Jeffrey Lotz

Research Interests

The main focus of the Orthopaedic Bioengineering Laboratory is to undertand the biomechanics and biology of the intervertebral disc in both health and disease. A number of research programs in this area include: theoretical and experimental development of material laws for disc tissues; finite element simulations of disc and vertebral body response to in vivo loading; animal models to clarify the mechanisms of disc degeneration and repair; animal models to clarify the relationship between disc degeneration and pain; investigation of novel surgical interventions meant to treat back pain; and tissue engineering of fibro-cartilaginous tissues.

Research Summary

Selected Publications

Selected Publications:

J.C. Lotz, J.R. Chin. Intervertebral disc cell death is dependant on the magnitude and duration of spinal loading. Spine, 25(12): 1477-1483, 2000.

S.M. Klisch, J.C. Lotz. A Special theory of biphasic mixtures and experimental results for human annulus fibrosus tested in confined compression. Journal of Biomechanical Engineering, 122: 180-188, 2000.

S.M. Klisch, J.C. Lotz. Application of a fiber-reinforced continuum theory to multiple deformations of the annulus fibrosus. Journal of Biomechanics, 32: 1027-1936, 1999.

J.C. Lotz, O.K. Colliou, J.R. Chin, N.A. Duncan, E. Lebenberg. Compression-induced degeneration of the invertebral disc: An in vivo mouse model and finite-element study. Spine, 23(23): 2493-2506, 1998.