ME 6114: JOINT BIOMECHANICS

S04E01 – Course Overview

The non-technical bit you care about the most!

Darshan S. Shah
BiOME Lab, Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay
About me
BIOMECHANICS & ORTHOPAEDICS

2007 2012 2018 2021

BTech, MTech Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay, INDIA

MSc, PhD, Postdoc Bioengineering, Imperial College London, UK

Postdoc Institute for Orthopaedic Research and Training

(Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Anatomy, Department of Orthopaedics)

KU Leuven & University Hospitals Leuven, BELGIUM

Assistant Professor Mechanical Engineering, IIT Bombay, INDIA

© Darshan Shah 2024

About me

BiOME

Biomechanics Orthopaedics Musculoskeletal Engineering

Experimental Translational Scientific Product

and research research development
Computational (devices, software)

© Darshan Shah 2025

Research @ IIT Bombay

© Darshan Shah 2024

Mentors

Samrat Yogesh Apoorv Sanjib Bhavna

PhD (6th yr) PhD (4th yr) PhD (3rd yr) PhD (3rd yr) PhD (2nd yr)
samratsagar@... 214106001@... 22d0872@... 22d0875@... 23d0904@...

Direct messages on MS Teams for course-related communication

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Course administration

All communication on MS Teams

NO EMAILS PLEASE!

Public channels
• Announcements
• Lecture material
• Query solving – admin, technical

Private channels

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Teaching ideology

LECTURES ENJOY LEARNING DISCUSSIONS

stunted growth infinite learning

ALL knowledge

YOU ME

© Darshan Shah 2024

Teaching ideology
• Focussed on LEARNING
Not about finding the right answer, but to learn to ask the right question!
Not about memorizing a formula or terminology, but When, Where and How to Apply it to a given problem

• Learning from varied sources

Internet, books, you from me, YES! But also, you from your peers, and me from you!
Open discussions, group activities, quizzes & exams!

• Attendance
NOT compulsory – 100% attendance would be my best feedback! BUT…
Attention in class is all that is expected and required for assessments/exams

• Ethics, basics and attention to detail

Abhor plagiarism of any kind; BUT prevention will NOT be enforced – it has to come from within!
‘Foundation’ is of utmost importance, whether you want to construct a building, or apply makeup!

© Darshan Shah 2025

Feedback forms

To develop the course together…

NOT for attendance!

1. what you Understood Quick query solving

2. what you did NOT understand (beginning of following class)

3. what you Liked Adapt lectures

4. what you did NOT like (feedback-based iterations)

Dedicated time to fill forms at the end of each class

© Darshan Shah 2025

Quick tips
• Questions – ask them!
EXPECTATION: “There are no stupid questions”
REALITY: There are! But ‘late’ questions are more harmful…

• Notes – personalised, however short or rough, doesn’t matter!

EXPECTATION: “Chhodo yaar, I have the lecture pdf” OR “Muggu se le lunga class ke baad”
REALITY: We will discuss a lot more in class than just the pdf AND “Muggu ne kya likha hai yaar, chamak nahi raha!”

• Attend classes – most efficient way of learning – well-distributed, continuous, knowledge shared
EXPECTATION: “Will binge read all lecture slides and notes before the exam”
REALITY: “Kya badhiya course tha yaar, class attend karna chahiye tha!”

• ‘Attention’ – the underdog accompanying ‘Attendance’

© Darshan Shah 2025

 Course content
• Do clinicians need engineers?
Design, testing, prototyping, manufacturing…

• Do engineers need clinicians?

Problem statement, implementation, follow-up…

• Why do engineers need to know anatomy?

Communication!

verywellhealth.com/what-type-of-hip-replacement-implant-is-best-2549558; franklinrehab.com/2019/01/03/post-surgery-rehab-may-speed-up-knee-replacement-recovery%E2%80%A8/ © Darshan Shah 2025

 Course content

JOINT BIOMECHANICS
• Molecular and subcellular biomechanics
• Cell biomechanics
• Tissue engineering
• Organ biomechanics
• Cardiorespiratory biomechanics
• Musculoskeletal biomechanics
• Neural biomechanics
• Orthopaedic biomechanics
• Locomotion and human movement
• Artificial organs, Medical devices
• Sports biomechanics
• Injury, Rehabilitation, Ergonomics
• Biofluid and transport

wcb2022.com/programTracks.asp © Darshan Shah 2025

Course content

JOINT BIOMECHANICS
…..is designed to accelerate comprehension of medical concepts and application of engineering tools to medical

problems. It will not only provide students with an engineering perspective of the human skeletal system, but also
equip them with the practical skillset necessary to communicate with clinicians.

The course will facilitate application of principles in mechanics to the human body, while also introducing students to medical

terminology and concepts, thereby allowing them to comprehend and complement the clinical knowledge of medical

practitioners; this will aid in establishing potential collaborations for scientific biomedical research and/or commercial
medical device development.

Prior knowledge in biology or human anatomy is NOT required, but curiosity is a MUST!

© Darshan Shah 2025

Course content

Bone cell Cell

Bone Tissue

Hip joint Organ OBJECTIVES

Skeletal system Organ system AIM

Human body Organism

© Darshan Shah 2025

Course content

JOINT BIOMECHANICS

INCLUDED NOT INCLUDED

• Human anatomy • Human biology
• Bones, muscles, cartilage etc. • Cellular-level stuff
• ‘How human joints work’ for an engineer • Neuromuscular control
• Biomaterials (will touch upon) • Robotics
• Human modelling (will touch upon) • Any specific software

© Darshan Shah 2025

Course structure
Tissues Mechanics Mechanics Joints R&D

Week 1 Week 8 Week 16

Anatomy, physiology, Kinematics Anatomy, physiology, Experimental

mechanics, material prop. Kinetics biomechanics, pathology Computational
Bone, Ligament Lower limb Imaging
Cartilage Upper limb

Muscle, Tendon Spine

Quizzes, midsems, endsems……presentations, project

Introductions, hands-on sessions……tasks, ponder points, group discussions

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Books & references

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Learning 2.0

Develop SOFT SKILLS

PG elective – learning should be far more than just technical knowledge
Group dynamics, presentation skills, communication skills
PRESENTATIONS – more than just the delivery! – quick tips session before we start this activity
PROJECTS – more than just a report! – guidance from mentors
EXHIBITION – external jury for interaction and evaluation

Learning from peer

Student presentation graded by the entire audience – students, mentors and myself
Student presentations are a part of the course……material will be included in assessments

© Darshan Shah 2025

Assessment

ENDSEM PRESENTATIONS
the final frontier! dissemination skills
(individual) (sub-group)
10%

AUDIT POLICY 30%

PROJECT
PP = any Credit pass grade 25%
measure and/or make
NP = Credit fail grade (FR)
(group)
Everything else remains same 10%
25%

MIDSEM QUIZZES
assess where you stand thinking on your feet
(individual) (group)

© Darshan Shah 2025