Prevention of Cell Death and Matrix Degradation After OATS

Principle Investigator

Chris Chen, PhD

Scope

Articular cartilage has a very limited ability to repair itself once damaged due to trauma injury or inflammatory diseases.  Osteochondral Autologous Transplantation Surgery (OATS) is one of the most commonly used surgical procedures to treat patients with full thickness cartilage defects in the knee.  Recent studies from our and other groups have found that the repetitive impaction utilized in OATS can induce chondrocyte death and matrix degradation in the graft. Without intervention, it will initiate a cascade of degradative events in the graft and the joint, significantly compromising the long-term clinical outcome.  The goal of this study is to identify potential treatments to prevent cell death and cartilage degradation after OATS using an in vitro model.  The student is expected to work with surgeons and to observe OATS and other cartilage repair procedures in the operating room.

Contact

Chris Chen, PhD
chench@hss.edu