Research Interest and Goals:

Bone is a hierarchical organised material which is heterogeneous at all hierarchical levels. For the complete morphological characterisation of the bone non-destructive methods at different scales are required. A multi-method approach will be used to obtain structural information from the nanometer to the micrometer scales, including (environmental) scanning electron microscopy (ESEM) and back-scattered electron imaging to determine the mineral density distribution, optical microscopy and especially scanning small-angle X-ray scattering (sSAXS), suitable providing quantitative information about the crystal size, shape, orientation and arrangement, for detecting local structural changes in bone material. The aim of this study is to understand the development of the mineral properties, the mineral deposition and organisation in new formed femur bones of mice from embryonal to mature bone and to compare this with callus formation during the fracture healing processes. Additionally the analysis of the mineral formation in bones of mice with certain strain displays a base line for studying the consequences of genetic changes in this strain on the mineral deposition and growth during the bone development.