Scientists at the UO’s Phil and Penny Knight Campus for Accelerating Scientific Impact have developed miniature implantable sensors that transmit real-time data about what’s happening at an injury site. In a new study, they use the technology to show that a resistance-training rehabilitation program can significantly improve femur injuries in rats in just eight weeks.

The sensors provide a window into the mechanical properties of the bone, giving scientists detailed ongoing data about the process of healing. If someday applied in humans, these sensors could allow doctors to better tailor a rehabilitation program to an individual patient, monitoring their progress and adjusting the exercises along the way.

The work is a collaboration between the labs of Bob Guldberg, Nick Willett and Keat Ghee Ong in the Knight Campus. The researchers describe their findings Dec. 12 in the journal npj Regenerative Medicine.