Events

Date: 7 October 2025   Time: 12:00 - 13:00

Location: SEMS Seminar Room, 3rd floor, Engineering Building

Seminar Title:

Understanding the Biomechanical Construct of the Craniofacial Skeleton: Testing to Failure and Reconstruction

Abstract:

The craniofacial skeleton plays a vital role in both function and aesthetics, yet it is uniquely vulnerable to trauma. In this seminar, Professor Simon Holmes will explore the biomechanical principles underlying craniofacial injuries, focusing on mechanisms of fracture, approaches to reconstruction, and the role of translational research in advancing treatment. He will discuss innovations in surgical techniques, digital treatment planning, and complex cranioorbital reconstruction, alongside insights into outcome assessment and trauma severity scoring. The talk will highlight both the scientific and clinical challenges in craniofacial trauma management, drawing from extensive international experience in surgery, research, and education.

About the speaker:

Professor Simon Holmes is Professor of Craniofacial Trauma and Consultant in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Royal London Hospital, where he has led the Craniofacial Trauma Team since 2003. He specialises exclusively in facial reconstructive surgery and aesthetics and has pioneered the development of a multidisciplinary approach to craniofacial trauma care.

His academic work spans translational research, specialty training, and the introduction of new surgical and aesthetic techniques. He has been at the forefront of digital treatment planning and is internationally recognised for his expertise in complex cranioorbital reconstruction.

Professor Holmes has lectured widely and is a regular keynote speaker at major international conferences. He has edited and contributed to leading surgical textbooks — including award-winning works such as the BMJ Prize-winning textbook on craniofacial trauma — and published in Gray's Anatomy and Gray's Atlas of Surgical Anatomy. His extensive research output includes publications on injury assessment, reconstructive outcomes, and forensic analysis, with additional contributions to journals such as the British Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Injury, and the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Beyond research and clinical leadership, he is Director of the MSc in Craniofacial Trauma at QMUL and actively shapes training and practice both nationally and internationally. His contributions have established him as a leading authority in the field, with a career dedicated to advancing innovation and excellence in craniofacial trauma surgery.

https://www.qmul.ac.uk/dentistry/people/profiles/simonholmes-.html