About Me
I discovered my passion for biomechanics in 2011 through my master’s thesis at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), during my Master’s program in Mechatronics/Robotics at the University of Applied Sciences Technikum Wien. At DLR, I gained my first experience in the mechanical simulation of biological tissues and was introduced to the numerous other exciting projects of the Bionics Group. I deepened my knowledge through a Master’s program in Biomedical Engineering at TU Wien and my final master’s thesis in 2014, conducted in collaboration with Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich (LMU). Working on a clinically relevant research topic alongside an LMU trauma surgeon further fueled my enthusiasm. After completing my doctoral studies at the Institute of Lightweight Design and Structural Biomechanics (ILSB), I have been researching and teaching as a Postdoc/Senior Scientist in the field of computational biomechanics since 2019.
Research
My primary research interest lies in the clinical application of computational biomechanical methods in orthopedics. To this end, I develop patient-specific finite element (FE) models of bones and bone-implant systems, musculoskeletal multibody dynamics models, and employ machine learning to make these models accessible and cost-effective for clinical use. A current clinical application involves computer-aided fracture risk assessment in patients with metastatic bone disease, aiming to improve therapeutic decisions and patients’ quality of life. Additionally, I conduct basic research to better understand the relationship between form and function in bone microstructure, as well as the mechanical interaction between implants and bone tissue.