Mission Statement
The regenerative medicine research group’s primary focus is on skeletal-muscular systems in the mouse and goat, and studies range from the basic science of naturally regenerating systems to the development of pre-clinical translational models. Successful regeneration occurs when developmental processes are activated during the healing of traumatic wounds, such as amputation. Our research focus is 2-fold: the first is to understanding how this occurs in naturally regenerating models, and second, to use this information to design approaches to create pro-regenerative conditions at non-regenerating models. Ongoing studies include cell and molecular mechanisms that govern blastema formation, engineering regenerative responses with growth factors, the use of stem cells to develop tissues for implantation, the effect of load and physical stress on bone regeneration, and how regenerative properties are influenced by age.
Academic and Research Support
- US Army Research Office – W911NF-09-1-0305 ($6,246,794)
- NIH National Institute of Child Health and Human Development – 5U13HD061150
- DARPA – Restorative Injury Repair Program W911NF-06-1-0161 ($16,726,526)
- NIH National Institute of Child Health and Human Development – R01 HD043277 ($1,334,520)
- US Army Research Center – DURIP Equipment Grant ($150,000)
- NIH National Institute of Child Health and Human Development – P01 HD022610 ($1,334,520)
Lab Members
Connor Dolan received his undergraduate training in Neuroscience at Tulane University and is now doing his Ph.D. in the laboratory of Dr. Ken Muneoka. His project focuses on understanding the interactions between peripheral nerves and mechanical loading in the context of digit tip regeneration.
Yu-Lieh Lin is now doing his Ph.D. in the laboratory of Dr. Ken Muneoka. His thesis project focuses on investigating the possibility to differentiate mouse adipose stem cells into hyaline cartilage in vitro and determine the repair efficacy of these differentiated cells in articular cartilage defected mice.For more information on facilities and other resources, click here.