FACULTY SYNOPSES
JAMES ANDERSON
Dr. Anderson is Professor of Pathology, Macromolecular Science, and Biomedical Engineering. His current
research activities include the retrieval and evaluation of human implants,
their interactions with soft and hard tissues, and the cellular and humoral
biocompatibility of implant materials. In particular, he has an interest in the
connective tissue responses to implant materials and the role of cellular
adhesion and activation on implant materials.
JOHN BLACKWELL
Dr. Blackwell is Professor of the Department of Macromolecular Science at Case Institute. His primary research
involves the physical chemical measurements of solution properties of complex
polysaccharides. Both classical and dynamic light scattering methods are being
used to study the structure of complex carbohydrates, including connective
tissue proteoglycans, salivary and gastric mucins, and other molecules of
biological interest. Dr. Blackwell provides the interesting and useful
dimension of understanding physical-chemical properties of complex
macromolecules and is able to interface these measurements with an
understanding of how these molecules work in complex tissues such as cartilage
and bone.
ARNOLD I. CAPLAN
Dr. Caplan, Professor of Biology at Case Western Reserve University and the Director of the Skeletal
Research Center, is involved in all of the research and experimentation associated with the center
staff and center faculty. During the last 30 years here at Case Western Reserve University,
Dr. Caplan has become recognized as a prominent member of the research community involved with
understanding aspects of the molecular and cellular details of the embryological development of both
cartilage and bone. His biochemical and morphological studies associated with the embryology of hard
tissue have been recognized on national and international levels and have resulted in over
300 publications in scholarly journals or books. In particular, his recent studies indicate
that some of the essential steps in embryonic bone formation have been incorrectly understood
for a number of years. Using monoclonal antibodies and other biochemical
probes, he and his collaborators have begun to unravel some of the molecular
and cellular control mechanisms involved with both cartilage and bone
morphogenesis. In addition, his recent studies associated with the isolation of
bioactive factors from adult bone have brought him into the area of bone and
cartilage repair. He has collaborative interactions with all of the members of
the center faculty and provides the center with its core technology as related
to cartilage and bone repair and development.
DAVID CARRINO
David A. Carrino, Ph.D. is Research Professor of Biology. His research interests are in the area
of extracellular matrix molecules, specifically proteoglycans. His earlier work involved analysis
of proteoglycans produced by skeletal muscle during development and regeneration. His current work
is focused on the proteoglycans of human skin from individuals of various ages. Data from this
work indicate that these molecules vary in an age-related way. These differences result from both
biosynthesis and catabolism. The age-related pattern of proteoglycans can be used to assess the
age equivalence of in vitro fabrications of human skin cells. Most recently, his work has involved
analysis of proteoglycans of different types of fibrotic tissues, such as hypertrophic scar, keloid
scar, and uterine fibroid. These analyses show that the proteoglycans produced in fibrotic tissues
differ from those produced in the corresponding unaffected tissues.
DWIGHT T. DAVY
Dr. Davy is Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Case Institute. His primary interest is
in the evaluation of the mechanical properties of hard tissue. In particular,
he is interested in how design features of prosthetic devices can be integrated
with the mechanical and load requirements of long bones. His laboratory is
capable of measuring the mechanical properties of the bone-metal interface and
establishing quantitative parameters of transplant success.
JAMES DENNIS
James E. Dennis, Ph.D. is currently investigating the regulation of multi-potential progenitor cell
differentiation in a conditionally immortalized mouse cell line isolated from
marrow. The object of this research is to define how positive and negative
regulators of mesenchymal cell differentiation work in concert with
transcription factors to guide the differentiation process along a specific
lineage pathway. This line of research also addresses the issue of plasticity
among the different mesenchymal phenotypes.
Another primary line of research for Dr. Dennis is the identification, isolation and characterization
of the molecules that regulate the mineralization process in the avian
eggshell. The long term goal of this study is to determine the underlying
biochemical principles that guide the biomineralization process.
Dr. Dennis also directs the Morphology Facility within the Skeletal Research Center which provides
expertise and services for researchers using histology, electron microscopy,
and immunochemistry.
STANTON L. GERSON
Dr. Gerson's laboratory's long-standing interest is in evaluating the role of the DNA repair protein O6
alkyguanine-DNA alkyltransferase. One focus is its role in tumor drug resistance to nitrosoureas. He has
been a leader in the discovery and development of the AGT modulator O6 benzylguanine. He has demonstrated
the efficacy of O6 benzylguanine as a modulator in colon and breast cancer models. This observation has now
been extended to a variety of other tumor types and has recently led to the introduction of O6 benzylguanine
to the clinic as a modulator of AGT-directed DNA repair. The second focus is in gene therapy using AGT
overexpression to protect bone marrow from chemotherapy; a clinical gene therapy is now underway. With Dr.
Lili Liu, he has evaluated methoxyamino, an inhibitor of base excision repair, as a potentiator of methylating
agent chemotherapy. Dr. Gerson plays an active role in the development of new therapeutics as the
Associate Director for Clinical Research.
VICTOR M. GOLDBERG
Dr. Goldberg is the former Chairman of the Department of Orthopædic Surgery in the School of Medicine at Case
Western Reserve University. Dr. Goldberg’s basic research includes investigations in bone and cartilage
transplantation, new approaches to bone repair, and the exploration of new generations of prosthetic
knee and hip joints. He is involved in a nationwide study to evaluate the new era of "cementless" prosthetic
implants in which bony in-growth is used to fix these prostheses and to replace the commonly used acrylic cement.
In addition, his basic research involves the evaluation cell-based technology in the repair of full- and
partial-thickness articular cartilage defects. These projects are closely related to other projects by
faculty involving matrix molecular biology and cartilage repair technologies. The basic concept continues
to be the use of novel cellular constructs using mesenchymal stem
cells as the basis for the repair of full- and partial- thickness defects of articular cartilage.
New materials and interfaces are being explored with other investigators to develop new generations of prosthetic
knee and hip joints, with the ultimate aim of optimal design and interface characteristics.He is also studying methods of improving bone repair
when transplantation of bone is necessary to reconstruct skeletal defects.
ALEXANDER M. JAMIESON
Dr. Jamieson is Professor and Chairman of Macromolecular Science at Case Institute. Dr. Jamieson is
pioneering the use of laser light scattering techniques to analyze the solution
properties of proteoglycans. These measurements not only give absolute
indications of molecular weight and other properties, but also indicate the
degree of interaction of individual molecules. He is currently correlating
these measurements with electron microscopic visualization of the molecules
involved. In addition, pilot experiments are now under way to stimulate how
these complex polysaccharide-containing molecules interact in concentrated
gels, similar to the situation in cartilage in vivo.
DONALD P. LENNON
Donald P. Lennon, D.D.S. is the Director of the Cell Culture Facility of the Skeletal Research Center. He has
over 20 years of experience in culturing avian and mammalian cell isolates. He
has been involved in the development of chemically defined media for Stage 24
chick limb bud mesenchymal cells and for rat marrow-derived mesenchymal stem
cells (rMSCs) and he supervises the screening of fetal bovine serum for
serum-supplemented cultivation of many different cell types. Dr. Lennon is
currently involved in investigating the effect of reduced oxygen tension on
cultured rMSCs.
JOSEPH M. MANSOUR
Joseph M. Mansour, Ph.D. is Professor of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Case Institute.
His research is concerned with the mechanical behavior of cartilaginous tissues
in normal, diseased, and repaired states. He uses both mathematical and experimental
models to characterize the tissue. Mechanical characterization is an essential
component of the overall understanding of these tissues which perform a mechanical
function.
ROLAND MOSKOWITZ
Dr. Moskowitz is Professor of Medicine and the Director of the Rheumatic Disease Unit at University
Hospitals, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. The overall
goals of his basic and clinical investigational studies are to further identify
the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of osteoarthritis and applicability to
human disease in order to develop an accurate "marker" for diagnosis
and disease follow-up and to develop specific therapeutic agents to prevent,
retard, or reverse the disease process. In these efforts he has developed a
number of animal models to investigate aspects of osteoarthritis and
spondylosis. These model systems provide the basis for both morphological and
biochemical studies into aspects of osteoarthritis.
LUIS A. SOLCHAGA
Luis A. Solchaga, Ph.D. is currently Assistant Professor in the School of Medicine
(General Medical Sciences, Hematology / Oncology). He joined the Skeletal Research Center
after completing his Ph.D. in Pamplona (Spain). His current research focuses on
Tissue Engineering and cell-based therapies for the regeneration of skeletal
tissues (bone, meniscus, cartilage, tendon/ligament) with special emphasis on
articular cartilage regeneration. He is investigating the use of a variety of
biocompatible scaffolds in multiple configurations in order to develop
customized composite implants (material + cells/growth factors) for specific
applications. Dr. Solchaga manages and coordinates basic in vitro
experimentation and different animal models in collaboration with other members
of the Skeletal Research Center. He is also involved in multi-center research
projects with Dr. Mikos at Rice University (Houston) and Dr. Goldstein at
Michigan State University (Ann Arbor).
MICHAEL SORRELL
J. Michael Sorrell, Ph.D. is a Senior Research Associate and Director of the
Monoclonal Antibody Facility. His current studies are directed towards human
dermal fibroblast populations of skin.
JEAN F. WELTER
Jean F. Welter, M.D., Ph.D. is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Biology,
and Director of the Bioreactor core facility in the Skeletal Research Center. His current
primary research interests include mesenchymal stem cell-based tissue-engineering and
cell-based therapies, particularly of cartilage and bone. A major line of work focusses on
understanding and meeting the metabolic demands of differentiating stem cells, both through
optimization of the cell population and through enhancement of mass-transport in the
developing engineered cartilage. Other interests include the development of required
ancillary technologies for cartilage tissue engineering, such as bioreactors and monitoring
and imaging techniques as well as computer modelling, mechanobiology, and bone grafting and
bone-graft substitutes.
The Bioreactor Core faciltiy provides bioreactor culture support for SRC investigators and
external collaborators for routine tissue engineering, as well as technical expertise for
experimental design and development of project-specific bioreactor systems.
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