This is a competitive continuation application for a training grant entitled, """"""""Training in Cartilage Research. This application outlines the participating faculty as well as the educational and training facilities, primarily in the Department of Biochemistry. A core of Program Faculty members is dedicated to basic research in the field of cartilage and connective tissue biochemistry as well as chondrocyte cell and molecular biology as it relates to arthritic diseases, especially osteoarthritis (OA). There is a strong interaction with faculty in the Departments of Orthopedic Surgery, Anatomy & Cell Biology, and the Section of Rheumatology. The NIH SCOR grant in OA, NIH R01 grants and interactions with pharmaceutical companies provide much of the research support to the Program Faculty. There is an active collaboration with the Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network to obtain normal human cartilage on a weekly basis. There is a major commitment by the Program Faculty to train predoctoral students and postdoctoral fellows in the areas of chondrocyte gene expression and regulation, cartilage imaging, matrix assembly, degradation and repair, mechanisms of action of growth factors and cytokines, cell-matrix interactions via receptors, models for chondrocyte and cartilage culture, differences between human articular cartilage derived from different joints and different regions of cartilage, as well as animal models for degenerative joint diseases. Most students pursue a PhD in Biochemistry and in addition to rigorous research training, obtain a broad scientific background with the advent of a new Graduate College core curriculum. Each student and postdoctoral fellow has a faculty mentor, but broader education is facilitated through weekly workshops, formal seminars, informal discussion groups/lab meetings and interactions with visiting scientists from other academic, research and industry-based institutions. For the next five years, financial support is sought for three postdoctoral fellowships per year and stipends for five predoctoral students who have completed their preliminary examinations. The continuation of this unique NIH Training Grant will enable a training program that combines education in basic medical biochemistry with musculoskeletal research investigations, especially cartilage biochemistry, chondrocyte molecular and cell biology and, the etiopathology of OA. In line with the NIH roadmap, our trainees will be in excellent positions to translate basic cartilage research into new patient treatments. ? ? ?
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