In Vivo Tissue Engineering Of Adipose Tissue For Reconstructive Surgery
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$713,545.00
Summary
We are able to grow vascularised tissue in implanted plastic chambers to a predetermined size and shape in the rat and mouse (NHMRC Project Grant 01-03; #145782; CIA Morrison). The basis of this growth is blood vessel sprouting from the surface of the vessel bundle or loop, followed by synthesis of structural molecules and the migration of surrounding cells into the vascularised network to form a stable tissue. Unlike other in vivo models of tissue engineering, the tissue grows spontaneously and ....We are able to grow vascularised tissue in implanted plastic chambers to a predetermined size and shape in the rat and mouse (NHMRC Project Grant 01-03; #145782; CIA Morrison). The basis of this growth is blood vessel sprouting from the surface of the vessel bundle or loop, followed by synthesis of structural molecules and the migration of surrounding cells into the vascularised network to form a stable tissue. Unlike other in vivo models of tissue engineering, the tissue grows spontaneously and is densely vascularised, enabling continuous growth and surgically transfer to another part of the body, or to another animal. In this renewal application of the above NHMRC grant, we propose to direct these findings towards the development of vascularised fat tissue which would be ideal for reconstructive surgery as a stable, inert tissue filler. Our efforts to grow fat tissue in vivo to date have identified 4 major requirements: a fat precursor cell source; an instructive basement membrane matrix (which may include growth-differentiation factors); space into which the tissue can grow; a stable blood supply. We will focus here on optimising the precursor cell source and instructive matrix to generate vascularised fat tissue around the blood supply we can engender in our tissue engineering chamber. We have found Matrigel, a mouse tumor-derived matrix rich in basement membrane components, to be instructive for growing fat, and will also build on preliminary observations that either muscle or fat tissue can provide the appropriate precursor cells for this process. Finally we propose to adapt and upsize the vascularised fat tissue chamber to the pig, in a step towards human use, and assess its transplantability and longevity. The clinical application of our work is to produce breast reconstruction tissue and lipo filling for contour deformities resulting from trauma, congenital deformity, ageing and cancer surgery, particularly breast reconstruction.Read moreRead less
Identifying Strategies To Reduce The Risk Of Kneecap Arthritis After Serious Knee Ligament Injury
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$408,768.00
Summary
Early-onset kneecap arthritis, and associated pain and disability, affects younger adults at an alarming rate after serious knee ligament injury – “young people, old knees”. This research aims to identify modifiable risk factors for early-onset kneecap arthritis (reconstruction surgery, knee biomechanics and functional deficits) which will aid the development of interventions to minimise onset and progression of kneecap arthritis, and reduce the burden of this important public health problem.
Making Football Safe For Women: Implementing An Injury Prevention Program
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$842,951.00
Summary
The risk of serious knee injury in female football is high, and injuries are continuing to increase. In partnership with the AFL, Medibank, Aust. Physiotherapy Association, Australasian College of Sport and Exercise Physicians and Sports Medicine Australia we will aim to increase the use of a knee injury prevention program (Prep-to-Play) in ~4200 female community football players in the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction (ACLR) And Neuromuscular Training
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$99,248.00
Summary
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructive (ACLR) following ACL rupture is a successful surgery that improves stability of the knee joint. However, evidence is emerging that despite undergoing reconstructive surgery, osteoarthritis of the knee joint is prevalent in the proceeding years. The proposed research aims to improve biomechanical abnormalities by providing a neuromuscular intervention. This could lead to a more optimal biomechanical pattern which could reduce the degenerative changes occu ....Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructive (ACLR) following ACL rupture is a successful surgery that improves stability of the knee joint. However, evidence is emerging that despite undergoing reconstructive surgery, osteoarthritis of the knee joint is prevalent in the proceeding years. The proposed research aims to improve biomechanical abnormalities by providing a neuromuscular intervention. This could lead to a more optimal biomechanical pattern which could reduce the degenerative changes occurring within the knee of ACLR patients.Read moreRead less
Validation Of Non-invasive Finite Element Method Based Localization Of Seizure Onset Zone In Epilepsy Using EEG-MEG
Funder
National Health and Medical Research Council
Funding Amount
$87,191.00
Summary
Epileptic seizures in the brain are often focal. If anti-epileptic drugs are ineffective, a deep brain stimulator may be implanted to abort seizures at their onset or the seizure tissue may be removed. This project aims to locate the seizure tissue from non-invasive EEG-MEG recordings of seizure-like brain activity using a realistic computer model of the electromagnetic fields in the brain. Knowing the location more exactly will improve the outcomes of deep brain stimulation and removal surgery.