauma, 23(10), 702-709. https://doi.org/10.1097/bot.0b013e3181b01c49

Objective: The objective of this study was to develop a single-channel telemetric intramedullary nail that measures anterior-posterior bending strains and determine whether these forces decrease sigmoidally when normalized to the ground reaction forc... Read More about A single-channel telemetric intramedullary nail for in vivo measurement of fracture healing.

Predicting muscle activation patterns from motion and anatomy: modelling the skull of Sphenodon (Diapsida: Rhynchocephalia) (2009)
Journal Article
Curtis, N., Jones, M. E., Evans, S. E., Shi, J., O'Higgins, P., & Fagan, M. J. (2010). Predicting muscle activation patterns from motion and anatomy: modelling the skull of Sphenodon (Diapsida: Rhynchocephalia). Journal of the Royal Society interface / the Royal Society, 7(42), 153-160. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2009.0139

The relationship between skull shape and the forces generated during feeding is currently under widespread scrutiny and increasingly involves the use of computer simulations such as finite element analysis. The computer models used to represent skull... Read More about Predicting muscle activation patterns from motion and anatomy: modelling the skull of Sphenodon (Diapsida: Rhynchocephalia).

Biomechanical assessment of evolutionary changes in the lepidosaurian skull (2009)
Journal Article
Moazen, M., Curtis, N., O'Higgins, P., Evans, S. E., & Fagan, M. J. (2009). Biomechanical assessment of evolutionary changes in the lepidosaurian skull. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 106(20), 8273-8277. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0813156106

The lepidosaurian skull has long been of interest to functional morphologists and evolutionary biologists. Patterns of bone loss and gain, particularly in relation to bars and fenestrae, have led to a variety of hypotheses concerning skull use and ki... Read More about Biomechanical assessment of evolutionary changes in the lepidosaurian skull.

Validating a voxel-based finite element model of a human mandible using digital speckle pattern interferometry (2009)
Journal Article
Gröning, F., Liu, J., Fagan, M. J., & O'Higgins, P. (2009). Validating a voxel-based finite element model of a human mandible using digital speckle pattern interferometry. Journal of biomechanics, 42(9), 1224-1229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbiomech.2009.03.025

Finite element analysis is a powerful tool for predicting the mechanical behaviour of complex biological structures like bones, but to be confident in the results of an analysis, the model should be validated against experimental data. In such valida... Read More about Validating a voxel-based finite element model of a human mandible using digital speckle pattern interferometry.

γ-Secretase-dependent cleavage of amyloid precursor protein regulates osteoblast behavior (2009)
Journal Article
McLeod, J., Curtis, N., Lewis, H. D., Good, M. A., Fagan, M. J., & Genever, P. G. (2009). γ-Secretase-dependent cleavage of amyloid precursor protein regulates osteoblast behavior. FASEB Journal, 23(9), 2942-2955. https://doi.org/10.1096/fj.08-121657

gamma-Secretase cleaves amyloid precursor protein (APP) to generate amyloid-beta (A beta) peptides, which aggregate in the brain in Alzheimer's disease (AD). gamma-Secretase also cleaves molecules that regulate osteoblast activity, such as Notch and... Read More about γ-Secretase-dependent cleavage of amyloid precursor protein regulates osteoblast behavior.