MDRI member, Dr Egon Perilli, recently received a Flinders University’s 2012 Vice-Chancellor Award for Early Career Researchers, for his outstanding contribution to Flinders University’s research. This is fantastic recognition for Egon and the MDRI would like to congratulate him on his success.

More information about Egon’s research:

On the path to better bone health

As Australia’s population ages, degenerative bone diseases such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis will take an increasing toll on the nation’s healthcare system.

In a bid to prevent the burden of disease, researchers from Flinders University are using advanced microscopic techniques to better understand how and why bone loss occurs in the elderly.

Chief investigator Dr Egon Perilli said a special X-ray method known as a micro-computed tomography, or micro-CT, is enabling his team to analyse the complex structures of the skeletal system, including bone density and the thin internal features of the bone, in 3D.

He said the technique allows researchers to characterise the “microarchitecture” of the bone at a level which cannot be seen with conventional scanners in clinics.

“Conventionally, to see images at the same level, you have to take a biopsy, literally slice it up and look at it under a microscope but when you cut it up you destroy the 3D features,” Dr Perilli, Senior Research Fellow based in the School of Computer Science, Engineering and Mathematics, said.

“On the other hand, micro-CT allows us to preserve the 3D structure of the bone biopsy because you don’t need to cut it up to examine it,” he said.

By understanding how bone loss occurs in the elderly, Dr Perilli said he hoped to contribute to develop better diagnostic tools to identify patients at-risk of fractures while creating advances in the prevention and treatment of musculoskeletal diseases.

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