Department of Human Structure and Repair

GhenTendon - translational tendon research

GhenTendon is an interdisciplinary research initiative at Ghent University and UZ Gent that brings together clinical, biomechanical, rehabilitation, and fundamental scientists to advance the understanding and treatment of tendon-related diseases across the full disease spectrum.

Background and Rationale

Tendon disorders, including tendinopathy and tendon rupture, represent a growing clinical burden across orthopaedics, rheumatology, sports medicine, and rehabilitation. Despite significant advances, clinical tendon research remains limited by insufficient integration of biological insights, the absence of standardized diagnostic criteria and robust outcome measures, and a lack of infrastructure for adequately powered clinical trials.

In parallel, fundamental tendon research has entered a new era driven by single-cell profiling, fate mapping, and advanced molecular techniques, while clinical research increasingly focuses on biomechanics, imaging, and optimized rehabilitation strategies.

GhenTendon was established to bridge these complementary disciplines and to enable translational tendon research that directly connects mechanistic discovery with clinical application.

Lay Summary

Tendon disorders, such as long-lasting tendon pain (tendinopathy) or tendon tears, affect a lot of people and can severely limit daily activities, work, and sports participation. Despite their frequency, many tendon disorders remain difficult to diagnose accurately and to treat effectively.

GhenTendon brings together doctors, rehabilitation specialists, engineers, and laboratory scientists at Ghent University, VIB-IRC and UZ Gent to better understand why tendon injuries develop and why some patients recover while others continue to experience pain.

By combining advanced imaging, biomechanical analysis, and cutting-edge biological research, we aim to translate discoveries from the laboratory directly into improved diagnosis, personalized treatments, and better long-term outcomes for patients with tendon disorders.

Mission and Vision

Mission

GhenTendon promotes interdisciplinary tendon research in Ghent to advance the understanding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of tendon-related diseases by integrating expertise across fundamental biology, biomechanics, imaging, rehabilitation, and clinical care.

Vision

By uniting fundamental tendon biology with clinical science and fostering close collaboration between basic scientists and clinicians, GhenTendon aims to establish Ghent as a leading international hub for translational tendon research, delivering clinically meaningful innovation and improved patient outcomes.

Structure and Members

Core members

  • Arne Burssens
  • Eric Gracey
  • Guillaume Planckaert
  • Lauren Pringels
  • Evi Wezenbeek

Research Projects

GhenTendon conducts interdisciplinary research projects that integrate fundamental biology, biomechanics, imaging, and clinical intervention to address key challenges in tendon disorders, including:

Cellular and molecular profiling of tendons in health and disease

By combining cutting-edge techniques such as single-cell sequencing, histology and flow cytometry, we aim to characterize cellular and molecular changes occurring in human tendinopathy.

Pathways of interest are carefully dissected in vitro and in animal models to understand the function of candidate molecules and cells in tendon healing and fibrosis. Our current research is focused on fibroblast activation.

 

 

Overview of our research modalities to investigate tendon disorders

Upper left corner: light microscopy depicting Alcian blue staining of healthy human Achilles tendon .
Upper right corner: electron microscopy of the mouse Achilles tendon demonstrating collagen production by fibroblast.
Lower left corner: immunohistochemistry of human Achilles tendon. Blue = nuclei, pink = blood vessels, green = immune cells.
Lower right corner: Single cell analysis of human Achilles tendon fibroblasts with predicted trajectory of cell activation. 

Mechano-immunity framework in tendinopathy

Using innovative imaging modalities such as weight-bearing cone-beam CT, we generate three-dimensional reconstructions of the foot and ankle. Anatomical shape is immediately characterized using in-house developed statistical shape models, enabling objective and reproducible morphometric profiling. Alignment parameters are automatically quantified through AI-based measurement algorithms established and validated within our team. 

In parallel, diseased tendon tissue from patients with Achilles tendinopathy is analyzed using advanced flow cytometry and cellular profiling techniques, with a specific focus on inflammatory cell activity and immune pathway signatures. 

Within the conceptual framework of mechano-immunity, we investigate whether patients exhibiting distinct deviations in foot shape or alignment demonstrate specific inflammatory phenotypes in Achilles tendinopathy, thereby linking mechanical configuration to biological response.

  

Fig. 1 Overview of the mechano-immunity framework in patients with Achilles tendinopathy

 

Intra-tendinous pressure

Investigation of intra-tendinous pressure dynamics as a mechanical and biological mediator of tendon pain, loading, and degeneration under physiological and pathological conditions.

Fig. 2 Overview of intra-tendinous pressure measurements in the Achilles tendon

Blood-flow restriction therapy

Evaluation of blood-flow restriction–based rehabilitation strategies to optimize tendon loading, stimulate adaptation, and improve clinical outcomes in patients with tendon disorders.

Fig. 3 Overview of blood flow restriction therapy in the rehabilitation of Achilles tendon ruptures

Publications

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