Research Focus

The Orthopaedic Biomechanics Research Lab at University of Illinois at Chicago is directed by Farid Amirouche, PhD. The Laboratory conducts basic and applied research aimed at applying the principles of mechanics and materials science to understand and treat orthopaedic problems. Research projects of varying scope are undertaken in the Laboratory to address problems in musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis, spine deformity and various fusion techniques, fracture, and pain. Along with our orthopaedic faculty members we design courses and seminars to train residents, and fellows in the principles of scientific investigation.

Our research in joint mechanics seeks to combine laboratory experiments, motion analysis studies, and computer simulations. Our current research projects are centered on shoulder, hip and knee with our primary focus being on clinically-oriented research problems across the diverse spectrum of musculoskeletal biomechanics such as joint restoration and joint mechanics including TKA/THA, Cartilage regeneration-Knee repair, Patella instability, Knee balancing with soft tissue kinematics/kinetics, Spine/back pain with spine deformities, Shoulder injuryrotator cuff repair, Upper extremity biomechanics, computer navigation and sports medicine. Currently, our core work is on understanding total and reverse shoulder arthroplasty, rotator cuff repair, selection of artificial grafts and to study the resultant effects these procedures have on the kinematics and kinetics of the shoulder.

Equipment and Facilities

The Orthopaedic Biomechanics Research Lab is equipped with state-of-the-art equipment to examine the mechanical strength of musculoskeletal systems and implants, investigate the failure mechanism of bone-implant constructs, and study patients’ motion characteristics. The lab is also furnished with a powerful computer and sophisticated software for computer simulation and analysis of complex bone-implant constructs. Our computer generates patient-specific 3D geometric models based on CT/MRI images, performs virtual orthopedic surgery based on the patient’s computer model, analyzes the construct strength and evaluates the potential for longterm implant survival. We make use of the finite element method to model and examine the mechanics of soft and hard tissues such as a knee/hip joint. We have developed techniques to build subject-specific finite element models directly from medical image data such as CT, and MRI images. Our techniques also digitize and characterize the material of bone and soft tissues to provide an assessment used in measuring clinical outcomes. Most of our work deals with experimental validation using cadaveric specimens and identification of clinical advantages using sensory and imaging feedback.

Lab Goal

Our Goal is a commitment to excellence in Orthopaedic Research and our team has been
working diligently with the latest technologies to ensure that our patients have access to the most advanced treatment options.

James Kerns, PhD supervises the portion of the Orthopaedic research laboratory pertaining to neuromuscular-skeletal experiments using rat models with a focus on the nerves, particularly their injury and recovery. This is in conjunction with the interests of the Chairman (Dr. Mark Gonzalez), a dedicated research fellow, mechanical engineers (Dr. Farid Amirouche), residents interested in hand surgery and medical students furthering their research skills. Most studies involve microsurgical, histological and behavioral methods.

Research Focus

Professor Maria Siemionow’s research is primarily dedicated to exploring innovative strategies for achieving transplant tolerance, enhancing nerve regeneration, and advancing cell-based therapies in the field of regenerative medicine. The Microsurgery Research Laboratory, under her guidance, has been at the forefront of pioneering work in these areas.

Transplant Tolerance

In the context of transplantation, our Laboratory has made significant advancements in the realm of tolerance induction. We have established a novel protocol for achieving long-term tolerance across major histocompatibility complex barriers, utilizing bone marrow transplantation and chimerism in a well-established rat limb transplant model. These pioneering studies have paved the way for the development of a new line of donor-recipient chimeric cells (DRCC) created through ex vivo fusion of donor and recipient bone marrow- derived hematopoietic cells using PEG-mediated fusion procedure. Our research has demonstrated the tolerogenic potential of DRCC, leading to prolonged survival of vascularized composite allograft (VCA) without the need for immunosuppression. Furthermore, we have recently introduced human CD34-derived (Human Hematopoietic Chimeric Cells, HHCC) and human cord blood-derived (Human Umbilical Di-Chimeric Cell, HUDC and Human Multi-Chimeric Cell, HMCC) chimeric cell lines, as a novel therapeutic approach applicable to bone marrow, solid organ, and VCA transplants.

Cellular Therapies

Based on our experience in stem cell-based therapies, we have created new lines of Dystrophin Expressing Chimeric Cells (DEC). Our encouraging preclinical data, which showed promising results, were recently confirmed by recent clinical studies in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients. The safety of DEC therapy was confirmed by the lack of adverse events or severe adverse events, while its efficacy has been demonstrated by improvements in standard functional DMD tests up to 8 months after systemic-intraosseous DEC administration. Therefore, our novel cell-based DEC therapy offers a unique clinical approach
for protection of skeletal, cardiac, and respiratory muscle function following systemic-intraosseous administration to DMD patients.

Nerve Regeneration

Our Laboratory has also dedicated substantial efforts to the advancement of nerve regeneration techniques. We have designed a novel epineural conduit and patch, supported with mesenchymal stem cells, aimed at enhancing nerve regeneration properties. The effectiveness of these approaches has been confirmed through preclinical studies conducted in both small-rat (with a 2cm nerve defect) and large-sheep (with a 6cm nerve defect) animal
models. As we prepare for clinical application, human cadaver-based epineural conduits and patches are currently being tested in a nude rat model.

• Microsurgery Courses

The Orthopaedic Biomechanics Research Laboratory at the University of Illinois at Chicago is directed by Professor Farid Amirouche. The laboratory conducts basic and preclinical research using the principles of mechanics and materials science to understand and treat real-world orthopaedic problems. Most of our projects are cadaver-based studies. Our current research projects are centered on the shoulder, spine, and knee with our primary focus being on clinically-oriented research problems.

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