Dr. John L Williams Awarded NIH R15 Grant from NIAMS to study post-traumatic osteoarthritis

BME faculty member Dr. John Williams has been awarded an NIH R15 grant from the National Institute of Arthritis & Musculoskeletal & Skin Diseases (NIAMS) to study post-traumatic osteoarthritis. Excessive compressive load caused by blunt impact to the knee, such as during a car accident or sports injury, is known to lead to osteoarthritis (OA) within the joint that affects millions of Americans. However, the mechanism for how OA develops as a result of the blunt impacts is not well understood since gross ligament and meniscal damage is not present. Recent studies have indicated a role of the infrapatellar fad pad (IFP) in the development of OA after trauma to the knee. This 3-year $425,298 grant from NIAMS aims to investigate the role that injured IFP plays in knee degeneration and identify how biomechanical and/or molecular pathways may be influencing the development of post-traumatic OA. The impact of this work will be in determining the mechanisms behind blunt trauma that lead to OA, that then can be used in identifying potential early surgical and or arthroscopic interventions to prevent/slow development of post-traumatic OA and improve the quality of life of millions of patients. This award also provides support and training for both undergraduate and graduate students to further their education and professional development in the biomedical engineering discipline.