Interview with Prof. Luca Cristofolini: Exploring Biomechanics in Cancer Research
Go behind the scenes of the METASTRA project with coordinator Professor Luca Cristofolini. In this video, he discusses the key achievements from the project's first year, including a retrospective study of 2,000 patients, and details the next steps in developing advanced biomechanical models to better predict fracture risk in vertebral metastases.
Building a Digital Tool to Predict Spinal Fracture Risk: Marco Palanca on METASTRA Research
A digital decision support system is only as good as the data it's built on. Meet Marco Palanca, an early-career researcher whose work provides the crucial experimental validation for the METASTRA project. Learn how his team tests metastatic vertebrae to generate robust data, ensuring our computational models are rigorously validated against real-world mechanics.
Interview with Mariarita Intagliata: From Biotechnology to METASTRA and the World of Clinical Data
In this interview, Mariarita Intagliata discusses her path from academic training in biotechnology to her role within the METASTRA project. She outlines how she transitioned into clinical research, first by managing patient eligibility data and working extensively with REDCap, and later by coordinating the segmentation phase and supporting data integration through the Alma DB server.
Mariarita reflects on the interdisciplinary nature of METASTRA, describing how collaboration with clinicians, engineers, and physicists has strengthened her scientific and professional skills. She also highlights key project milestones, including the successful inclusion of 2,000 patients in the retrospective study.
This interview offers an inside look at the clinical and organisational dimensions of METASTRA and the broader value of multidisciplinary research environments.
Why translating research into safe clinical decisions takes time with Samuele Luca Gould
In this interview, Samuele Luca Gould reflects on his path from studying biomedical engineering in Sheffield to taking on a scientific and technical project management role within the METASTRA project.
He discusses what it’s like to work at the intersection of engineering, clinical practice, and regulation in a large European research consortium. Much of the conversation centres on the less visible side of research: translating between disciplines, aligning different ways of thinking, and managing expectations around safety, timelines, and medical device certification.
The interview closes with the potential clinical impact of METASTRA, including the goal of reducing unnecessary surgeries while ensuring that necessary interventions are not delayed, and why communication is just as critical as engineering expertise in achieving that aim.