PostDoc Atte Eskelinen

Several computational models tackle the problem of estimating knee osteoarthritis progression. However, primarily of interest to the patients is the models lack realistic timescale estimates of the disease’s progression. This shortcoming arises partly from an incomplete understanding of two important disease mechanisms: excessive biomechanical loading and inflammation. Thus, PostDoc Atte Eskelinen will develop time-dependent computational models with biomechanical and inflammation-related cartilage degradation on multiple scales (cell, tissue, and joint levels).

First, he will carry over time-dependent cell-tissue-level calibrations according to findings from experimental explant culture models of osteoarthritis. The experimental setup encompasses biomechanical (i.e., injurious and cyclic “healthy loading) and inflammatory factors (pro-inflammatory biomolecules). Amongst others, the computational model calibration will include location- and time-dependent cartilage estimations.

Second, he will introduce cell–tissue-level model enhancements into knee joint-level models, conducting another model calibration but with in vivo data, including from clinical osteoarthritis patients who have undergone anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction surgery. Gait analysis and inflammation via synovial fluid contents will estimate biomechanical joint responses, and quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (qMRI) findings will calibrate the model estimates. The time-calibrated in vivo cartilage degradation models will serve as a basis for estimating, for example, biomechanical degradation timescales, mechanical stress levels below the degraded cartilage and the inflammatory state of the knee. Later, the MathKOA project will need these joint-level model outputs for mechanistic, simulated knee joint pain response predictions.

Atte holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree (Applied/Medical Physics) from the Department of Technical Physics at the University of Eastern Finland. He has experience in cell–tissue–joint-level finite element modelling and wet lab work on experimental explant culture models of osteoarthritis. You can read more about Atte’s research on UEF Connect.