Musculoskeletal Research Center

Washington University has a long record of excellence in musculoskeletal research and clinical care. 

The Musculoskeletal Research Center’s primary goal is to support the Research Community (97 members who have over 107 million dollars of annual research support – direct costs) in the development, implementation and evaluation of animal models for musculoskeletal biology and medicine.   This reflects the collective emphasis of the Research Community in the use of small animal models for basic and pre-clinical musculoskeletal research.  Historically, the primary focus of Center investigators has been elucidating the biology and biomechanics of musculoskeletal cells and tissues, including cartilage, bone, tendon, ligament and intervertebral disc.  This remains an important thrust of our research.  Yet we have broadened our approaches in the past decade to better address musculoskeletal medicine and the development of therapeutic strategies that can be tested initially in small animals.  Our basic and translational research efforts will be directed toward an understanding of musculoskeletal biology at the molecular, cellular and tissue levels with the goal that such studies will directly impact our understanding of the pathophysiology of osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, muscular dystrophy, osteochondrodysplasias as well as regeneration of bone, cartilage, tendon and muscle.

---