As a PhD student, my research lies at the intersection of orthopaedic and plastic surgery. I have a particular interest in musculoskeletal infections related to trauma and/or orthopaedic procedures, including joint replacement and cancer-related surgery, as well as soft-tissue reconstruction, its role in tissue healing, and antibiotic pharmacokinetics. I am trained as a medical doctor from 2022 and am currently conducting a research project on soft-tissue reconstruction of injured bone using a novel animal model.

My current research focuses on the development of a clinically relevant porcine model to elucidate how soft-tissue reconstruction contributes to tissue healing and local antibiotic exposure in traumatised and/or infected bone. The project integrates experimental reconstructive models with microdialysis to directly measure local antibiotic concentrations, metabolites and proteins in soft-tissues and bone. Such large-animal models are essential, as randomised clinical trials are difficult to conduct, and retrospective data cannot determine whether one reconstruction strategy is superior. The overall aim is to improve treatment strategies for orthopaedic and plastic surgery patients.