Knowledge generation and translation

The research group Translational Spine Research & Biomechanics brings together a team of dedicated spine surgeons, sports and movement scientists, and biomechanists, with fruitful collaborations extending to biostatisticians, machine learning engineers and biomedical engineers. Led by Prof. Dr. med. Cordula Netzer, senior spine surgeon and head of the Spine Centre at the University Hospital Basel, our work focuses on translating biomechanical insights into clinical applications, and clinical findings into a deeper understanding of spinal pathologies. Over the past decade, our research has centred particularly on lumbar spinal stenosis, work recognised through two major grants from the Swiss National Science Foundation. Our current studies combine patient-reported outcomes and radiological measures with functional biomechanical insights from gold-standard 3D motion capture analysis. The main goal is to improve patient outcomes by creating essential links between clinical practice, fundamental research and the broader scientific community involved in spine care.

Knowledge transfer

This translation between research and care is embodied in Prof. Netzer's role as head of the University Spine Centre - one of the most integrated spine care platforms in the region, uniting expertise from 17 clinical disciplines under one roof.

A weekly interdisciplinary spine board ensures consensus-based decisions for complex cases, bringing together orthopaedic surgeons, neurosurgeons, pain specialists, and conservative care experts. Standardised clinical pathways guide patients from first presentation through imaging, treatment, and follow-up, with equal weight given to biological, biomechanical, and psychosocial factors.

In spinal oncology, the Spine Centre works in close coordination with the University Cancer Centre, and the KWUB Knochen- und Weichteiltumorboard/ Sarkomboard enabling integrated surgical and oncological management of spinal metastases. Research findings feed directly into this clinical work - and the questions that remain unanswered there define what we study next.