Forschung & Innovation
Publikationen
Skeletal interfaces in health and disease - Where two worlds interact
PMU Autor*in
Felix Eckstein
Alle Autor*innen
Felix Eckstein, Reinhard Putz
Fachzeitschrift
ANNALS OF ANATOMY-ANATOMISCHER ANZEIGER
Kurzfassung
Introduction: The Leopoldina Symposium on "Skeletal Interfaces in Health and Disease" at Paracelsus Medical University (Salzburg, Austria) gathered an interdisciplinary community of young and experienced scientists, to explore how crossing disciplinary boundaries can generate new insights and methodologies. While research traditionally focuses on organ-or disease-specific questions, this symposium aimed to connect seemingly distant scientific fields by exploring interfaces, pivotal zones of separation and integration. It intended to foster broader understanding of musculoskeletal biology and diseases, including domains of skeletal development, anthropology, research, and technology. Main part: The symposium opened with the Young Investigator poster (pitch) session showcasing new topics in musculoskeletal research. The first invited session focused on developmental, anthropologic, structure/outcome, academia/industry, and artificial/natural intelligence interfaces. The public evening lecture discussed how bones "learn to listen", highlighting vibration therapy and bone-interface biomechanics. The next session featured cartilage-cartilage, cartilage-tissue, and cartilage-meniscus interfaces. Bone-cartilage interfaces were then explored from a molecular, imaging, translational and immunological perspectives. The final session dealt with tendon-tissue, tendon-bone (enthesis), synovial tissue and epiphyseal interfaces, followed by a podium discussion that integrated insights across disciplines. Conclusions: By creating a platform for cross-disciplinary exchange, the symposium illustrated how musculoskeletal research benefits from conceptual bridges between different scientific fields. Such interfaces may not only inspire novel research questions, but also hold potential to redefine clinical applications and public health strategies. This perspective article reflects the transdisciplinary spirit of the symposium, aiming to capture and communicate the enthusiasm, scientific breadth, and collaborative energy that emerged during the meeting.
Keywords
PERSPECTIVE, Human Anatomy, Human Biology, Skeletal Interfaces, Societal Impact Musculoskeletal Disease, Transdisciplinary Symposium