Biomaterials for musculoskeletal regeneration and therapy
Our teams are developing new materials for the localized delivery of new therapies to joints and new scaffolds to support the growth and differentiation of stem cells into tissues such as bone, fat, and cartilage.
Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders are the second most common cause of disability worldwide, impacting more than 1.7 billion people. Many MSK conditions such as osteoarthritis do not currently have curative treatments, and their treatment through traditional systemic routes presents significant challenges. Western’s establishment of the Bone and Joint Institute in 2014 has provided a substantial influx of expertise and resources in this area. This provides a unique opportunity for our researchers to become leaders in materials-based approaches to treating MSK disease.
Some approaches we are working on in interdisciplinary teams include systems for the localized delivery of new therapies to joints and new scaffolds to support the growth and differentiation of stem cells into tissues such as bone and cartilage. Closely related is our strength in dental materials research, where we have been working on bioactive glasses, dental composites, and the role of proteins and peptides in hydroxyapatite growth and protection. With access to a spectrum of expertise from materials synthesis and characterization to MSK biology and clinical services, we are well poised to bring innovations from the bench to bedside.
CAMBR Faculty
Dixon, Jeffrey
Flynn, Lauren
Gillies, Elizabeth
Hamilton, Douglas
Hossein, Yara
Hutter, Jeffrey
Karttunen, Mikko
Knopf, George
Lagugné-Labarthet, Francois
Liu, Lijia
Paul, Arghya
Price, Aaron
Rizkalla, Amin
Séguin, Cheryle
