UTA researcher uses microscaffolding injections to mend cartilage, prevent osteoarthritis

PUBLIC RELEASE DATE:

30-Oct-2014

Contact: Herb Booth hbooth@uta.edu 817-272-7075 University of Texas at Arlington @utarlington

A UT Arlington bioengineering professor has received a $1.04 million grant from the U.S. Army that aims to regenerate cartilage tissue and reduce osteoarthritis using a patient's own stem cells, spurred through the injection of microscaffolding made of biodegradable polymers.

Liping Tang, a bioengineering professor and interim chair of the bioengineering department, said the research is primarily focused on helping soldiers who are severely injured on the battlefield.

"We've found that if we inject microscaffolding that we've developed into the injured area, it can trigger the stem cell generation needed for proper healing," Tang said.

Posttraumatic osteoarthritis develops as a result of improper healing of joints, which turn arthritic. It often occurs in soldiers with broken bones from blasts, shrapnel and gunshot wounds.

Joints and cartilage are surrounded by stem cells that need instruction in where to go and what to do, Tang said.

"The microscaffolding recruits a patient's stem cells that are needed in the healing process," Tang said. "Biomolecules will be released from the scaffolds to transform stem cells into cartilage cells to form new cartilage tissue while reducing the symptoms associated with arthritis."

Tang said this new treatment is aimed at not only reducing posttraumatic osteoarthritis symptoms but also curing it by regenerating new cartilage tissue using patients' own stem cells.

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UTA researcher uses microscaffolding injections to mend cartilage, prevent osteoarthritis