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Dr Peter Watson

Dr Peter Watson

Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering

Faculty and Department

  • Faculty of Science and Engineering
  • School of Engineering

Qualifications

  • MEng
  • PCAP
  • PhD / DPhil

Summary

Dr Pete Watson joined the School of Engineering in February 2015 as lecturer in Mechanical Engineering. His research entails experimental and computational modelling of anatomical features, with the aim of investigating the functional relationship between skeletal adaptation and biomechanical environments. Since completing a PhD investigating the influence of age-related locomotive activities on bone growth in the pelvis, he has used a range of computational modelling techniques to analyse the biomechanics during movement in several species and anatomical features.

Dr Watson has worked on a several projects applying 3D visualization, multi-body dynamics analysis (MDA) and finite element analysis (FEA) to investigate the link between form and function, and the potential clinical applications of this knowledge. These projects include research into pelvic and skull biomechanics, skull bone architecture, effects of exercise training on muscle recruitment and movement, and the development and validation of computational modelling techniques for the direct application to in silico medicine. He also has a research interest in the application of integrated experimental and computational techniques to analyse bone fracture mechanics, and surgical treatments aimed to correct limb dysfunction.

Dr Watson teaches on a range of modules on the Mechanical Engineering and Medical Engineering programmes:

Mechanical Engineering Design (Level 5)

Stress Analysis and Applications of Finite Element Analysis (Level 6)

Computer Aided Analysis and CADCAM (Level 6)

Musculoskeletal Modelling (Level 7)

Supervises projects for final year and MSc students

He is also the Admission's Tutor for the School of Engineering.

Recent outputs

View more outputs

Journal Article

Masticatory biomechanics of red and grey squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris and Sciurus carolinensis) modelled with multibody dynamics analysis

Cox, P. G., & Watson, P. J. (2023). Masticatory biomechanics of red and grey squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris and Sciurus carolinensis) modelled with multibody dynamics analysis. Royal Society Open Science, 10(2), Article 220587. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.220587

Assessment of the mechanical role of cranial sutures in the mammalian skull: Computational biomechanical modelling of the rat skull

Sharp, A. C., Dutel, H., Watson, P. J., Gröning, F., Crumpton, N., Fagan, M. J., & Evans, S. E. (2023). Assessment of the mechanical role of cranial sutures in the mammalian skull: Computational biomechanical modelling of the rat skull. Journal of morphology, 284(3), Article e21555. https://doi.org/10.1002/jmor.21555

Computational biomechanical modelling of the rabbit cranium during mastication

Watson, P. J., Sharp, A. C., Choudhary, T., Fagan, M. J., Dutel, H., Evans, S. E., & Gröning, F. (2021). Computational biomechanical modelling of the rabbit cranium during mastication. Scientific reports, 11(1), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-92558-5

Regional patterning in tail vertebral form and function in chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus)

Luger, A. M., Watson, P. J., Dutel, H., Fagan, M. J., Van Hoorebeke, L., Herrel, A., & Adriaens, D. (2021). Regional patterning in tail vertebral form and function in chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus). Integrative and Comparative Biology, 61(2), 455-463. https://doi.org/10.1093/icb/icab125

Comparative cranial biomechanics in two lizard species: impact of variation in cranial design

Groning, F., Dutel, H., Gröning, F., Sharp, A. C., Watson, P. J., Herrel, A., …Fagan, M. J. (2021). Comparative cranial biomechanics in two lizard species: impact of variation in cranial design. The journal of experimental biology, 224(5), Article jeb.234831. https://doi.org/10.1242/jeb.234831

Research interests

Dr Pete Watson has an overall research interest in the application of integrated experimental - computational techniques, to investigate skeletal adaptation in relation to biomechanical loading. More specifically, he uses 3D visualisation to capture small intricate features of complex anatomical structures (e.g. trabecular arrangements), and a range of computational modelling techniques to analyse the multi-body dynamics of musculoskeletal movement. This includes simulating the complex movement between independent structures (such as kinesis, multi-segment joints, or unconstrained joints) through both inverse and forward dynamics. He is interested in the application of finite element analysis (FEA) to investigate the functional relationship between skeletal adaptation and biomechanical loading / environments. This includes accurately modelling complex anatomical features in terms of their structure (often containing thin structures and a combination of hard and soft tissues) and material properties.

Dr Watson also has a research interest in the application of finite element analysis (FEA) in topology optimisation of structures. Although this has potential in predicting how skeletal features adapt to biomechanical loading, he also researches topology optimisation of other (non-anatomical) structures, in particular, how topology optimisation can be combined with Design for Manufacture (DfM).

Dr Watson’s research also has an emphasis on validation of computational modelling, in terms of determining the data required to prove a model is accurate for a specific application. This investigates: 1. the number of input parameters (requiring experimental data) necessary for accurate computational modelling predictions; 2. how accurate experimental input data needs to be (e.g. subject-specific data vs average population data) to obtain accurate computational model predictions. Understanding how to validate a computational model is applicable to biomechanical modelling in a range of fields, and Dr Watson has an interest in its application to in silico medicine, with the potential of replacement, reduction, and refinement (3Rs) of animal experiments.

Dr Watson uses integrated experimental - computational techniques in a range of research areas:

• The functional link between bone adaptation and force during evolution

• Cranio-cervical biomechanics

• Influence of biomechanics on growth during ontogeny

• Bone fracture mechanics

• Application of in silico medicine in achieving 3Rs

• Material property analysis of hard and soft tissue

• Topology optimisation in structural mechanics

If you are interested in working with Dr Watson, or would like to study for a PhD in any of these areas please, please email p.j.watson@hull.ac.uk.

Lead investigator

Project

Funder

Grant

Started

Status

Project

Functional Morphology and the Biomechanics of Feeding in Squirrels

Funder

Royal Society

Grant

£18,841.00

Started

1 September 2020

Status

Ongoing

Project

A new framework for computational biomechanical models and 3RS in musculoskeletal research

Funder

BBSRC Biotechnology & Biological Sciences Research Council

Grant

£347,834.00

Started

1 January 2019

Status

Complete

Postgraduate supervision

Dr Watson welcomes PhD applications in the following areas:

• Musculoskeletal / Multibody dynamic modelling of movement

• Finite element of bone biomechanics

• Micro-finite element modelling

• Topology optimisation in structural mechanics

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