Research Portfolio

My research explores how soft tissues deform, get damaged, and interact with medical devices. I combine experiments and multiscale modeling to better understand tissue behavior under prolonged loading and to develop predictive tools for tissue health. I’m particularly interested in improving human–device interfaces (such as prostheses, orthoses, wheelchairs, exoskeletons, and compression systems) to enhance comfort, safety, and performance. More recently, I’ve been working on digital twins to assess risks of pressure ulcers and musculoskeletal disorders. 

Beyond research, I’m actively involved in collaborative and clinical initiatives. I chair the Research Committee of the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, serve on the Technical Advisory Panel of the CMBBE Symposium, and act as Associate Editor for Matériaux & Techniques. I’m passionate about connecting fundamental biomechanics with clinical practice and industrial innovation.

Over the years, I’ve co-supervised around twelve PhD students and more than thirty MSc projects, coordinated national and international collaborations, and contributed to the STINTS European H2020 training network. In 2025, I was honored to be appointed as a junior member of the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), where I’m leading a long-term research program on multiscale digital twins for early detection of soft tissue injuries.

Inviting Visiting professor @ENSAM

Upcoming

Past

Benjamin WHEATLEY (Associate PRofessor, Bucknell University) One-month research visit to the IBHGC todevelop computational and experimental approaches to characterize skeletal muscle function in vitro, in situ, and in vivo for clinical applications such as pressure ulcer prevention) Funding : ENSAM

Bethany KEENAN (Cardiff University, September 2021)  One-month research visit to the IBHGC to develop studies on fundamental aspects of pressure ulcer formation in order to improve treatment and prevention.  Funding : ENSAM

Post-doctoral supervision

Current

Past

Jamie FRAME (10/2016-12/2017)  Development of a mechano-biological model of multi-tissue evolution in bone for the simulation of the osseointegration of hydrogel implants. Supervisors : Rachele Allena, Laurent Corte, Pierre-Yves Rohan

• Funding : Coup de pouce F2M 2016 

PhD students supervision

Since 2014, I have co-supervised N=17 PhD thesis, including six as thesis director (Alexandre SEGAIN, Thomas LAVIGNE, Carla CORNILLON, Maeva LAMANT, Karolina ROLDAN ZALDIVAR, Virgil DROUHARD), two as co-supervisor with the University of Luxembourg (Stéphane URCUN and Thomas LAVIGNE), two as co-supervisor with Université Grenoble-Alpes (Ekaterina MUKHINA, Virgil DROUHARD) and four with Université de Bordeaux (Stéphane URCUN, Alexandre SEGAIN, Thomas LAVIGNE and Carla CORNILLON). The PhD students were well balanced in terms of gender (N=10 females and N=7 males). One was a clinical student (Virginie RAMPAL).

Upcoming 

Mathilde MONTEL (PhD defense : xx 2030) xxx Advisors: Nolwenn Fougeron, Pierre-Yves Rohan, Hélène Pillet, Xavier Bonnet

Funding : ANR SIMCORE

Current

xxx (PhD defense : xx 2029) Development and use of a hybrid reduced-order digital twin to evaluate how model reduction enables real-time prediction of tissue injury risk without significant loss of accuracy relative to the high-fidelity multiscale model Advisors: Pierre-Yves Rohan, David Ryckelynck, Yannick Tillier

Funding : PEPR Santé Numérique TWIN-IT / France2030 (ANR-25-PESN-0016 TWIN-IT)

Virgil DROUHARD (PhD defense : xx 2029) Development and use of a multiscale TCAT model (Thermodynamically Constrained Averaging Theory) coupling tissue deformation, oxygen transport and inflammation, to characterise the mechano-vascular-biochemical mechanisms driving irreversible tissue injury and test their predictive value against empirical pressure-time thresholds, from preclinical (murine) to clinical evaluation in transfemoral amputees. Advisors: Pierre-Yves Rohan, Yohan Payan, Giuseppe Sciume.

• Funding : PEPR Santé Numérique TWIN-IT / France2030 (ANR-25-PESN-0016 TWIN-IT)

Karolina ROLDAN ZALDIVAR (PhD defense : xx 2029) Development and use of a coupled mechano-biochemical characterisation platform on human adipose and muscle tissue biopsies, to evaluate how the local biochemical response under mechanical loading governs tissue injury Advisors: Pierre-Yves Rohan, Claudio Vergari, Benjamin Wheatley.

• Funding : PEPR Santé Numérique TWIN-IT / France2030 (ANR-25-PESN-0016 TWIN-IT)

Nazanin KARAMI (PhD defense : xx 2029)  Towards a digital and physical twin of the deformed spine undergoing surgery, Advisors: Claudio Vergari, Mathilde Gaume, Pierre-Yves Rohan. 

• Funding : Programme d'excellence de la Bourse Eiffel

Abla  EL KHATTABI (PhD defense : xx 2029) Development of a specific AI to improve the prediction of crash test simulation results by integrating Global Human Body Models (GHBMC) Advisor: Sébastien Laporte, Paco Chinesta Co-Advisor Pierre-Yves Rohan. 

• Funding : CIFRE  agreement with LAB Stelantis - Renault and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovations

Maeva LAMANT (PhD defense : xx 2028) Optimization of the design and manufacturing of prosthetic interfaces through biomechanical modeling and additive manufacturing. Advisors: Pierre-Yves Rohan, Xavier Bonnet, Helene Pillet.

• Funding : Doctoral contracts specific to Normaliens (CDSN - ENS Rennes)

• Co-supervision of an internship: Nurul Hazwani (Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS, UTP – exchange student), January–July 2026 

Arnaud GISQUET (PhD defense : xx 2028) Modélisation de la Croissance Anévrismale et de la formation de Thrombose Advisor: Farid BAKIR. Co-advisors: Mathieu SPECKLIN, PIerre-Yves ROHAN

• Funding : Institut Carnot ARTS CroissAnT (modélisation de la Croissance Anévrismale et de la formation de Thrombose) 

Carla CORNILLON (PhD defense : xx 2027), Investigating drug delivery across biological barriers: an integrated computational- experimental approach, Advisors: Mejdi Azaiez, Giuseppe Sciume, Pierre-Yves Rohan

• Funding : Doctoral contract with the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovations (ED SPI 209)

• Société de Biomécanique Grant to attend to the 2024 conference

• Mission Campus France at Xiamen Univ (1 month)

Past

Maïalen MATRAY (PhD defense : xx 2025), Individualized Manufacturing from fully digital PRocesses: human/orthopaedic device INTerfaces (IMPRINT) Advisor: Helene Pillet. Co-advisors: Xavier Bonnet, Pierre-Yves Rohan

• Funding : ANR IMPRINT Individualized Manufacturing from fully digital PRocesses : human / orthopaedic device INTerfaces

• Co-moderator of the "Orthotics and Prosthetics track" at European Society of Biomechanics 2024 conference

Thomas LAVIGNE (PhD defense : June, 24 2025), Characterization and modelling of perfusion and soft tissue damage for pressure ulcer prevention Advisors: Pierre-Yves Rohan, Stéphane Bordas, Giuseppe Sciume

• Funding : AFR - PhD Grant (Luxembourg National Research Fund)

• Excellent Thesis Award (ETA) , University of Luxembourg 

• Prix Rolf Tarrach 2026 for the best doctoral thesis at the Université du Luxembourg

Alexandre SEGAIN (PhD defense : December, 11 2024), Multiscale modelling and tissue characterization to understand the pathways of skin integrity, Advisors: Pierre-Yves Rohan, Helene Pillet, Giuseppe Sciume

• Funding : Doctoral contract with the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovations (ED SMI 432)

• Société de Biomécanique Collaborative Grant 2023 : Technion/IBHGC 

• Fondation de l’Avenir Grant (grant number AP-RM-23-036)

• Co-moderator of the "Biomécanique du handicap et de la réhabilitation" session (with Sonia DUPREY) at the 46ème congrès de la "Société de Biomécanique"

• Co-supervision of an internship: Carla Cornillon (M2 BME), February–Juin 2024 

Ekaterina MUKHINA (PhD defense : November, 25 2022), Mixed experimental and numerical approach for the study of the biomechanical and biological phenomena leading to the loss of skin integrity as a result of exposure to prolonged pressure Advisor: Yohan Payan. Co-advisors: Nathanaël Connesson, Pierre-Yves Rohan.

• Funding : European Integrated Training Network (ITN) project ‘Skin Tissue Integrity under Shear – STINTS’

Stephane URCUN (PhD defense : March, 15 2022), Data Driven Tumor Growth Modelling: mechanics of multiphase systems and model reduction for personalized medicine. Advisors: Stéphane Bordas, Wafa Skalli. Co-advisor: Giuseppe Sciume, Pierre-Yves Rohan

• Funding : ENSAM "Réseau santé" PhD Grant

Nolwenn FOURGERON (PhD defense : December, 15 2020), Modelling of residual limb/socket interaction in individuals with trans-femoral prosthesis for subject-specific socket design. Advisor: Helene Pillet. Co-advisors: Xavier Bonnet, Pierre-Yves Rohan

• Funding : CIFRE  agreement with PROTEOR and the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovations

• Since Sept 2024: Chargée de recherche Inria - équipe projet ComBO (Inria research fellow) 

Brighu LAHKAR (PhD defense : December, 14 2020), Subject-specific Finite Element modeling of the knee joint for Computer Aided Surgery. Advisors: Wafa Skalli, Patricia Thoreux. Co-advisor: Pierre-Yves Rohan

• Funding : ParisTech BiomecAM chair program on subject-specific musculoskeletal modelling

• Since Sept 2023 : Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at ECAM LaSalle, Université de Lyon, France. 

• Since June 2024 : Assistant Professor at Indian Institute of Technology (BHU), Varanasi, India

Aurelien MACRON (PhD defense : March, 7 2019), Contribution to the assessment of the risk of pressure ulcers during prolonged contact using the Finite Element Method. Application to the study of seating. Advisor: Helene Pillet. Co-advisor: Pierre-Yves Rohan. 

• Funding : Fondation des Arts et Métiers and the Fond de dotation Clinatec

• Fondation de l’Avenir Grant (grant number AP-RM-2016-030)

• Journal of Tissue Viability & Journal of Clinical Biomechanics Award, 20th Annual Meeting of the European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, 2018

Virginie RAMPAL (PhD defense : December, 11 2017), Contribution to the quantitative, morphological and functional analysis of the child's lower limb. Advisors: Wafa Skalli, Philippe Wicart. Co-advisor: Pierre-Yves Rohan. 

• Funding : Dedicated Clinical Research 

• OTSR-SoFCOT-Elsevier 2019 prize https://lenval.org/sofcot2019/ 

Undergraduate research project supervision

Student mentorship and training is paramount in my activities. My ambition is to link research and training programmes with the need to open up new prospectives in soft tissue biomechanics research. As part of the Biomedical Engineering Paris Master’s programme, I co-supervise several undergraduate and MSc research projects each year. Since 2014, I have co-supervised N=x engineering students (x as supervisor, x co-supervisor) and N=x clinician students (x as supervisor, x co-supervisor) :

2027

Elisa GASCON (MSc 2025), Cyriel SEVESTRE (podiatrist, MSc 2025), 

2026

Karolina ROLDAN ZALDIVAR (MSc 2025), Elisa GASCON (MSc 2025), Alfred Quillon (Medical doctoral dissertation 2025), Alexandre Galan (physiotherapist 2025), Victor Menant (physiotherapist  2025), Nurul Hazwani (Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS/UTP exchange student), Lucie DUVAL (M1) Florie BOSQUET (M1), 

2025

Louise SADAT  (MSc 2025, EPUAP 2019 Best Student Free Paper Presentation) [PX, first author of peer-reviewed paper], Maeva LAMANT  (MSc 2025) [PX, first author of peer-reviewed paper], Alexandrine KHEMRI (podiatrist, MSc 2025),  Karolina ROLDAN ZALDIVAR (M1 2025), Baptitste CREPIN (physiotherapist 2025), Dominique BABIN (M1 2025), Thomas SAILLOU (M1 2025), Helya AMIRI (M1 2025), Narimane ZAOUACHE (M1 2025)

2024
Carla CORNILLON (MSc 2024), Caroline Robine--Decourcelle (Doctor Of Medicine, MSc 2024) [PX, first author of peer-reviewed paper], Giovanni AMELOT (M1 2024), Martin DIZIER (M1 2024), Annaelle MOREAU (occupational therapist 2024)

2023
Benoit VIGUIE (MSc 2023), Gregoire DESHAIRS (MSc 2023), Jérome HADDAD (podiatrist, MSc 2023), Carla CORNILLON (M1 2023), Chloé WAETCHTER (physiotherapist 2023), Lune TEPLITCHI  (M1 2023), Carole JOLY (MSc 2023), Alexandrine KHEMRI (M1 2023)

2022
Theo NANICHE (MSc 2022), Pauline ALGOURDIN (MSc 2022), Léa CHALANQUI (MSc 2022), Pierre MARTINOT (Doctor Of Medicine MSc 2022), Flavio KOLLMANN (M1 2022), Suzanne CONTE and Alicia HEDDADJ (L3 2022)

2021
Thomas LAVIGNE (MSc 2021) [P26, first author of peer-reviewed paper], Maher ABOU KARAM (Doctor Of Medicine MSc 2021) [P25, first author of peer-reviewed paper], Fabien TATIN (MSc 2021), Nils DARAS (physiotherapist 2021), Ahmad ALMINAWI (M1 2021), Gianluca HARBERT (M1 2021)

2020
Guillaume REBEYRAT (MSc 2020), Audrey BERRIOT (MSc 2020) [BC5,first author of book chapter], Alexandre PAWLOWSKI (physiotherapist 2020),

2019
Nicolas RUYSSEN (MSc 2019), Wael BAYOUD (Doctor Of Medicine MSc 2019)

2018
Mohammed Javad SADEGHINIA (MSc 2018) [P13], Jennifer DORIDAM (Doctor Of Medicine MSc 2018) [P13, first author of peer-reviewed paper], Marie VIOLLEAU (L3 2018), Manon BLAISE (M1 2018)

2017
Bhrigu LAHKAR (MSc 2017), Nolwenn FOUGERON (MSc 2017) P11, first author of peer-reviewed paper],  Zahrasadat MAHDIANSADR (MSc 2017), Mikael FONSECA (MSc 2017) [P13], Aurélien FLORENCE (M2 2017)

2016
Etienne LEMERCIER (MSc 2016), Stan DURAND (MSc 2016) [P15, first author of peer-reviewed paper], Mayra MORA ESPINOSA (MSc 2016), Rebekah SAKSIK (MSc 2016) [P8], Haley ABRAMSON (M1, exchange Student from MIT, 2016), Elaheh ELYASI (M1, 2016) 

2015
Guillaume SAUTIERE (MSc 2015), Leopold ROBICHON (MSc 2015) 

• Awards

• Oct 2025 Sept 2030 - Elected Junior Member, Fundamental Chair Laureate of the Institut Universitaire de France (IUF), the French Academic Institute 

• 2025-2028 RIPEC 3 individual bonus/prize (C3 of the Régime indemnitaire des personnels enseignants-chercheurs)

• Oct 2021 Young Researcher Award of the “Société de Biomécanique”

• 2019-2024 Research and doctoral supervision award ("Prime d'encadrement doctoral et de recherche") awarded by the Ministry of National Education, Higher Education and Research. Awarded in 2019. 

Memberships

• VPH – The Society for In Silico Medicine (2026-present) : Member

• CMBBE - International Symposium on Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering (2025-present) : Member of the Technical Advisory Panel 

• European Society of Biomechanics (2014-present)

• European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel (2018-present) : Member of the Executive Board (2021-2026) / Chair of the research committee (2021-2023; 2024-2026)

• Société de Biomécanique (2014-present)

• Société Française de l'Escarre (2024-present)  / Scientific committee (2024-present)

• Association Française de Mécanique (2022-present)

Certification

•  2024 - Emergency First Aid at Work Certificate (Salarié sauveteur secouriste du travail (SST)) - 

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