School of Engineering

Eric H. Ledet
Assistant Professor
Adjunct Professor, Division of Orthopaedic Surgery, The Albany Medical College

Department Affiliation:

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Department of Biomedical Engineering

Education:

Ph.D., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Biomedical Engineering

M.S., Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Biomedical Engineering

B.S., University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona
Mechanical Engineering

Background:

Dr. Ledet joined the faculty of the Department of Biomedical Engineering at Rensselaer in 2004 after having spent eight years as Director of the Orthopaedic Research Program at the Albany Medical College. His translational orthopaedic biomechanics research has focused on two major areas of significant clinical importance:

(1) The biomechanics of low back pain and degenerative diseases of the spine, and

(2) the use of novel sensing mechanisms to measure directly the in vivo biomechanics of the normal and pathologic musculoskeletal system.

Ongoing collaborations with the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery and Division of Neurosurgery at the Albany Medical College, and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry have facilitated rapid translation of his research into clinical practice.

Dr. Ledet's research has been funded primarily through industry sponsored grants and foundation grants, including prestigious awards from the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation and North American Spine Society. He is an active member of the Orthopaedic Research Society, the Biomedical Engineering Society, and the North American Spine Society.

Research Interests:

Biomechanics of the Spine: In the United States, low back pain and spinal disorders are the most prevalent cause of chronic disability in persons more than 45 years of age and are second in accounting for hospital stays for patients under age 65. In spite of its high prevalence, the pathogenesis of degenerative diseases of the spine is not well understood. Dr. Ledet's research program focuses on better defining the mechanism by which repetitive mechanical loading leads to degeneration of the intervertebral disc and surrounding tissues through two parallel efforts:

• Development of novel sensors to measure directly real time in vivo forces in the intervertebral disc during daily activities and how these forces change during muscle fatigue.
• Characterization of the response of subchondral bone and the intervertebral disc to repeated mechanical loading. 

Through collaborations with the Division of Orthopaedic Surgery and Division of Neurosurgery at the Albany Medical College, and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, Dr. Ledet's translational research is aimed at rapidly providing clinically relevant information to assist physicians in diagnosis and treatment of musculoskeletal diseases. Additional research efforts include:

• Biomechanical evaluation of novel spine stabilization devices.
• Characterization of adjacent level effects following surgical intervention in the lumbar spine.
• Biomechanics of fracture fixation devices.
• Microsensor development for incorporation into fracture fixation implants.