Orthopaedic Research Laboratory Projects and Grants

Principal Investigator: Nelly Andarawis-Puri, PhD
Characterizing an Adult Model of Tendon Regenerative Healing
The major goal of this project is to characterize an adult model of tendon regenerative healing (scar-free and with restored healed tissue properties) and 3 models that represent a range of reparative healing (with scar and compromised healed tissue properties). Using these tendon injury models, we will evaluate the role of some proteins that are implicated in healing, and evaluate the molecular profile to identify additional potential therapeutic targets. Successful completion of this work will improve our understanding of the injury specific environment and drive injury specific therapeutic interventions.

Principal Investigator: Evan L. Flatow, MD
Effect of Damage Accumulation on Healing and Adaptation
Agency: NIAMS
Type: R01(AR052743)
The major goal of this project is to explore the effect of tendon overuse damage on the response of tenocytes to exercise and laceration. Successful completion of the proposed studies will provide the foundation for novel and improved treatment strategies for tendon injury.

Principal Investigator: James C. Iatridis, PhD
Mechanical Injury and Repair in the Intervertebral Disc
Agency: NIAMS
Type: R01 (AR051146)
The overall goal is to develop a mechanistic understanding of how healthy and damaging mechanical loading influence IVD degeneration, remodeling and repair. We will investigate mechanisms of injury including structural disruption, increased cell death, production of proinflammatory cytokines, and their interactions with mechanical loading, while also testing the hypothesis that cyclic  shear produces distinct cellular responses from compression due to differences in cellular deformations and pressurization.

Principal Investigator: James C. Iatridis, PhD
Model of Human Disc Regeneration in the Spectrum of Degenerative Disc Disease
Agency: NIAMS
Type: R01 (AR057397)
The long-term goal of this work is to provide safe, early and minimally invasive interventions to slow or reverse progression of intervertebral disc degeneration. The proposed studies use human and bovine whole disc organ culture models to determine how to optimize treatments using needle injections across a spectrum of degenerative states with a focus on biomechanical restoration, anabolic shifts in protein synthesis, and reduced inflammation.

Principal Investigator: James C. Iatridis, PhD
Adhesive Biomaterial and Novel Mechanical Analyses to Enhance Annulus Fibrosus Repair
Agency: AO Foundation, AO Exploratory Research
Type: Collaborative Research Center
Proposed is a combined biomaterials, mechanical analysis and tissue culture project to develop, characterize, and evaluate performance of a novel crosslinked hydrogel to serve as a biodegradable, gap-filling adhesive for small annulus fibrosus repairs.