In this section
Based at Imperial's White City Campus, we are a research group with a focus on Spine Biomechanics. We use a range of tools to better understanding in the areas of spinal injury, spinal deformity and spinal surgery.
Our lab has state-of-the-art ex vivo testing capabilities, including bespoke testing rigs, a 6 DOF robot arm, a C-arm, pressure needles, water baths, and high-speed X-ray. We also have access to advanced imaging technologies, including micro-CT, 9.4T MRI, and microscopy.
We use novel computational approaches (finite element modelling, msk modelling, digital volume correlation (DVC), machine learning) to develop workflows to provide clinicians with information to inform patient treatment strategies, to better predict risk of injury, and to assess scoliosis brace designs.
We collaborate globally, with ongoing projects with colleagues in New Zealand, USA, Portugal, South Africa, Germany, Australia, Sri Lanka and India.
You can explore our recent publications below.
@article{Slater:2026:10.1097/bn9.0000000000000103,
author = {Slater, TD and Farinelli, C and Raftery, KA and La, Barbera L and Newell, N},
doi = {10.1097/bn9.0000000000000103},
journal = {Spine Open},
title = {The Effect of Degeneration on Intervertebral Disc Herniation: A Human ex vivo Study with Multiscale Structural Analysis},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/bn9.0000000000000103},
volume = {2},
year = {2026}
}
TY - JOUR
AB - <jats:sec> <jats:title>Study design:</jats:title> <jats:p>Human cadaveric structural investigation of mechanical load-induced acute disc herniation across degeneration grades.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Objective:</jats:title> <jats:p>To understand the structural effects of loading to failure in discs of different degeneration grades for inferring herniation mechanisms.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Summary of background data:</jats:title> <jats:p>Animal models have been extensively used to study disc herniation in non-degenerate discs, but their relevance to human pathology is unclear and validation in human discs is limited. Studying microstructural failure in human discs is therefore essential for investigating mechanisms of herniation and how these are affected by degeneration.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods:</jats:title> <jats:p>Human cadaveric intervertebral discs (n=16) were imaged using MRI, graded for degeneration using the Pfirrmann classification and assigned to either loaded or unloaded groups. Loaded discs were flexed (13°) to physiological limits and loaded to failure (~90% of disc height). Discs were sectioned and examined macroscopically and microscopically to quantify structural failures (graded ordinally 0-3), facilitating comparison across degeneration grades.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Results:</jats:title> <jats:p> Direct comparison of MRI, macroscopic, and microscopic
AU - Slater,TD
AU - Farinelli,C
AU - Raftery,KA
AU - La,Barbera L
AU - Newell,N
DO - 10.1097/bn9.0000000000000103
PY - 2026///
TI - The Effect of Degeneration on Intervertebral Disc Herniation: A Human ex vivo Study with Multiscale Structural Analysis
T2 - Spine Open
UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/bn9.0000000000000103
UR - https://doi.org/10.1097/bn9.0000000000000103
VL - 2
ER -