Dr Stefaan Verbruggen
Lecturer in Medical Technology
CPM Lead for External Communications
School of Engineering and Materials Science
Queen Mary University of London
Queen Mary University of London
Research
Mechanobiology, Computational Modelling, Bone Biomechanics, Cancer, Development, Metastasis
Interests
Dr Verbruggen's research focuses on the musculoskeletal system and metastatic cancer, particularly mechanobiology and resulting cross-talk between cells. Dr Verbruggen also has significant experience in complex multi-scale and multi-physics modelling, and is interested in collaborating to model mechanical microenvironments on in vitro microfluidics and chip devices.Publications
2025
Particle stabilised high internal phase emulsion scaffolds with interconnected porosity facilitate cell migration.Biomedical Materials, Iop Publishing
10-09-2025
You are what you breathe? Metabolites may begin to explain the link between air pollution and bone damageVerbruggen SW
Journal of Bone and Mineral Research, Oxford University Press (Oup) vol. 40 (7), 825-826.
19-05-2025
Altered vertebral biomechanical properties in prostate cancer patients following androgen deprivation therapyGibson FG, Paggiosi MA, Handforth C, Brown JE, Li X, Dall'Ara E, Verbruggen SW
Bone, Elsevier vol. 195
19-03-2025
2024
Air Pollution and OsteoporosisAllen O, Knight MM, Verbruggen SW
Current Osteoporosis Reports, Springer Science and Business Media Llc
20-09-2024
Analytical and computational studies predict negligible risk of cell death from eddy generation off flat surfaces in cell culture flow systemsMorley EJ, Brockett CL, Verbruggen SW
Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, Frontiers vol. 12, 1340653-1340653.
07-08-2024
Utilizing 3D Models to Unravel the Dynamics of Myeloma Plasma Cells’ Escape from the Bone Marrow MicroenvironmentVerbruggen SW, Freeman CL, Freeman FE
Cancers, Mdpi vol. 16 (5)
22-02-2024
Role of the osteocyte in bone metastasis – The importance of networkingVerbruggen SW
Journal of Bone Oncology, Elsevier vol. 44
17-01-2024
2023
A Novel Primary Cilium‐Mediated Mechanism Through which Osteocytes Regulate Metastatic Behavior of Both Breast and Prostate Cancer CellsVerbruggen SW, Nolan J, Duffy MP, Pearce OMT, Jacobs CR, Knight MM
Advanced Science, Wiley vol. 11 (2), 2305842-2305842.
15-11-2023
Osteocytes and Primary CiliaVerbruggen SW, Sittichokechaiwut A, Reilly GC
Current Osteoporosis Reports, Springer
08-09-2023
In silico assessment of the bone regeneration potential of complex porous scaffoldsAsbai-Ghoudan R, Nasello G, Pérez MÁ, Verbruggen SW, Ruiz de Galarreta S, Rodriguez-Florez N
Computers in Biology and Medicine, Elsevier vol. 165
14-08-2023
Osteoclastogenesis Requires Primary Cilia Disassembly and Can Be Inhibited by Promoting Primary Cilia Formation PharmacologicallySutton MM, Duffy MP, Verbruggen SW, Jacobs CR
Cells Tissues Organs, Karger Publishers vol. 213 (3), 235-244.
22-05-2023
Organ-on-a-Chip and Microfluidic Platforms for Oncology in the UKNolan J, Pearce OMT, Screen HRC, Knight MM, Verbruggen SW
Cancers, Mdpi vol. 15 (3)
19-01-2023
2021
Disrupted osteocyte connectivity and pericellular fluid flow in bone with aging and defective TGF-β signalingSchurman CA, Verbruggen SW, Alliston T
Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences of The United States of America, Proceedings of The National Academy of Sciences vol. 118 (25), e2023999118-e2023999118.
14-06-2021
Mechanical Stimulation Modulates Osteocyte Regulation of Cancer Cell PhenotypeVerbruggen SW, Thompson CL, Duffy MP, Lunetto S, Nolan J, Pearce OMT, Jacobs CR, Knight MM
Cancers, Mdpi vol. 13 (12)
10-06-2021
2020
Disrupted Lacunar-Canalicular Networks and Osteocyte Mechanosensation in Bone with Aging and Disrupted TGFb SignalingSchurman C, Verbruggen S, Alliston T
01-01-2020
2019
Age-related suppression of osteocyte lacuna/canalicular networks, PLR gene expression, and pericellular fluid flowSchurman C, Verbruggen S, Alliston T
01-12-2019
Age-related suppression of osteocyte lacuna/canalicular networks, PLR gene expression, and pericellular fluid flowSchurman C, Verbruggen S, Alliston T
01-01-2019
2018
European Society of Biomechanics S.M. Perren Award 2018: Altered biomechanical stimulation of the developing hip joint in presence of hip dysplasia risk factorsVerbruggen SW, Kainz B, Shelmerdine SC, Arthurs OJ, Hajnal JV, Rutherford MA, Phillips ATM, Nowlan NC
Journal of Biomechanics, Elsevier vol. 78, 1-9.
20-07-2018
Stresses and strains on the human fetal skeleton during developmentVerbruggen SW, Kainz B, Shelmerdine SC, Hajnal JV, Rutherford MA, Arthurs OJ, Phillips ATM, Nowlan NC
Journal of The Royal Society Interface, The Royal Society vol. 15 (138)
01-01-2018
Techniques for studying mechanobiologyDolan EB, Verbruggen SW, Rolfe RA
In Mechanobiology in Health and Disease 1-53.
01-01-2018
Bone mechanobiology in health and diseaseVerbruggen SW, McNamara LM
In Mechanobiology in Health and Disease 157-214.
01-01-2018
Chapter 6 Bone mechanobiology in health and diseaseVerbruggen SW, McNamara LM
In Mechanobiology in Health and Disease, Elsevier 157-214.
01-01-2018
Chapter 1 Techniques for studying mechanobiologyDolan EB, Verbruggen SW, Rolfe RA
In Mechanobiology in Health and Disease, Elsevier 1-53.
01-01-2018
2017
Function and failure of the fetal membrane: Modelling the mechanics of the chorion and amnion.Verbruggen SW, Oyen ML, Phillips ATM, Nowlan NC
Plos One vol. 12 (3), e0171588-e0171588.
28-03-2017
Ontogeny of the Human PelvisVerbruggen SW, Nowlan NC
The Anatomical Record, Wiley vol. 300 (4), 643-652.
15-03-2017
2016
In silico bone mechanobiology: modeling a multifaceted biological systemGiorgi M, Verbruggen SW, Lacroix D
Wires Mechanisms of Disease, Wiley vol. 8 (6), 485-505.
07-09-2016
Mechanisms of osteocyte stimulation in osteoporosisVerbruggen SW, Vaughan TJ, McNamara LM
Journal of The Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, Elsevier vol. 62, 158-168.
10-05-2016
2015
Modeling the biomechanics of fetal movementsVerbruggen SW, Loo JHW, Hayat TTA, Hajnal JV, Rutherford MA, Phillips ATM, Nowlan NC
Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, Springer Nature vol. 15 (4), 995-1004.
03-11-2015
Altered Mechanical Environment of Bone Cells in an Animal Model of Short- and Long-Term OsteoporosisVerbruggen SW, Mc Garrigle MJ, Haugh MG, Voisin MC, McNamara LM
Biophysical Journal, Elsevier vol. 108 (7), 1587-1598.
01-04-2015
2014
Bone cell mechanosensation of fluid flow stimulation: a fluid–structure interaction model characterising the role integrin attachments and primary ciliaVaughan TJ, Mullen CA, Verbruggen SW, McNamara LM
Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, Springer Nature vol. 14 (4), 703-718.
16-11-2014
2013
Are all osteocytes equal? Multiscale modelling of cortical bone to characterise the mechanical stimulation of osteocytesVaughan TJ, Verbruggen SW, McNamara LM
International Journal For Numerical Methods in Biomedical Engineering, Wiley vol. 29 (12), 1361-1372.
29-07-2013
Fluid flow in the osteocyte mechanical environment: a fluid–structure interaction approachVerbruggen SW, Vaughan TJ, McNamara LM
Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, Springer Nature vol. 13 (1), 85-97.
09-04-2013
2012
Loading-Induced Interstitial Fluid Flow in Bone Mechanobiology: An FSI Approach to the Osteocyte EnvironmentVerbruggen SW, Vaughan TJ, McNamara LM
ASME 2012 Summer Bioengineering Conference, Parts A and B.
20-06-2012
Strain amplification in bone mechanobiology: a computational investigation of the in vivo mechanics of osteocytesVerbruggen SW, Vaughan TJ, McNamara LM
Journal of The Royal Society Interface, The Royal Society vol. 9 (75), 2735-2744.
06-06-2012
Deep learning models to map osteocyte networks can successfully distinguish between young and aged boneVetter SD, Schurman CA, Alliston T, Slabaugh GG, Verbruggen SW
In Biorxiv
Grants
Grants of specific relevance to Predictive in vitro Models
COacT Feasibility of the CallaVid Platform for the Delivery of Live Biotherapeutics for the Restoration of the Vaginal MicrobiomeTina Chowdhury, Stefaan Verbruggen and Ruairi Robertson
£46,623 Calla Lily Clinical Care Ltd.
01-10-2025 - 30-09-2029
Development of an Osteosarcoma-on-a-Chip Model to Investigate Chemoresistance and the Role of CHI3L1 in Tumour MicroenvironmentStefaan Verbruggen
£122,749 Hannah’s Willberry Wonder Pony Charity
01-10-2025 - 30-09-2029
COaCT - An organ-chip model of inflammation in the canine cartilage-synovium interfaceStefaan Verbruggen and Martin Knight
£159,868 Zoetis LLC
29-09-2025 - 28-09-2029
Establishing a physiologically relevant in vitro model of blood developmentStefaan Verbruggen
£11,413 National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research
01-09-2024 - 31-08-2027
Mechanisms underlying preterm birth in women with HIV in rural ZimbabweAndrew Prendergast, Ruairi Robertson, Melanie Smuk, Claire Bourke, Nikolaos Donos, Robert Allaker, Abish Stephen, Conrad Bessant, Stefaan Verbruggen and Tina Chowdhury
£1,142,315 Medical Research Council
01-05-2024 - 30-04-2027
Organ-chip Facility: A world-class in vitro models facility for the UK community, reducing the barriers to adoption to drive animal replacementHazel Screen, Stefaan Verbruggen, Martin Knight, Julia Shelton, Timothy Hopkins and John Connelly
£573,537 NC3Rs National Centre for the Replacement, Refinement and Reduction of Animals in Research
Grant Summary
07-10-2024 - 14-03-2025
Microbiome-Bone ChipStefaan Verbruggen and Ravinash Krishna Kumar
£117,511 EPSRC Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council
01-04-2024 - 31-03-2025