Scientific Report 2003-2004 - Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research ...

The Department of Biomedical EngineeringBME Staff, Project Scientists with Independent FundingAnthony Calabro, Ph.D.Osteoarthritis is characterized by the gradual and irreversible loss of cartilage surfaces, which eventuallydisable patient mobility. Osteoarthritis affects an estimated 20.7 million Americans, and is responsiblefor ~7 million physician visits a year. Osteoarthritis presents a complicated treatment problem inorthopedic surgery, because of the limited capacity of cartilage to repair itself. The focus of the Calabrolaboratory is on the development of synthetic cartilage substitutes for use in cartilage repair. These novelbiomaterials are formed through an enzyme-selective, biocompatible cross-linking chemistry with thescaffold material obtained from those natural occurring macromolecules within native cartilage that areprimarily responsible for cartilage’s biomechanical properties.Kathe Derwin, Ph.D.My research focuses on tendon mechanobiology and tissue engineering. We have developed an in vitrobioreactor system to study the cellular mechanisms involved in tendon remodeling and injury in responseto mechanical loading conditions. We are also investigating the use of natural extracellular matrices asscaffolds for tendon tissue engineering. The in vitro bioreactor system is used to investigate cell-seedingand mechanical conditioning of these biomaterials for in vivo implantation in a canine rotator cuffinjury model. Further, we are studying the relationship between muscle pathology and tendon-musclefunction in our chronic canine rotator cuff model.Scott Colles, Ph.D.Our research in the laboratory of Linda Graham, M.D., focuses on the role glutathione peroxidase andlipid oxidation products in the development of vascular disease. Lipid oxidation products are thought tobe major factors in the development of various vascular diseases including atherosclerosis. Glutathioneperoxidase is an antioxidant enzyme involved in preventing cellular injury by lipid oxidation products.We have developed mouse models that lack the LDL receptor and have altered expression of glutathioneperoxidase and lipid oxidation products in vascular disease.Susan D’Andrea, Ph.D.My research is focused on the understanding of human locomotor system and the development ofbiomedical solutions to problems related to the foot and ankle. This involves determining a correlationbetween bone structure and the response to the forces acting on the skeleton. Establishing the spectraof bone strains experienced during normal daily activities can directly relate to the evaluation of agerelated bone loss, post-menopausal and disuse osteoporosis as well as fracture healing. Additionally, mywork concentrates on the evaluation of an exercise as a countermeasure to physiological adaptations ofmicrogravity. In particular, we are developing an instrumented treadmill to challenge the posturalcontrol system of astronauts in microgravity.Kiyotaka Fukamachi, M.D., Ph.D.The primary research interest of the Cardiovascular Dynamics Lab is cardiovascular physiology withmajor emphasis on cardiovascular dynamics relating to cardiac devices and surgical interventions used totreat heart failure. We are developing devices that improve cardiac function in patients with dilatedcardiomyopathy or repair mitral regurgitation in beating hearts; advanced heart valves; and novel genetherapies. We are also investigating heart assist devices such as left ventricular assist devices and animplantable total artificial heart. Our lab works in close collaboration with the Departments ofThoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery and Cardiology so that our research addresses clinical needs.42Aimin Wang, Ph.D.The proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells and glomerular mesangial cells is a prominent earlyhistological feature of many vascular and glomerular diseases in humans and experimental animals. Heparansulfates (HSs) and heparin are inhibitors of smooth muscle cell and mesangial cell growth in both experimentaldisease models and in cell culture, and HSs have been proposed as endogenous defending moleculesto protect resident cells from activation and injury by functioning as autocrine/paracrine growth inhibitors.My research interests are concentrated on the precise structural determinants of HSs/heparin for thegrowth-inhibitory activity, and their beneficial effects in diabetic nephropathy.P. Stephen Williams, Ph.D.Research in this laboratory is currently focused on a novel technique for cell sorting using immunospecificmagnetic labeling. Labeled cells are selectively removed from unlabeled cells by their migration across thethickness of an annular flow channel mounted in a quadrupole magnetic field. I am working on theoptimization of sorting conditions. The influence of small geometrical imperfections on sorting efficiencyis being studied using computational fluid dynamics. Sorting conditions may be adjusted to compensate foraccepted construction tolerances. We are also developing a technique called magnetic field-flow fractionationfor characterizing magnetic particulate species such as immunospecific magnetic labels.