Scripps Health Receives $12.7 Million Grant for Knee Research

Scaffold-free tissue engineering differs from the more conventional method, in which transformed stem cells are embedded into a scaffold of fibers and grown into tissue. The new technique avoids limitations associated with scaffolds, such as poor integration and compatibility with host tissue. Scaffold-free tissue closely mimics cells in developing native tissue and have high potential for healing.

According to a report in the peer-reviewed medical journal Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research, cartilage injuries of the knee affect approximately 900,000 people annually in the United States. They also result in more than 200,000 surgical procedures, often involving repair of cartilage and underlying bone.

While research under the CIRM grant is focused on treating cartilage and bone damage in the knee, these injuries can also occur in joints such as the ankle, elbow, shoulder and hip. These conditions can be precursors to the more widespread joint disease, osteoarthritis.

In addition to Dr. D'Lima, the research team at Scripps Health includes Shawn Grogan, PhD; Steven Copp, MD, medical director of the musculoskeletal service line at Scripps Health; Samantha Bagsic, PhD, biostatistician; and Emily Martin and Grant Stinebaugh, project managers. Dr. Bugbee, along with Scripps Clinic orthopedic surgeons Heinz Hoenecke, MD and Tim Wang, MD, will lead the clinical aspects of the study, including design of the surgical procedure to be used on animal models. Martin Lotz, PhD, a renowned osteoarthritis researcher and professor in the department of molecular and cellular biology at Scripps Research, will serve as a consulting team member.

Clinical trials proposed in the IND will be designed and conducted by Scripps Clinical Research Services, led by its chief research officer, Addie Fortmann, PhD.

SCORE at Scripps Clinic was established by founding director Clifford Colwell, MD. Scientists and physicians at the center focus on breakthrough orthopedic research and treatments, including cartilage allografts; cartilage, bone and tendon tissue engineering; stem cell research; smart joint replacement implants and more.