Stem Cell Therapy that Allows Cartilage Regeneration

Amaya Jernigan* and Ming Pei, Cancer Institute Research Program, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506

Field (Broad Category): Biology (Biological & Biochemical Sciences) 

Student’s Major: Biology 

The overall problem is that cartilage defects have limited ability to self- heal. Many Orthopedic doctors and surgeons are trying to figure out how to repair and create more cartilage cells from what is readily available to them in surgery. There are popular techniques for replacing cartilage such as microfracture, osteochondral autograft, and synthetic scaffold. These methods are fine for short term and patients who are under the age of 45. Scientists and many Doctors are searching for better techniques that last longer and are efficient for every age group. What Dr. Pei’s research is focusing on is the stem cell therapy method. This method is focused on a minimally invasive approach that allows stem cells that have been extracted from bone marrow, synovial tissue or adipose to be injected into defect areas to hopefully yield essential cartilage cells, less inflammation, and the release of certain proteins. This method of stem cell therapy is fairly new and has many different approaches. The problem that most researchers are having is that when they take the stem cell out of the origin and the stem cell tending to in vitro replicative senescence becomes a challenge to acquiring large quantities and high quality stem cells. Dr. Pei’s research focuses on how to maintain the stemness of these stem cells to further replicate the specific cell type and make more durable stem cells that allow cartilage regeneration. 

Funding: Unkown 

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU's Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) & accompanying HONR 297-level course