Investigators: Dr Richie Gill
Stream: PhD
Topic: Biomechanics/Biology (Knee)
Status: Starting on 1st April 2010
Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common disease which affects at least one joint in people over sixty-five. OA of the knee affects 34% of the population over 45 1. Recent figures from the USA predict the need for knee arthroplasty to grow by 673% by the year 2030 2.
End-stage disease has been well characterised and joint replacement has become a successful treatment. However much less is known about the earliest stages of the disease and its progression; this has important implications as subsequently there are no therapeutic methods available to modify the disease cause.
In order to find potential targets for therapeutic intervention we need to study cartilage at earlier stages in the disease process, in particular the initiating events. Although animal models can provide useful information regarding early changes, human tissue must be studied to develop this field to a point where therapies can be developed. Information regarding the mechanical properties of cartilage and its relationship to the matrix structure of cartilage will be a core part of understanding OA initiation.
The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the relationship between of matrix composition and mechanical properties of tibial cartilage in different regions of the human tibial plateau, investigating whether differences in matrix composition may be responsible for the initiation of OA at the specific sites within the knee.
The specific objectives are to:
- Characterise cartilage matrix composition of knee tibial plateau specimens from the following; normal young adult control tissue, age matched control tissue and damaged anteromedial OA and lateral OA tissue.
- Establish the mechanical properties of articular cartilage in the same regions of the same specimens.
- To correlate the mechanical properties to matrix changes found in different regions, with particular reference to the observed initiation sites of medial and lateral OA in the knee.
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