Biomaterials Testing Case Studies
Real-world examples of how researchers use CellScale systems alongside custom mechanical testing and engineered testing systems to address complex challenges in biomaterials testing, tissue mechanics, mechanobiology, and medical device development.
Case Studies by Research Area
OPHTHALMIC DEVICE MECHANICS
OPHTHALMIC DEVICE MECHANICS
ENGINEERED FIBRE & MICROTISSUE MECHANICS
ENGINEERED FIBER & MICROTISSUE MECHANICS
RETINAL TISSUE MECHANOBIOLOGY
RETINAL TISSUE MECHANOBIOLOGY
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURY BIOMECHANICS
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURY BIOMECHANICS
CARDIOVASCULAR BIOMECHANICS & HEART VALVE MECHANICS
CARDIOVASCULAR BIOMECHANICS & HEART VALVE MECHANICS
Featured Case Studies
Hover or tap a card to reveal key capabilities and read the full study.
PULMONARY MECHANICS
Active Pressure and Volume Control for Lung Research
PARTNER
UC Riverside
A custom mechanical testing system was engineered by CellScale in collaboration with the Eskandari Lab at UC Riverside to characterize inflation and deflation behaviour in mouse and pig lungs. A sealed chamber and precision piston mechanism enabled accurate displacement-based volume measurements, resolving non-uniform pressure distribution during pulmonary loading under both positive- and negative-pressure ventilation.
PULMONARY MECHANICS
KEY CAPABILITIES:
- Multi scale design for small and large lungs
- High flow piston control
- Closed chamber volume measurement
OPHTHALMIC DEVICE MECHANICS
Custom Intra Ocular Lens (IOL) Mechanical Testing
PARTNER
Medical Device R&D Group
A CellScale MicroTester was adapted with custom test fixtures and dual-axis imaging to evaluate intraocular lens haptic behaviour under compression. Multi-angle image capture enabled precise assessment of haptic stability and ISO 11979-3 compliance.
OPHTHALMIC DEVICE MECHANICS
KEY CAPABILITIES:
- Custom haptic compression fixtures
- Multi angle imaging integration
- ISO standard mechanical configuration
ENGINEERED FIBER MECHANICS
High Throughput Micro Mechanical Testing of Engineered Fibers
PARTNER
University of Toronto
A CellScale MicroTester was reconfigured for horizontal testing of microscale fibers cultured in a 96 well format. This modification enabled rapid parallel testing and improved consistency across high throughput experiments while preserving micro-Newton force sensitivity.
ENGINEERED FIBER MECHANICS
KEY CAPABILITIES:
- High throughput configuration
- Horizontal test orientation
- Custom plate integration
RETINAL TISSUE MECHANOBIOLOGY
Mechanical Stimulation of Retinal Tissue with Imaging Integration
PARTNER
Lund University
CellScale designed a custom specimen holder (adapted for the MechanoCulture B1) for a research team out of Lund University in Sweden that allowed for controlled deformation of delicate retinal tissue while coordinating simultaneous imaging. The setup enabled reproducible stimulation without compromising tissue integrity.
RETINAL TISSUE MECHANOBIOLOGY
KEY CAPABILITIES:
- Tissue safe mechanical stimulation
- Custom specimen holder
- Integrated imaging compatibility
CARDIOVASCULAR BIOMECHANICS
Heart Valve Biaxial Testing with Integrated Imaging
PARTNER
The University of Oklahoma
The CellScale BioTester biaxial mechanical tester was extended with a custom polarization-based optical imaging system to enable simultaneous measurement of heart valve mechanics and collagen fiber orientation. The integrated approach allowed researchers at OU to directly correlate applied loads with evolving tissue microstructure, supporting advanced constitutive modeling of valve behaviour.
CARDIOVASCULAR BIOMECHANICS
KEY CAPABILITIES:
- Biaxial mechanical testing of heart valve tissues
- Integrated real-time collagen microstructure imaging
- Support for anisotropic constitutive model calibration
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURY BIOMECHANICS
Open Source Joint Injury Model Using Custom UniVert Fixtures
PARTNER
University of Michigan
This biomaterials testing case study highlights how researchers can extend CellScale platforms with open-source custom test fixtures and customized accessories. Researchers at the University of Michigan created a standardized, open-source model for non-invasive joint injury in mice using the UniVert S2 paired with custom 3D printed fixtures. Custom holders, stabilization beds, and adapters allows precise high-velocity displacement control in their research.
MUSCULOSKELETAL INJURY BIOMECHANICS
KEY CAPABILITIES:
- Compatible with researcher designed 3D printed fixtures
- Supports rapid displacement and nontraditional loading
- Portable configuration for multi lab reproducibility
CARDIOVASCULAR BIOMECHANICS
Clinical Heart Valve Material Quantification for Pediatric Cardiac Surgery
PARTNER
Boston Children's Hospital
Dr. Peter Hammer at Boston Children’s Hospital adapted the BioTester mechanical tester to a clinical research workflow in order to characterize heart valve and pericardial repair tissues used in pediatric cardiac surgery. Biaxial testing data provides surgeons with objective measures of tissue stiffness and extensibility, supporting evidence-based decisions in valve reconstruction procedures.
CARDIOVASCULAR BIOMECHANICS
KEY CAPABILITIES:
- Quantitative comparison of valve and repair materials
- Biaxial testing under physiologically relevant loading
- Translation of mechanical data into surgical guidance
How CellScale Supports Custom Testing Solutions
- Custom grips, chambers and mounting solutions
- High throughput and automated workflows
- Dual axis and multi angle imaging integration
- Custom mechanical loading environments
- Researcher led modifications using 3D printed components
- Pressure- and volume-controlled systems
- Lifetime technical support
Work With CellScale on Your Next Research Challenge
Whether you require a complete custom mechanical testing system or need to adapt an existing CellScale instrument with specialized fixtures, our engineering team will help design a solution that matches your scientific goals.
