Principal investigator
Honorary Associate Professor, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
Dr. Limbert is interested in unravelling the links between structure and function of biological tissues in health, disease and ageing using mathematical and computational modelling techniques combined with physical experiments. Understanding the interplay between material and structural properties of tissues is a fundamental aspect of this research. This knowledge is essential to predict how biological tissues interact with engineered devices (e.g. surgical implants and consumer goods). This research covers a wide range of applications and industrial sectors where the behaviour of living matter is of relevance: e.g. biomedicine, medical devices, pharmaceutics, consumer goods, cosmetics and military.
His research covers the following main themes:
- Biophysics and tribology of the skin
- Constitutive modelling of biological soft tissues and biomaterials
- Non-linear mechanics of thin biological structures Save
- Computational material science
Key words: continuum mechanics, finite element, biophysics, biomechanics, living matter, biomaterials, image-based modelling
Professional bodies
- Associate Member of the The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) College, Swindon, UK
- Board member of the Biomedical Engineering Division of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), London, UK
- Chairman of the Southampton Branch of the Biomedical Engineering Division of the IMechE, Southampton, UK
- Member of the editorial board of the IMechE journal Journal of Engineering in Medicine
- Member of the editorial board of the journal Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering (2004-2008)
Grant reviewer
- The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Swindon, UK
- Medical Research Council (MRC), Swindon, UK
- The Foundation for Research, Science and Technology, Auckland, New Zealand
- The Czech Science Foundation, Prague, Czech Republic
- The National Research Foundation, Pretoria, South Africa
- The Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa
- Orthopaedic Research UK, London, UK
- The Leverhulme Trust, London, UK
- The Royal Society, London, UK
- Israeli Ministry of Science, Technology and Space, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Israeli Science Foundation, Tel Aviv, Israel
- Dunhill Medical Trust, Cambridge, UK
- King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Université Bourgogne Franche-Comté, Besançon, France
Book reviewer
Wiley and Sons, Oxford, UK
Journal reviewer
- ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering
- Acta Biomaterialia
- Annals of Biomedical Engineering
- Biofouling
- Bioinspiration and Biomimetics
- Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology
- Biomedical Engineering Online
- Clinical Biomechanics
- Computers in Biology and Medicine
- Computational Mechanics
- Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering
- Engineering Fracture Mechanics
- Folia Microbiologica
- Insilico Cell and Tissue Science
- International Journal for Numerical Methods in Biomedical Engineering
- International Journal of Oral Science
- International Journal of Solids & Structures
- Journal of Biomaterials Research
- Journal of Biomechanical Engineering
- Journal of Biomechanics
- Journal of Dentistry
- Journal of Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- Journal of Mechanics in Medicine and Biology
- Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biological Materials
- Materials and Design
- Mathematical and Computer Modelling of Dynamical Systems
- Mechanics of Materials
- Medical and Biological Engineering & Computing
- Medical Engineering & Physics
- PLOS ONE
- Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part H, Journal of Engineering in Medicine
- Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Part J, Journal of Engineering Tribology
- Progress in Colloid and Polymer Science
- Scientific Reports
- Strain
- Surface Topography and Metrology and Properties
- Surgical Infections
- Tribology International
- Tribology Letters
- Tribology Transactions (STLE)
- Wear
Postgraduate modules
- SESM6036 – Biomedical Implants and Devices (Mechanics of Biological Tissues) [Lecturer]
- FEEG6010 – Advanced Finite Element Analysis (Non-Linear Continuum Mechanics) [Lecturer]
- SESM6035 – Bio, Nano and Modelling Aspects of Tribology [Module leader and lecturer]
Undergraduate modules
Dr. Georges Limbert
Associate Professor, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Engineering and the Environment, University of Southampton, UK
Honorary Associate Professor, Department of Human Biology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa
MSc, PhD, CEng, FIMechE, FHEA
His current research focuses on the constitutive modelling of biological and engineering materials with special interest on skin biophysics, biomedical polymers, the non-linear mechanics of thin biological structures and computational techniques for biophysical applications. His research is supported by world-leading organisations operating in the consumer goods, cosmetic, pharmaceutical and military sectors including Procter & Gamble, L’Oréal, Roche, US Air Force and Rolls Royce.
Georges has expertise in non-linear continuum/computational mechanics/tissue biomechanics and the formulation of constitutive models for biomaterials, biological tissues and structures. In this capacity, he acts as a consultant for Fortune 500/FTSE 100 and SME companies (consumer goods, cosmetics, pharmaceutics, biomedical, law, software). Some of his constitutive models are used in industry, academia and the US Army.
Georges holds a Master in Engineering Mechanics (Toulouse, France) and a Master in Theoretical Mechanics (Bordeaux, France). He obtained a PhD in Computational Biomechanics from the University of Southampton in 2002, is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), London. He also sits on the board of the Engineering in Medicine and Health Division of the IMechE (now known as the Biomedical Engineering Association).
Post-doctoral researchers
Dr. Leyva-Mendivil‘s research interests are centred around:
- Mechanobiology and tribology of the skin
- Fluid-structure interactions for wet shaving applications
- Mechanobiological response of the skin from electronic sub-dermal implants
- Micromechanics of skin contact
Key words: skin, continuum mechanics, finite element, biophysics, biomechanics, fluid-structure interaction, experimental rheology, tribology, friction, contact homogenisation, wet shaving, sub-dermal implants, living matter, image-based modelling
Leyva-Mendivil, M. F., Lengiewicz, J., Page, A., Bressloff, N. W. B. and Limbert, G. (2017) Implications of multi-asperity contact for shear stress distribution in the viable epidermis – an imaged-based finite element study, Biotribology, in press
Leyva-Mendivil, M. F., Lengiewicz, J., Page, A., Bressloff, N. W. B. and Limbert, G. (2017) Skin microstructure is a key contributor to its friction behaviour, Tribology Letters, 65:12.
Leyva-Mendivil, M. F., Page, A., Bressloff, N. W. B. and Limbert, G. (2015) A mechanistic insight into the mechanical role of the stratum corneum during stretching and compression of the skin, Journal of the Mechanical behavior of Biomedical Materials, 49:197-219.
Dr. Mari Fabiola Leyva-Mendivil
MSc, PhD
PhD students
Mr. Ioannis Karampinis‘s PhD topics are:
- Theoretical peridynamics
- Non-local effects in mechanobiology
- Skin biophysics
The PhD project is supported by the University of Southampton.
Key words: peridynamics, non-locality, hyperelasticity, long-range interactions, skin, soft matter, mechanics
Mr. Ioannis Karampinis
Ioannis graduated with a First Class MEng in Civil Engineering (speciality: Structural Engineering) from the Democrity University of Thrace (Xanthi, Greece) in 2016 and a First Class (with distinction) MEng in Computer Modelling and Finite Elements in Engineering Mechanics from the University of Swansea (UK) in 2017. Ioannis is the recipient of a National Scholarship Foundation studentship for being ranked 1st in his academic year (2011).
Mr. Emanuele Zappia‘s PhD topics are:
- Mechanobiology and tribology of the skin
- Biomechanics of hair-in-skin complex
- Computational biophysics
The PhD project is supported by Procter&Gamble.
Key words: skin, hair, in situ imaging, continuum mechanics, finite element, biophysics, biomechanics, tribology, friction, contact homogenisation, wet shaving, living matter, image-based modelling
Mr. Emanuele Zappia
MSc
Mr. Paul Cross‘s PhD topics are:
- Tribology of Stellite for nuclear applications
- Physics-based modelling of wear
- Peridynamics
The PhD project is supported by Rolls Royce Nuclear.
Key words: continuum mechanics, finite element, physics of sufaces, tribology, friction, contact, peridynamics, wear
Mr. Paul Sebastian Cross
MSc in Physics (1st Class Degree)
Former PhD students
Dr. Maria Fabiola LEYVA-MENDIVIL (2012-2016)
PhD thesis: “Development of a multiphysics modelling framework to characterise the interactions of skin and wet shaving products.”
Sponsor: Procter&Gamble
Co-supervised with Prof. Neil Bressloff, University of Southampton
Awarded Innovation in Tribology Prize from the Institute of Physics for this PhD work
Current position: Research Fellow, nCATS, University of Southampton
Dr. Daniel SUTTON (2011-2014)
PhD thesis: “Wear modelling of diamond-like carbon coatings against steel in deionised water.”
Sponsor: Rolls Royce Nuclear
Co-supervised with Prof. Robert J. K. Wood, University of Southampton
Current position: Senior Engineer at MBDA Missile Systems
Dr. Federico QUINCI (2010-2014)
PhD thesis: “Towards a micromechanical insight into the visco-dynamic behaviour of UHMWPE for the modelling of knee joint replacement systems.”
Sponsor: DePuy Orthopaedics
Co-supervised with Prof. Mark Taylor, University of Southampton
Current position: Research Engineer at Honda Nederland BV Automotive
Dr. Sanjay PANT (2008-2012)
PhD thesis: “Multi-objective design optimisation of coronary stents.” Save
Sponsor: University of Southampton
Co-supervised with Prof. Neil Bressloff, University of Southampton
Current position: Senior Lecturer at Zienkiewicz Centre for Computational Engineering at University of Swansea
Former post-doctoral researchers
Dr. Daniel SUTTON (2014-2015)
Project: “Wear modelling of solid lubricants”
Sponsor: Procter&Gamble (Reading, UK, Boston, USA)
Current position: Senior Engineer at MBDA Missile Systems
Dr. Chris BROOKS (2013)
Project: “Meta-modelling”
Sponsor: Procter&Gamble (Reading, UK)
Current position: Senior Researcher at UK Sport
Dr. Lei CHEN (2012-2013)
Project: “Bio-inspired tunable shape-shifting structures”
Sponsor: US Air Force (London, UK, USA)
Current position: Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Mississipi State University