User login

Navigation

You are here

NEW TEXTBOOK ON BIOMECHANICS

Alexander A. Spector's picture

Recently I received a message from the Cambridge University Press regarding a coming text on biomechanics entitled Introductory Biomechanics, From Cells to Organisms. by C. Ross Ethier and Craig A. Simmonds. I ordered an exam copy, went through, and found it very interesting. It covers cellular biomechanics, hemodynamics, circulatory system, ocular biomechanics, muscles and movement, and skeletal biomechanics. Each section has a significant number of problems. I examined closely the part on cellular biomechanics which is one of the main areas of my research and teaching interests, and enjoyed reading it. The cellular mechanics is presented in its interrelation to cell structure and biology (there are nice images of cells and their components to use for teaching). The main techniques of probing the cell, such as micropipette aspiration, AFM, optical tweezers, and magnetic cytometry, are considered. Models of the cytoskeleton (tensergity, foams) are also introduced. The math is limited to linear equations, one-dimensional or axisymmetric problems, but it seems appropriate for the introductory level. In addition, some results of computational (finite element) modeling are also included. I certainly expect that this textbook will be quite useful in my teaching. The web site http://www.cambridge.org/us/catalogue/catalogue.asp?isbn=9780521841122 has more details on the book.

Comments

Zhigang Suo's picture

Thank you very much for pointing to this new book. I've followed the link and ordered an exam copy. I've also asked our library to order a copy of the book. I'm thinking to add some biomechanics into my undergraduate course on introductory solid mechanics. Quite a few students in my class are bioengineering concentrators.

Alexander A. Spector's picture

Zhigang,

Thank you for your prompt response and for sharing my enthusiasm of this book. In your comment, you pointed at another dimension of the use of this and other good biomechanics texts, which is the selection and incorporation of appropriate bio-topics into solid mechanics courses. I think it can be effectively done even on the basis of the cellular biomechanics section of the discussed book. For example, AFM is intrinsically related to the theory of contact (Hertian and beyond it if the finite thickness or friction is taken into account). Also, any perturbations of biomembranes  require shell or membrane bending theories. Of course, more sophisticated  examples to illustrate nonlinear constitutive relations can be found in the heart or blood vessel mechanics. 

 

MichelleLOyen's picture

A problem with many treatments of cell mechanics is the neglect of time-dependent mechanical behavior (viscoelasticity or poroelasticity), which seems to contribute to the overall under-representation of these topics within solid mechanics curricula, although they are frequently covered in an in-depth fashion in the context of dedicated biomechanics courses.   I have not seen this book yet, but would be interested to hear if there is any coverage of time-effects in the cell mechanics context.

Alexander A. Spector's picture

Viscoelastic models are quite common in the mechanics of cells with applications to transient regimes of cellular responses in a number of experiments (micropipette aspiration, magnetic twisting cytometry, etc.). Typically, models of standard linear solid-like are used, and they are also presented in the discussed introductory textbook. Nonlinear continuum-type viscoelastic relationships for the red blood cell can be found in a fundamental book Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Biological Membranes by E. Evans and R. Skalak.   

 

ruogang zhao's picture

One of the authors, C. Ross Ethier, is currently the Director of Institute of Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering at University of Toronto and will be leaving for UK this summer to head the bioengineering department at Imperial College London.

 The other author, Craig A. Simmons, is my current supervisor at Cellular Mechanobilogy Laboratory of University of Toronto. Our lab website: http://www.mie.utoronto.ca/labs/mechanobio/index.php 

Subscribe to Comments for "NEW TEXTBOOK ON BIOMECHANICS"

Recent comments

More comments

Syndicate

Subscribe to Syndicate