Abstract
The aim of this project is to develop structural and chemical studies of tendons with Raman spectroscopy. Tendinopathies affecting the distal limb flexor tendons are prevalent in athletic horses and in human Achilles and rotator cuff tendons. Raman spectroscopy enables the detailed and non-destructive assessment of molecular changes not possible with common biochemical approaches. The student will perform a comparative analysis between healthy and tendinopathic tissue from horses and apply mathematical models to the complex Raman spectra. This will enable detailed interpretation of data to explore the potential for a diagnostic assay by combining biology, chemistry and clinical orthopaedics.
References
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