Current Projects

BIN 1: Micro-Environmental Influences upon ES Cell Pluripotency and Differentiation

Team Lead: Derrick Rancourt
Team Members: Hasan Uludağ, Michael Kallos, Tina Rinker, and Ken Muldrew

Specific Aim 1: Development of ECM preparations for supporting ESC pluripotency and differentiation.
Specific Aim 2: ECM proteins promoting ES cell differentiation in bioreactors.
Specific Aim 3: Effect of localized growth factors upon ES cell pluripotency and differentiation.
Specific Aim 4: Effect of fluid flow dynamics upon ES cell pluripotency and differentiation.

BIN 2: Transplantation and Imaging

Team Lead: John Matyas
Team Members: Jeff Dunn, Steve Boyd, Benedikt Hallgrimsson, Derrick Rancourt, and Hasan Uludağ

Specific Aim 1: To develop new techniques for imaging skeletal tissue structure and function.
Specific Aim 2: To develop preclinical models for testing the effectiveness of therapies that promote skeletal regeneration.
Specific Aim 3: To use the techniques developed in SA 1 to evaluate the models developed in SA 2.

BIN 3: Strategies for Directing Multipotential Cells to a Skeletogenic Fate

Team Lead: Michael Underhill
Team Members: Jane Aubin, Derrick Rancourt, and Benedikt Hallgrimsson

Specific Aim 1: Characterization of the developmental signals that regulate commitment of mutipotential cells (stem or progenitor) to a chondrogenic or osteogenic fate.
Specific Aim 2: Comparison of multipotential mesenchymal cells from embryonic and adult sources.
Specific Aim 3: Development of methods to enhance differentiation or “re-differentiation” of expanded cells from primary tissue.
Specific Aim 4: Identification of pro-chondrogenic and/ or pro-osteogenic small molecules.

BIN 4: Mechanobiology of Fracture Healing -Fracture in a Dish

Team Lead: Neil Duncan
Team Members: Steve Boyd, Jeff Dunn, John Matyas, Derrick Rancourt, and Ron Zernicke

Specific Aim 1: Development of ex vivo burr hole fracture model (fracture in a dish) with mechanical stimulation.
Specific Aim 2: Finite element analysis of burr hole micro-mechanical environment.
Specific Aim 3: Effect of mechanical loading on differentiation in burr-hole fracture model.