Texas universities collaborate on biomedical research
The University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) plan to award $200,000 in FY2012-2013 in a Connect program funding to a collaborative research proposal: “Novel Scaffolds for Tendon/Ligament Regeneration and Tissue Engineering Applications.”
In a joint study by UTSA's Professor of Biomedical Engineering Rena Bizios, PhD, and SwRI Senior Research Scientists Vicky Poenitzsch, PhD, and Xinnguo Cheng, PhD, researchers will design, fabricate and establish new scaffolds for tendon/ligament repair and regeneration, according to a release from the schools.
Tendon and ligament repair technologies are increasingly in demand, as those injuries remain one of the most common orthopedic injuries for all age groups. Nearly 32 million repetitive and traumatic tendon/ ligament injuries are reported yearly, according to the release, which they predict will increase as the U.S. population continues aging. Synthetic tendon/ligament replacements currently available are limited.
UTSA and SwRI researchers will seek to fabricate “collagen-carbon nanotube composite macrostructures with tunable biomechanical properties,” according to SwRI. “The researchers will evaluate their efficacy for biomedical applications (such as tendon/ligament repair) by establishing their cytocompatibility in vitro using cultured adult mesenchymal stem cell models and researching functions of the cells pertinent to new tissue formation.”
"As our population ages, we are increasingly interested in translational research that can accelerate the movement of new discoveries in basic medical research into medical practice," said SwRI Executive Vice President Walter D. Downing. "Through the Connect program, we are exploring approaches to bridge the gap between basic research and applied research."
In a joint study by UTSA's Professor of Biomedical Engineering Rena Bizios, PhD, and SwRI Senior Research Scientists Vicky Poenitzsch, PhD, and Xinnguo Cheng, PhD, researchers will design, fabricate and establish new scaffolds for tendon/ligament repair and regeneration, according to a release from the schools.
Tendon and ligament repair technologies are increasingly in demand, as those injuries remain one of the most common orthopedic injuries for all age groups. Nearly 32 million repetitive and traumatic tendon/ ligament injuries are reported yearly, according to the release, which they predict will increase as the U.S. population continues aging. Synthetic tendon/ligament replacements currently available are limited.
UTSA and SwRI researchers will seek to fabricate “collagen-carbon nanotube composite macrostructures with tunable biomechanical properties,” according to SwRI. “The researchers will evaluate their efficacy for biomedical applications (such as tendon/ligament repair) by establishing their cytocompatibility in vitro using cultured adult mesenchymal stem cell models and researching functions of the cells pertinent to new tissue formation.”
"As our population ages, we are increasingly interested in translational research that can accelerate the movement of new discoveries in basic medical research into medical practice," said SwRI Executive Vice President Walter D. Downing. "Through the Connect program, we are exploring approaches to bridge the gap between basic research and applied research."