Anaïs Ledent
Biography:
Anais began her studies in civil engineering at the University of Liège in September 2020. Driven by her passion for mathematics and human biology, she gradually specialized in biomedical engineering and graduated in 2025 with a Master’s degree in Biomedical Civil Engineering, with a professional focus on biomechanics.
For her master’s thesis, she traveled to Melbourne, Australia, from February to May 2025, where she joined the Bone Cell Biology and Disease research group at the St Vincent’s Institute of Medical Research, under the supervision of Natalie Sims and Haniyeh Hemmatian. She worked on a project about aging in bone, and more specifically, she focused on the spatial distribution of calcium and the cellular network within osteons, and how these distributions vary with age. The aim of her study was to determine whether older individuals produce bone of lower quality than younger individuals, in order to better understand how bone quality is altered. She analyzed qBEI images to assess mineralization and CLSM images to characterize the osteocyte–lacuno–canalicular network (OLCN). It was there that she developed a strong interest in scientific research.
In June 2025, she received an FNRS Research Fellowship and is now pursuing a PhD focused on the bone–cartilage interface. Her research investigates how water content and physiological loading influence the mechanical properties of this critical interface, which is still largely unexplored but plays a key role in pathologies such as osteoarthritis.
Skills:
Computational skills: Python, ImageJ, Siemens NX, LateX
Scientific interests
Biomechanics, bone aging and disease, bioinspired materials, 3D printing, tissue engineering, cell culture
Contact:
📍 Building B52/3, Room +2/525
