Staff profile

Dr Alessandro Borghi was awarded my Master of Engineering (Meng) from Politecnico di Milano and was afterwards offered a position as a PhD student at the department of Chemical Engineering of Imperial College London. His PhD project focused on numerical modeling of fluid-solid interaction in pathological arteries. After finishing, he worked as R&D engineer in a medical device company on a project for the design of novel cardiovascular devices for the treatment of heart failure. In 2009 he returned to academia to work as Research Fellow on a Wellcome Trust sponsored project, working on the mechanical optimization of the delivery method of a novel pressure sensor for wireless pressure monitoring. While at Imperial College, he also collaborated with the Heart Science Centre - working on mechanical testing of heart valves to understand the effect of extracellular matrix components on tensile and viscoelastic properties.
In 2013 Dr Borghi joined the Great Ormond Street Institute of Child Health as Senior Research Associate and moved to a novel field of research such as that of Cranio-maxillofacial surgical procedures and devices.
Dr Alessandro Borghi’s current research focuses on the analysis and design of the devices used in craniofacial surgery: he has applied numerical modelling to understand and predict the outcome of procedures such as spring cranioplasty and fronto-facial distraction, and is currently investigating the use of novel materials, such as shape memory alloys and biodegradable metals, for the design and prototyping of novel devices for distraction osteogenesis.
Dr Borghi’s models for performance prediction of craniofacial distractors have been published in peer reviewed clinical and engineering journals and constitute now a tested in-silico model for trialing new devices before first-in-man application. Such work has been presented at several engineering and clinical conferences, which have served as a platform for me to drive and establish several international collaborations (Boston Children’s Hospital, Italian National Research Centre, University of Bologna, Erasmus Medical Center, Connecticut Children’s Hospital, Laval University). Dr Borghi has been funded by the National Institute of Health Research Biomedical Research Centre and the Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity.

• Biological Tissue Characterisation
• Biomaterials
• Biomechanics
• Finite Element Analysis
• Machine Learning
• Medical Devices
• Medical Image Processing
• Medical Instrumentation
• Numerical Modelling
• Statistical Shape Modelling
• Surgical Planning

• 2000: Membership: European Society of Biomechanics (ESB) Member (since 2016)
  Virtual Physiological Human Institute (since 2020)
  Member of the Institute of Engineering and Physics in Medicine (since 2020)
  Associate Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (since 2022)
• 2000: Editorial Activity: Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology: Associate Editor
  Frontiers on Oral Surgery – Section Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery: Review Editor
• 2000: Peer-reviewing: Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Journal of Orthodontics, Plastic & Reconstructive Global Open, Bone, Metals, JBiomech, BMMB, CMBB, International Journal of Artificial Organs, Med Eng Phys, Comput in Biol and Medicine, Numerical Methods in Biomedical Engineering, Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology, ASME SB3C Conference (Student Paper Competition)

Journal Article

• Ajami, S., Van den Dam, Z., Hut, J., Savery, D., Chin, M., Koudstaal, M., Steacy, M., Carriero, A., Pitsillides, A., Chang, Y., Rau, C., Marathe, S., Dunaway, D., Jeelani, N. U. O., Schievano, S., Pauws, E., & Borghi, A. (online). Cranial bone microarchitecture in a mouse model for syndromic craniosynostosis. Journal of Anatomy, https://doi.org/10.1111/joa.14121
• Garate Andikoetxea, B., Ajami, S., Rodriguez-Florez, N., Jeelani, N. U. O., Dunaway, D., Schievano, S., & Borghi, A. (online). Towards a radiation free numerical modelling framework to predict spring assisted correction of scaphocephaly. Computer Methods in Biomechanics and Biomedical Engineering, https://doi.org/10.1080/10255842.2023.2294262
• Zucchelli, M., Ruggiero, F., Babini, M., Lefosse, M., Borghi, A., Rodriguez-Florez, N., Tarsitano, A., Nicolini, F., & Galassi, E. (online). Surgical strategy in treatment of metopic synostosis in a single centre experience: technical note and quantitative analysis of the outcomes. Child's Nervous System, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-024-06520-7
• Wolffenbuttel, T., Ajami, S., Borghi, A., Schievano, S., Dunaway, D., Jeelani, N. U. O., & Koudstaal, M. (online). Cone beam CT for the assessment of bone microstructure to predict head shape changes after spring-assisted craniosynostosis surgery. Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, 128(49), Article S1010-5182(24)00316-0. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jcms.2024.11.014
• Deliege, L., Carriero, A., Ong, J., James, G., Jeelani, O., Dunaway, D., Stoltz, P., Hersh, D., Martin, J., Carroll, K., Chamis, M., Schievano, S., Bookland, M., & Borghi, A. (2024). A computational modelling tool for prediction of head reshaping following endoscopic strip craniectomy and helmet therapy for the treatment of scaphocephaly. Computers in Biology and Medicine, 177, Article 108633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108633
• Elawadly, A. M., Smith, L. P. J., Borghi, A., Abdelaziz, K. I., Silva, A. H. D., Dunaway, D. J., Jeelani, N. U. O., Ong, J., Hayward, R. D., & James, G. (2024). What can a morphometric study of unoperated children teach us about the natural history of metopic synostosis?. Journal of neurosurgery, 33(4), 374-381. https://doi.org/10.3171/2023.11.PEDS23227
• He, K. H., Bruse, J. L., Rodriguez-Florez, N., Dunaway, D., Jeelani, O., Schievano, S., & Borghi, A. (2024). Understanding the influence of surgical parameters on craniofacial surgery outcomes: a computational study. Royal Society Open Science, 11(4), Article 231158. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.231158
• Ajami, S., Kraaneveld, C., Koudstaal, M., Dunaway, D., Jeelani, N. U. O., Schievano, S., Bregoli, C., Fiocchi, J., Biffi, C. A., Tuissi, A., Borghi, A., Schievano, S., Kraaneveld, C., Koudstaal, M., & Tuissi, A. (2024). In Vitro Assessment of the Neuro-Compatibility of Fe-20Mn as a Potential Bioresorbable Material for Craniofacial Surgery. Medicina, 60(3), 440. https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina60030440
• Borghi, A., Heutinck, P., Rodriguez-Florez, N., Koudstaal, M., Ruggiero, F., Ajami, S., Schievano, S., Jeelani, N., & Dunaway, D. (2023). The esthetic perception of morphological severity in scaphocephalic patients is correlated with specific head geometrical features. The Cleft Palate Craniofacial Journal, 60(12), 1591-1599. https://doi.org/10.1177/10556656221111307
• Goodarzi, M. R., Breakey, W. F., van de Lande, L. S., Borghi, A., O'Hara, J., Ong, J., James, G., Hayward, R., Schievano, S., Dunaway, D. J., & Jeelani, N. O. (2023). Does the mutation type affect the response to cranial vault expansion in children with apert syndrome?. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, 34(3), 910-913. https://doi.org/10.1097/SCS.0000000000009126
• Ruggiero, F., Borghi, A., Bevini, M., Badiali, G., Lunari, O., Dunaway, D., & Marchetti, C. (2023). Soft tissue prediction in orthognathic surgery: Improving accuracy by means of anatomical details. PLoS ONE, 18(11), e0294640. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0294640
• Senyürek, S. A., Ajami, S., Ruggiero, F., Van de Lande, L., Caron, C. J., Schievano, S., Dunaway, D. J., Padwa, B., Koudstaal, M. J., & Borghi, A. (2023). The accuracy of computer-assisted surgical planning in predicting soft tissue responses after Le Fort I osteotomy: Retrospective analysis. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, 34(1), 131-138. https://doi.org/10.1097/SCS.0000000000008970
• Deliège, L., Ramdat Misier, K., Silva, D., James, G., Ong, J., Dunaway, D., Jeelani, N. U. O., Schievano, S., & Borghi, A. (2023). Spring-assisted posterior vault expansion: a parametric study to improve the intracranial volume increase prediction. Scientific Reports, 13(1), Article 21371. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-48143-z
• Ramdat Misier, K. R., Breakey, R. W., van de Lande, L. S., Biffi, B., Knoops, P. G., Schievano, S., Caron, C. J., Dunaway, D. J., Koudstaal, M. J., Jeelani, N. O., & Borghi, A. (2022). Correlation between head shape and volumetric changes following spring-assisted posterior vault expansion. Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, 50(4), 343-352
• Ruggiero, F., Badiali, G., Bevini, M., Marchetti, C., Ong, J., Bolognesi, F., Schievano, S., Dunaway, D., Bianchi, A., & Borghi, A. (2022). Parametrizing the genioplasty: a biomechanical virtual study on soft tissue behavior. International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery, 17(1), 55-64
• Ajami, S., Rodriguez-Florez, N., Ong, J., Jeelani, N. U. O., Dunaway, D., James, G., Angullia, F., Budden, C., Bozkurt, S., Ibrahim, A., Ferretti, P., Schievano, S., & Borghi, A. (2022). Mechanical and morphological properties of parietal bone in patients with sagittal craniosynostosis. Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials, 125(104929),
• Breakey, R. W. F., van de Lande, L. S., Sidpra, J., Knoops, P. M., Borghi, A., O'Hara, J., Ong, J., James, G., Hayward, R., Schievano, S., Dunaway, D. J., & Jeelani, N. U. O. (2021). Spring-assisted posterior vault expansion-a single-centre experience of 200 cases. Child's Nervous System, 37(10), 3189-3197
• Deliège, L., Misier, K. R., Bozkurt, S., Breakey, W., James, G., Ong, J., Dunaway, D., Jeelani, N. O., Schievano, S., & Borghi, A. (2021). Validation of an in-silico modelling platform for outcome prediction in spring assisted posterior vault expansion
• Heutinck, P., Knoops, P., Florez, N. R., Biffi, B., Breakey, W., James, G., Koudstaal, M., Schievano, S., Dunaway, D., Jeelani, O., & Borghi, A. (2021). Statistical shape modelling for the analysis of head shape variations. Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, 49(6), 449-455
• Ibrahim, A., Rodriguez-Florez, N., Gardner, O. F., Zucchelli, E., New, S. E., Borghi, A., Dunaway, D., Bulstrode, N. W., & Ferretti, P. (2020). Three-dimensional environment and vascularization induce osteogenic maturation of human adipose-derived stem cells comparable to that of bone-derived progenitors
• Jeelani, N. U. O., Borghi, A., Florez, N. R., Bozkurt, S., Dunaway, D., & Schievano, S. (2020). The science behind the Springs: Using biomechanics and finite element modeling to predict outcomes in spring-assisted sagittal synostosis surgery. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, 31(7), 2074-2078
• Bozkurt, S., Borghi, A., van de Lande, L. S., Jeelani, N. O., Dunaway, D. J., & Schievano, S. (2020). Computational modelling of patient specific spring assisted lambdoid craniosynostosis correction
• Rodriguez-Florez, N., Borghi, A., Yauwan, D. D., Heuntinck, P., Bruse, J. L., Tenhagen, M., Göktekin, Ö. K., Angullia, F., Schievano, S., Dunaway, D. J., Jeelani, N. U. O., & James, G. (2020). Three-dimensional calvarial growth in spring-assisted cranioplasty for correction of sagittal synostosis. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, 31(7), 2084-2087
• Borghi, A., Rodriguez Florez, N., Ruggiero, F., James, G., O'Hara, J., Ong, J., Jeelani, O., Dunaway, D., & Schievano, S. (2020). A population-specific material model for sagittal craniosynostosis to predict surgical shape outcomes
• Knoops, P. G., Papaioannou, A., Borghi, A., Breakey, R. W., Wilson, A. T., Jeelani, O., Zafeiriou, S., Steinbacher, D., Padwa, B. L., Dunaway, D. J., & Schievano, S. (2019). A machine learning framework for automated diagnosis and computer-assisted planning in plastic and reconstructive surgery
• Knoops, P., Borghi, A., Breakey, R., Ong, J., Jeelani, N., Bruun, R., Schievano, S., Dunaway, D., & Padwa, B. (2019). Three-dimensional soft tissue prediction in orthognathic surgery: a clinical comparison of Dolphin, ProPlan CMF, and probabilistic finite element modelling. International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, 48(4), 511-518
• O'Hara, J., Way, B., Borghi, A., Knoops, P. G., Chua, D., & Hayward, R. D. (2019). The turricephaly index: A validated method for recording turricephaly and its natural history in Apert syndrome. Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, 47(3), 414-419
• Shelmerdine, S. C., Simcock, I. C., Hutchinson, J. C., Aughwane, R., Melbourne, A., Nikitichev, D. I., Ong, J.-L., Borghi, A., Cole, G., Kingham, E., Calder, A. D., Capelli, C., Akhtar, A., Cook, A. C., Schievano, S., David, A., Ourselin, S., Sebire, N. J., & Arthurs, O. J. (2018). 3D printing from microfocus computed tomography (micro-CT) in human specimens: education and future implications
• Knoops, P. G., Borghi, A., Ruggiero, F., Badiali, G., Bianchi, A., Marchetti, C., Rodriguez-Florez, N., Breakey, R. W., Jeelani, O., Dunaway, D. J., & Schievano, S. (2018). A novel soft tissue prediction methodology for orthognathic surgery based on probabilistic finite element modelling. PLoS ONE, 13(5),
• Borghi, A., Rodriguez-Florez, N., Rodgers, W., James, G., Hayward, R., Dunaway, D., Jeelani, O., & Schievano, S. (2018). Spring assisted cranioplasty: A patient specific computational model. Medical Engineering and Physics, 53, 58-65
• Borghi, A., Rodgers, W., Schievano, S., Ponniah, A., Jeelani, O., & Dunaway, D. (2018). Proof of concept study for the design, manufacturing, and testing of a patient-specific shape memory device for treatment of unicoronal craniosynostosis. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, 29(1), 45-48
• Rodriguez-Florez, N., Ibrahim, A., Hutchinson, J. C., Borghi, A., James, G., Arthurs, O. J., Ferretti, P., Dunaway, D., Schievano, S., & Jeelani, N. O. (2017). Cranial bone structure in children with sagittal craniosynostosis: Relationship with surgical outcomes. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, 70(11), 1589-1597
• Borghi, A., Schievano, S., Rodriguez Florez, N., McNicholas, R., Rodgers, W., Ponniah, A., James, G., Hayward, R., Dunaway, D., & Jeelani, N. O. (2017). Assessment of spring cranioplasty biomechanics in sagittal craniosynostosis patients. Asian Journal of Neurosurgery, 20(5), 400-409
• Breakey, W., Knoops, P. G., Borghi, A., Rodriguez-Florez, N., Dunaway, D. J., Schievano, S., & Jeelani, O. N. (2017). Intracranial volume measurement: A systematic review and comparison of different techniques. Journal of Craniofacial Surgery, 28(7), 1746-1751
• Rodriguez-Florez, N., Bruse, J. L., Borghi, A., Vercruysse, H., Ong, J., James, G., Pennec, X., Dunaway, D. J., Jeelani, N. O., & Schievano, S. (2017). Statistical shape modelling to aid surgical planning: associations between surgical parameters and head shapes following spring-assisted cranioplasty. International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery, 12(10), 1739-1749
• Rodgers, W., Glass, G. E., Schievano, S., Borghi, A., Rodriguez-Florez, N., Tahim, A., Angullia, F., Breakey, W., Knoops, P., Tenhagen, M., O'Hara, J., Ponniah, A., James, G., Dunaway, D. J., & Jeelani, N. O. (2017). Spring-assisted cranioplasty for the correction of nonsyndromic scaphocephaly: A quantitative analysis of 100 consecutive cases. Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 140(1), 125-134
• Beaumont, C. A., Knoops, P. G., Borghi, A., Jeelani, N. O., Koudstaal, M. J., Schievano, S., Dunaway, D. J., & Rodriguez-Florez, N. (2017). Three-dimensional surface scanners compared with standard anthropometric measurements for head shape. Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, 45(6), 921-927
• Knoops, P. G., Beaumont, C. A., Borghi, A., Rodriguez-Florez, N., Breakey, R. W., Rodgers, W., Angullia, F., Jeelani, N. O., Schievano, S., & Dunaway, D. J. (2017). Comparison of three-dimensional scanner systems for craniomaxillofacial imaging. Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, 70(4), 441-449
• Rodriguez-Florez, N., Göktekin, Ö. K., Bruse, J. L., Borghi, A., Angullia, F., Knoops, P. G., Tenhagen, M., O'Hara, J. L., Koudstaal, M. J., Schievano, S., Jeelani, N. O., James, G., & Dunaway, D. J. (2017). Quantifying the effect of corrective surgery for trigonocephaly: A non-invasive, non-ionizing method using three-dimensional handheld scanning and statistical shape modelling. Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, 45(3), 387-394
• Borghi, A., Rodgers, W., Schievano, S., Ponniah, A., O'Hara, J., Jeelani, O., & Dunaway, D. (2016). Design, manufacturing, and in vitro testing of a patient-specific shape-memory expander for nose reconstruction with forehead flap technique