Translational Bone Mechanobiology

Applying multidisciplinary approaches to detect the biological and mechanical mechanisms of avascular necrosis, diabetic associated bone changes, and osteoporosis.

 

Research Team and Focus

Ugur Ayturk, PhD, Assistant Scientist
Computational biology – bulk and single cell RNA-seq, disease causing mutation profiling, osteoblast biology, mouse models of disease

Mathias P. Bostrom, MD, Chief of Adult Reconstruction and Joint Replacement
Complex joint replacement, bone formation, bone regeneration, bone and cartilage healing, and bone biology

Ryan Breighner, PhD, Assistant Scientist
Tomographic imaging Modalities (MR/CT), Image processing, 3D Modeling, ZTE MR Imaging (Bone), Dynamic Imaging (4DCT)

Alberto Carli, MD, Assistant Attending Orthopedic Surgeon
Clinical evaluation and treatment of PJI, Mouse-based Model of PJI, Indices of Infection: Biofilm Identification, Bacterial Proliferation, Host Response (Serum Analysis), In-Vitro Analysis of Biofilm, Clinical and Radiographic Analysis of Total Hip, Total Knee Implants

Matthew Cunningham, MD, PhD, Associate Attending Orthopedic Surgeon
Thoracic and lumbar spine care, including spinal deformity (scoliosis, flatback, kyphosis, and spondylolisthesis) for adult and pediatric patients, and degenerative problems (stenosis, herniated discs, arthritis, instability) in adults.

Chitra Dahia, PhD, Assistant Scientist
Cell signaling pathways, particularly Shh, Wnt, BMP and TGFβ in postnatal development, differentiation, aging and degeneration of the intervertebral disc

Eve Donnelly, PhD, Associate Professor
Bone quality – multiscale mechanical and compositional characterization, vibrational spectroscopic (Raman, FTIR) imaging of bone

Matthew Blake Greenblatt, MD, PhD, Associate Professor
Genetics, cellular biochemistry and genome-wide screening to discover new molecular pathways that regulate the activity of osteoblasts. flow cytometry, single cell sequencing and transplantation-based functional studies.

Derek G. Hansen, MD, Assistant Attending Orthopedic Surgeon
Orthopaedic oncology, metabolic bone diseases

Chris J. Hernandez, MD, Professor
Bone Mechanics, microbiology – experimental manipulation of the microbiome and analysis of microbial populations; In vivo models – surgical models in rodents, bone remodeling – histopathology associated with bone remodeling

Joseph M. Lane, MD, Attending Orthopedic Surgeon
Management of avascular necrosis. Improvement of fracture healing & non-union outcomes; anabolic agents. Treatment of conditions involving bone quality vs quantity. Applications of stem cells & PDGF in spinal fusion. Myeloma & bone oncology

Marjolein van der Meulen, PhD, Director of Biomedical Engineering
Bone biomechanics: whole bone structural mechanics, tissue-level mechanics, role of tissue composition on mechanical performance, musculoskeletal mechanobiology: modulating tissue properties through in vivo loading

Kyung Park-Min, PhD, Assistant Scientist
Osteoclast biology, Osteoimmunology, Immunology, Metabolism

Emily M. Stein, MD, Director of Research, Metabolic Bone Service
Metabolic Bone Disease, Endocrinology, Assessment of bone quality through imaging, Clinical research

Baohong Zhao, PhD, Associate Scientist
Bone metabolism and osteoimmunology