Associate Professor
Devakar Epari
Faculty of Engineering,
School of Mech., Medical & Process Engineering
Biography
Associate Professor Devakar Epari is biomedical engineer who specializes in the area of Orthopaedic Trauma and is the Subject Area Coordinator for Medical Engineering, one of the majors in QUT's undergraduate Bachelor of Engineering (Hons). His research interests include the biomechanics and mechano-biology of bone healing and the mechanics of fracture fixation. He is the co-inventor and developer of the Biphasic Plating concept that recently achieved market access approval in the European Union (CE Mark). His interests in medical device development and led to involvement with several medical device innovation programs including the School of Internation Biodesign (India) and Biodesign Australia.Personal details
Positions
- Associate Professor
Faculty of Engineering,
School of Mech., Medical & Process Engineering
Keywords
Fracture Fixation, Fracture Healing, Mechanobiology, Trauma, Biomechanics, Medical Devices
Research field
Biomedical Engineering, Clinical Sciences, Human Movement and Sports Science
Field of Research code, Australian and New Zealand Standard Research Classification (ANZSRC), 2008
Qualifications
- PhD (Technische Universitat Berlin)
- MBiomedE (University of New South Wales)
- BE (Mech) (University of New South Wales)
Professional memberships and associations
Engineers Australia
Teaching
- EGB319 BioDesign 2017-
- EGH435 Modelling and Simulation for Medical Engineers 2018-
- ENB335 Modelling and Simulation for Medical Engineers 2010-2017
- ENB319 Biomechanical Engineering Design 2012-2016
- ENB437 Health Legislation in the Medical Environment 2015-2017
- ENB318 Biomechanical Engineering Systems 2015-2017
Publications
- Epari, D., Gurung, R., Hofmann-Fliri, L., Schwyn, R., Schuetz, M. & Windolf, M. (2021). Biphasic plating improves the mechanical performance of locked plating for distal femur fractures. Journal of Biomechanics, 115. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/207477
- Tufekci, P., Tavakoli Akbarzadeh, A., Dlaska, C., Neumann, M., Shanker, M., Saifzadeh, S., Steck, R., Schuetz, M. & Epari, D. (2018). Early mechanical stimulation only permits timely bone healing in sheep. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 36(6), 1790–1796. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/223325
- Wilson, C., Schuetz, M. & Epari, D. (2017). Computational simulation of bone fracture healing under inverse dynamisation. Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology, 16(1), 5–14. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/95459
- Bartnikowski, N., Claes, L., Koval, L., Glatt, V., Bindl, R., Steck, R., Ignatius, A., Schuetz, M. & Epari, D. (2017). Modulation of fixation stiffness from flexible to stiff in a rat model of bone healing. Acta Orthopaedica, 88(2), 217–222. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/99907
- Epari, D., Wehner, T., Ignatius, A., Schuetz, M. & Claes, L. (2013). A case for optimising fracture healing through inverse dynamization. Medical Hypotheses, 81(2), 225–227. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/59527
- Reichert, J., Cipitria, A., Epari, D., Saifzadeh, S., Krishnakanth, P., Berner, A., Woodruff, M., Schell, H., Mehta, M., Schuetz, M., Duda, G. & Hutmacher, D. (2012). A tissue engineering solution for segmental defect regeneration in load-bearing long bones. Science Translational Medicine, 4(141), 1–10. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/52766
- Epari, D., Kassi, J., Schell, H. & Duda, G. (2007). Timely fracture-healing requires optimization of axial fixation stability. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery - Series A, 89(7), 1575–1585. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/44451
- Epari, D., Schell, H., Bail, H. & Duda, G. (2006). Instability prolongs the chondral phase during bone healing in sheep. Bone, 38(6), 864–870. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/41279
- Epari, D., Taylor, W., Heller, M. & Duda, G. (2006). Mechanical conditions in the initial phase of bone healing. Clinical Biomechanics, 21(6), 646–655. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/41282
- Schell, H., Epari, D., Kassi, J., Bragulla, H., Bail, H. & Duda, G. (2005). The course of bone healing is influenced by the initial shear fixation stability. Journal of Orthopaedic Research, 23(5), 1022–1028. https://eprints.qut.edu.au/41306
QUT ePrints
For more publications by Devakar, explore their research in QUT ePrints (our digital repository).
Awards
- Type
- Editorial Role for an Academic Journal
- Reference year
- 2017
- Details
- Associate Editor for BMJ Innovations
Selected research projects
- Title
- ARC Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Joint Biomechanics
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- IC190100020
- Start year
- 2020
- Keywords
- Title
- Bioactive and biodegradable scaffold and novel graft source for the repair of large segmental bone defects
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- 1055575
- Start year
- 2013
- Keywords
- Title
- Development and Characterization of a Technology Platform to Study the Mechanisms of Scaffold/BMP Augmented Large Segmental Bone Healing
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- LP0991527
- Start year
- 2010
- Keywords
- Regenerative Medicine; Growth Factor Delivery; Scaffolds; Bone Grafts; Tissue Engineering
- Title
- Inter-Fragmentary Movement In Callus Formation In The Early Phase Of Fracture Healing
- Primary fund type
- CAT 1 - Australian Competitive Grant
- Project ID
- DP0988124
- Start year
- 2009
- Keywords
- mathematical modelling; fracture healing
Projects listed above are funded by Australian Competitive Grants. Projects funded from other sources are not listed due to confidentiality agreements.
Supervision
Current supervisions
- Defining borderline indications for the use of Biphasic Plates on distal femur fractures
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Paige Little - Investigating The Biomechanics of The Biphasic Plating Concept
PhD, Principal Supervisor
Other supervisors: Associate Professor Paige Little
Completed supervisions (Doctorate)
- Design of a Safety Device to Address the Loading Concerns of Bone-Anchored Prostheses (2019)
- Investigating the Sensitivity of Different Phases of Fracture Healing to Mechanics (2017)
- Modifying Fixation Stiffness to Improve Bone Healing (2016)
- Monitoring Healing Progression and Characterising the Mechanical Environment in a Preclinical Bone Defect Model (2016)
- Development of a Novel Experimental Model to Investigate the Influence of Mechanics on Bone Healing (2015)
- Mechanical Considerations in Fracture Fixation (2012)
- Mechanical testing and modelling of bone-implant construct (2012)