Computational Tissue Biomechanics – inspired by nature

About

Course content. The course introduces and applies state-of-the-art tools in the continuum mechanical analysis of hard and soft biological tissues. Regardless of numerous scientific meetings report the latest research results, they fail to communicate the basics of tissue biomechanics. This course therefore provides attendees with a broad foundation towards the mechanical description of biological tissues, allowing to address individual scientific endeavors more effectively. It integrates physical principles, numerical approaches, and experimental concepts towards the characterization of biological tissues. The program’s holistic approach is unique in the analysis of biological tissues.

Faculty
Gerard A. Ateshian, Columbia University, US
Vikram S. Deshpande, Cambridge University, UK
Seraina Dual, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
T.Christian Gasser, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Svein Kleiven, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Christian Linder, Stanford University, US
Artem Kulachenko, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
David Marlevi, Karolinska Institute, Sweden
Hanna Isaksson, Lund University, Sweden
David Marlevi, Karolinska Institute, Sweden
Marco Viceconti, University of Bologna, Italy

Laboratory Instructors
Valentina Quartieri, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Thomas Kleine, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Sweden
Andrii Grytsan, COMSOL, Stockholm, Sweden

Lectures (17 + 24 hours)
Continuum biomechanics and FEM (Gasser)
Conservation laws (Deshpande)
Constitutive modelling (Ateshian)
Soft robotics applications (Dual)
Applications man-made materials (Linder)
Data exploration (Kulachenko)
Clinical imaging modalities (Marlevi)
Bone tissue (Viceconti)
Ligament/tendon/articular cartilage (Isaksson)
Cardiovascular tissue (Gasser)
Brain (Kleiven)
Soft robotics (Dual)
Applications (Linder)

Ask the experts sessions (7 hours)

Hands-on laboratory (8 hours; in groups of at the most 12 students)
In-vitro experimental tissue characterization including DIC measurements
Linear and non-linear FEM modelling

Social program
Boat tour through Stockholm archipelago
Guided tour through the Nobel Prize Museum
Guided tour through KTH main campus or Karolinska University Hospital
Dinner
Pub night

Registration fees (excluding tax; the same rates apply for joining the zoom live stream)
Modul I: 150€* | 190€
Modul II: Lectures: 250€* | 300€
Modul II: Laboratory: 180€* | 230€
Dinner: 90€
* early registration: before May 1st, 2026

👉The registration fee (including tax) is to be paid up front and through Axaco Air. An 85% refund will be granted when the written cancellation request is sent to gasser@kth.se and received not later than July 15th 2026, thereafter no refund will be granted.

Contact
gasser@kth.se
++46 (0)8 7990 7793

Course leader

T.Christian Gasser

Target group

The course is desigend for Master students, PhD students and postdoctoral researchers:

Module I: "The Basics" introduces the basics concepts of Continuum Mechanics and the Finite Element Method.

Module II: "Applications" addresses non-linear continuum mechanical problems
from a theoretical, numerical and experimental perspective. It discusses the
most important biological tissues and includes imaging methods as well as data driven approaches.

Course aim

This course helps to develop a solid foundation towards the analysis of biological tissues including bioinspired materials. It integrates experimental tissue characterization with computational biomechanics and presents a state-of-the-art overview of possibilities and limitations of tissue biomechanics.

Fee info