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Center for Disruptive Musculoskeletal Innovations (CDMI)

The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed are those of the Center author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Center Overview

The Center for Disruptive Musculoskeletal Innovations (CDMI) represents a novel integration of health care economics, biomedical science, and clinical medicine, researching technologies that will decrease health care costs and improve the management and life of patients with musculoskeletal disease.

CDMI targets the growing burden of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) by being a primary source for fundamental research on clinical outcomes and cost, implant materials, tissue engineering, biosensors, implant testing protocols, noninvasive diagnostic and preventive technologies, and novel imaging. Preventing and treating MSDs are of key importance.

Prevention is a priority for U.S. business, as MSDs account for about 37% of all injury cases. The average direct cost of a work-related MSD is more than $32,000. Low-back pain alone is estimated to total in excess of $100 billion annually. Yet the causes of these injuries are not well understood.

Treating MSDs is a critical challenge. MSDs affect more than half of the U.S. adult population, and 75% of those over age 65, imposing an economic burden similar to or even greater than that of coronary heart disease and other major health problems. MSD pain is the main noncancer related reason for opioid use in the U.S. Despite the clear opportunity, federal investment in MSD translational research is disproportionately low.

CDMI will continue to bring physicians, scientists, engineers, and industry partners together to boost collaboration and to train and retain the next generation of scientists and engineers.

Universities

University of California, San Francisco
University of Toledo
Ohio State University

View Center Website

Center Personnel

Jeffrey Lotz
Center Staff
+1 415 476 2977
Jeffrey.Lotz@ucsf.edu

William Marras
Center Staff
+1 614 688 8735
marras.1@osu.edu

Vijay Goel
Center Staff
+1 419 530 2844
vijay.goel@utoledo.edu

Research Focus

Priority research areas include:

Advanced science projects.
Biomaterials.
Clinical outcomes.
Economics.
Ergonomics interventions.
Innovative technologies and testing.
Patient assessment tools.

Within these areas, CDMI is particularly interested in the following kinds of projects:

Cross-site validation of computational modeling and simulation.
Meta-analysis and development of new test standards, approaches, and test methods.
Prediction and prevention of musculoskeletal injury.
Prediction and prevention of treatment complications.
Understanding the multidimensionality of musculoskeletal pain.

Awards

1916636

Phase II IUCRC at The University of Toledo: Center for Disruptive Musculoskeletal Innovations (CDMI)

Human life is characterized by physical movement. Yet, a growing number of adults are disabled by joint pain that regularly limits their physical activity. Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) encompass degenerative, inflammatory and developmental conditions, injury, and overuse. The personal impact ranges from devastating effects on health to subtle reductions in quality of life. MSDs affect more than half of the US adult population, and 75% of those over age 65. The mission of the Center for Disruptive Musculoskeletal Innovations (CDMI) is to address pressing societal needs associated with the growing burden of MSDs. Priority CDMI research themes include: characterizing MSD causal pathways; developing tools for MSD risk assessment, diagnosis, and functional recovery; predictive analytics for clinical care management; medical device design and testing; and clinical outcomes assessment with an emphasis on cost/benefit and patient value. Our goal is to generate data on incidence, pathomechanisms, treatment outcomes, and costs associated with MSDs, and based on these data, develop new technologies for MSD prevention, diagnosis, and treatment. Collectively, these efforts will result in healthier Americans and a stronger and more-competitive U.S. economy. The CDMI has strategically joined four academic sites that integrate expertise in: Musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) causal pathways, tools for MSD risk assessments, biomechanical models, and bioengineering (The Ohio State University - OSU); MSD biology, diagnostics, clinical cohorts, digital health, and clinical data analytics (University of California, San Francisco - UCSF); Medical device design, computational modeling, empirical testing, and testing standards (University of Toledo - UT); and Advanced materials, sensors, and chemical engineering (affiliate site Northeastern University - NU). The UCSF site focuses on digital health technologies and solutions, regenerative therapies, clinical data analytics, and development of diagnostic tools that help better match patients to treatments and better quantify patient response to therapy. UT research centers on development of devices, biomaterials, and clinical assessment of surgical procedures. OSU applies its sensitive risk exposure tools and person-specific biomechanical models to clarify how physical, psychological, psychosocial, and personal risk factors influence injury risk. The CDMI Research Roadmap identifies high priority areas for project proposal solicitation. These include basic science, biomaterials, clinical outcomes (including digital health), SMART devices, development/assessment of innovative devices/surgical techniques/instruments, healthcare economics, osteoporosis, soft tissue repair, patient assessment tools, test method development, MSD casual pathways, MSD risk assessments, and injury prevention. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria. Read More >

1916629

Phase II IUCRC at UC San Francisco: Center for Disruptive Musculoskeletal Innovations (CDMI)

1916651

Phase II IUCRC at Ohio State University: Center for Disruptive Musculoskeletal Innovations (CDMI)

Member Organizations

IUCRC affiliated member organizations are displayed as submitted by the Center. Non-federal organizations are not selected, approved, or otherwise endorsed by the National Science Foundation.