Mechanisms of tissue repair in the diarthroidal joint
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Investigation of the molecular mechanisms sustaining the homeostasis of joint tissues and promoting their repair
IRAS ID
260738
Contact name
Giovanna Nalesso
Contact email
Duration of Study in the UK
3 years, 1 months, 2 days
Research summary
Our overall aim is to characterise the molecular mechanisms leading to the degeneration of joint tissues in osteoarthritis (OA). OA is a cause of chronic pain and disability for millions of people worldwide. The available therapeutic options consist in symptomatic relief until surgical joint replacement becomes unavoidable. The understanding of the molecular triggers of the disease will consent us to design new drugs to promote tissue repair without the need of surgeries.
Our preliminary evidence shows that the activity of certain molecules (namely Wnts and Calcium Calmodulin Kinase 2, CaMKII) play a role in maintaining the integrity of the tissue in the joint and their activity is deregulated during OA progression. We want to understand whether by re-establishing the level of activity that these molecules had in the healthy tissue could halt disease progression.
To do so we will perform experiments on cells and pieces of tissues of the joint removed during knee or hip replacement surgeries of patients affected by OA (as a source of “diseased tissues) or who fractured their hip (as a source of “normal tissues”). We will isolate joint tissues from the “surgical waste” of the procedures. No tissue will be removed purely for research purposes.
Joint replacement surgeries will be performed by a trained orthopaedic surgeon. Limited anonymised datasets (date of birth, gender, diagnosis, presence and details of comorbidities and their pharmacological management) will be acquired. The samples will be processed in the facilities of the University of Surrey while experiments on the isolated cells will both be performed at the University of Surrey, at the William Harvey Research Institute and at the Royal Veterinary College (London), where the cells will be shipped. This research received fund by Medical Research Council and the Academy for Medical Sciences for 3 years.REC name
London - South East Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
19/LO/0742
Date of REC Opinion
16 Jul 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion