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Matthew J. Silva, PhD
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Matthew J. Silva, PhD
Matthew J. Silva, PhD
Associate Professor, Orthopaedic Surgery
Head of Biomechnical Engineering Laboratory
Adjunct Professor - Department of Biomedical Engineering
Research Interests

The biomechanics of age-related fractures and osteoporosis; bone mechanobiology - the adaptive and injury response of bone to mechanical forces; evaluating the skeletal phenotype of transgenic and knockout mouse models; biomechanics of tendon and tendon-bone healing

Background

Dr. Silva joined the Washington University faculty in September 1996. He earned his Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Mechanical Engineering at Cornell University and then worked in the Biomechanics Department at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. He received his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in February 1996. While at M.I.T., he conducted research in the Orthopaedic Biomechanics Laboratory at the Beth Israel Hospital in Boston and wrote his thesis on Predicting the Failure Behavior of the Human Vertebral Body. Dr. Silva is also an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Biomedical Engineering. He was awarded the Lee T Ford Award for Academic Achievement by the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in 2001.

Awards

Recipient, New Investigator Recognition Award, Orthopaedic Research Society, 1996; Finalist, New Investigator Recognition Award (Senior Author), Orthopaedic Research Society, 2001; Sun Valley Hard Tissue Workshop, Young Investigator Travel Award, 2001; Lee Ford Award for Academic Achievement, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University, 2001.

Bachelors Degree

Cornell University, Mechanical Engineering

Masters Degree

Cornell University, Mechanical Engineering

Doctorate

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mechanical Engineering

Academic Office Mailing Address

Washington University School of Medicine
Campus Box 8233
660 Euclid Avenue
Saint Louis, MO 63110

Training Program Roles

Dr. Silva gives several lectures each year as part of the Orthopaedic Surgery CORE curriculum in basic science and serves on the Resident Research Committee. He teaches a bi-annual course to graduate students and upperclass undergraduates in the Department of Biomedical Engineering entitled "Orthopaedic Biomechanics - Bones and Joints" (BME 490Z/590Z).

Milestones

Awards:

  1. 1996, New Investigator Recognition Award 42nd Annual Meeting, Orthopaedic Research Society
  2. 2001, Finalist, New Investigator Recognition Award (Senior Author) 47th Annual Meeting, Orthopaedic Research Society
  3. 2001, Sun Valley Hard Tissue Workshop, Young Investigator Travel Award
  4. 2001, Lee Ford Award for Academic Achievement, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University
  5. 2002, Cabaud Award, American Orthopaedic Society for Sports Medicine, “Hemorrhagic   Medial Collateral Ligament Healing in a Mouse Model”

Committees and Service:

  1. 2001 (June), Orthopedics and Musculoskeletal Study Section (ORTH), Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, Temporary Member
  2. 2002, Orthopaedic Research Society Annual Meeting - Moderator: Tendon session
  3. 2002 (November),  Small Business Orthopaedic Medicine Study Section, Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, Temporary Member
  4. 2003 (October), Skeletal Biology Structure and Regeneration Study Section (SBSR), Center for Scientific Review, National Institutes of Health, Temporary Member

Reviewer for:

  1. American Journal of Sports Medicine
  2. ASME Journal of Biomechanical Engineering
  3. Calcified Tissue International
  4. Journal of Biomechanics
  5. Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery [Am]
  6. Journal of Bone and Mineral  Research
  7. Journal of Hand Surgery [Am]
  8. Journal of Orthopaedic Research
  9. Calcified Tissue International (Editorial Board)

Past Research Support:

  1. 1998 - 2001  Whitaker Foundation, Biomedical Research Grant, 
    "Effects of in vivo Loading on Cyclic Mechanical Properties of Bone”

Current Research Support:

  1. 2003 - 2007  Principal Investigator
    National Institutes of Health, NIAMS (RO1 AR50211)
    "Osteogenic and angiogenic response to skeletal loading"
  2. 2001 - 2005  Principal Investigator
    National Institutes of Health, NIAMS (RO1 AR47867)
    "Response of the osteoporotic skeleton to in vivo loading"      
Publications

  1. Silva MJ and Gibson LJ.  Modeling the mechanical behavior of vertebral trabecular bone: effects of age-related changes in microstructure.  Bone 21:191-199, 1997.
  2. Silva MJ, Keaveny TM and Hayes WC.  Computed tomography-based finite element analysis predicts failure loads and fracture patterns for vertebral sections.  J Orthop Res 16:300-308, 1998.
  3. Gelberman RH, Boyer MI, Brodt MD, Winters SC and Silva MJ.  The effect of repair site gap formation on the strength and excursion of intrasynovial flexor tendons: an experimental study on the early stages of tendon healing in dogs.  J Bone Jt Surg [Am] 81:975-982, 1999.
  4. Silva MJ, Brodt MD, Boyer MI, Morris TS, Dinopoulos H, Amiel D and Gelberman RH.  Effects of increased in vivo excursion on digital range of motion and tendon strength following flexor tendon repair.  J Orthop Res 17:777-783, 1999.
  5. Brodt MD, Ellis CB, and Silva MJ.  Growing C57BL/6 mice increase whole bone mechanical properties by increasing geometric and material properties.  J Bone Min Res 14(12):2159-2166, 1999.
  6. Silva MJ, Boyer MI, Ditsios K, Burns ME, Harwood FL, Amiel D, Gelberman RH.  The insertion site of the canine flexor digitorum profundus tendon heals slowly following injury and suture repair.  J Orthop Res 20(3):447-453, 2002.
  7. Hsieh Y-F and Silva MJ.  In vivo fatigue loading of the rat ulna induces both bone formation and resorption and leads to time-related changes in bone mechanical properties and density.  J Orthop Res 20:764-771, 2002.
  8. Silva MJ, Brodt MD, Ettner SL.  Long bones from the senescence accelerated mouse SAMP6 have increased size but reduced whole bone strength and resistance to fracture.  J Bone Min Res 17(9):1597-1603, 2002.
  9. Koth SP, Hsieh Y-F, Strigel RM, Muller M, Silva MJ.  Experimental and finite element analysis of the rat ulnar loading model - correlations between strain and bone formation following fatigue loading.  J Biomech 37(4):541-548, 2004.
  10. Silva MJ, Brodt MD, Ko M, Abu-Amer Y.  Impaired marrow osteogenesis is associated with reduced endocortical bone formation but does not impair periosteal bone formation in long bones of SAMP6 mice.  J Bone Min Res 20(3):419-427, 2005.
Current Research

The Department of Orthopaedic Surgery was established in 1995 as a formal department of Washington University School of Medicine. Since its inception, the goal has been to develop a strong foundation in musculoskeletal research and to achieve a reputation for excellence in clinical care and teaching.

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