Overview and Facilities

Research is focused on the endocrinological and nutritional
factors which influence the pace on bone turnover, and how those
factors can be modulated by environmental factors/cues (light-dark
cycle, feeding schedule, etc.) which play an important role in
physiologic and pharmacologic behavior of skeletal tissue cells.
Work in the laboratory has also involved the physiology of
fracture/wound healing, alkaline earth metabolism in laboratory
animals and biomaterials such as charged resins. We seek to
understand the interrelationships between bone and marrow cells
which appear to play such an important role in the development of
osteoporosis and other metabolic bone diseases.
Faculty and Personnel
Lin Xiang Bi, M.D.
Current Projects
- Bone turnover & remodeling:
a) Marrow stromal cells
b) Electrically charged dextran resins
c) Spaceflight
- Lumbar vertebral instability (animal and human models):
a) An acute traumatic episode
b) Biomaterials for vertebral body fusion
- Fracture healing and the effect of cytokines.
- Bone lengthening:
a) irradiation
b) cytokines