The Center for Molecular and Regenerative Medicine provides a comprehensive infrastructure for musculoskeletal research that facilitates translation of laboratory research into breakthroughs in patient care at The University of Chicago Medical Center.  The mission of this organization is to improve our ability to treat musculoskeletal problems through investigation of key mechanisms underlying orthopaedic diseases, screening of novel interventions through translational models and testing promising new approaches in clinical trials. 

Musculoskeletal disorders encompass a broad range of diseases including: traumatic injuries, degenerative conditions and cancer. Each of these disorders potentially involves different components of the mesenchyme, such as bone, cartilage, tendon and muscle. The Center for Molecular and Regenerative Medicine has been organized around key modules that focus on tissue- and/or disease-specific areas, each of which reflect the most common clinical problems that we treat as orthopaedic surgeons.  Each module is composed of a multidisciplinary team of investigators that includes basic scientists, clinician-scientists and clinicians to enhance the “bench-to-bedside” research in each area. 

In addition to clinical and educational commitments at The University of Chicago, our faculty is actively involved in a broad range of research on bone and musculoskeletal diseases, which have been highlighted in the following areas:

• Institute of Biomedical Imaging Analysis
• Biomechanical Research and Motion Analysis
• Bone Regeneration
• Cartilage Regeneration
• Tendon and Ligament Research
• Particle-induced Osteolysis Research
• Regulation of Stem Cell Differentiation
• Molecular Biology of Cancer Metastasis  
• Molecular Biology of Bone and Soft Tissue Tumors

The Center Seminars

2008: Karen Lyons, PhD. Professor, Department of Molecular, Cell and Developmental Biology, and Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California Los Angeles, CA. "BMP Signaling in the Growth Plate". (Co-sponsored by Committee on Genetics).

2008: Donald G. Phinney, PhD, Professor and Associate Director for Research, Center for Gene Therapy, Tulane University, New Orleans, LA. "A Sage View of Mesenchymal Stem Cells".

2008: Di Chen, MD, PhD, Associate Professor, Center for Musculoskeletal Research and Department of Orthopaedics, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY. "The Role of Canonical Wnt Signaling in Bone and Joint Remodeling".

2007: Gerard Karsenty, MD. PhD., Professor and Chairman, Department of Genetics & Development, Columbia University, New York, NY. "Molecular Genetic Analysis of Skeletal Biology". (Co-sponsored by Committee on Genetics).

2007: Linheng Li, PhD, Associate Investigator, The Stowers Institute for Medical Research, Kansas CIty, MO. "Stem cells and stem cell niches". (Co-sponsored by Committee on Molecular Committee).

2006: Yejia Zhang, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA. "Cartilage Biology and Degenerative Intervertebral Disc Repair".

2006: A Hari Reddi, PhD, Lawrence Ellison Chair Professor in Musculoskeletal Molecular Biology and Director of Center for Tissue Regeneration and Repair at the University of California Medical Center, Davis, CA. "Regeneration of Bone and Cartilage: Role of Morphogenetic Proteins".