The objective of this award is to understand the mechanisms by which cells target the damaged regions of bone for repair. The skeleton sustains microscopic damage as part of daily activities and cells curb microcrack accumulation by a continual repair process. Recent studies demonstrated that calcium is released from damaged regions of bone and such a release may initiate bone-repair cascade. This project will build on this insight and will characterize the response of bone cells to calcium release from bone. In combination, the studies will draw a more complete picture which unifies calcium release from the matrix, identify the route via which calcium enters the cells and the types of molecules which are activated upon calcium transport.
Successful attainment of the aims of this award will improve our understanding of the mechanisms which drive skeletal repair. Insight on skeletal repair creates the potential to mitigate various conditions of skeletal fragility, including osteoporosis. Another merit of award-related activities is the creation of the foundation for designing intelligent biomaterials which can repair themselves by regulating cell response. If observed calcium release from damaged substrate triggers matrix-repair by cells, the proposed activities would cultivate efforts to design bone like materials which induce resident cells to repair critically loaded regions. Female participation in engineering careers has been increasing; however, this engagement needs to be sustained into the future. On the outreach front, high-school female students will participate in research activities to foster their interests in pursuing careers in engineering.
