409-772-2222

1-800-917-8906

 

Musculoskeletal Physiology and Histomorphometry Laboratory

 

Faculty and Personnel

Zbigniew Gugala, MD, PhD

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.

Current Projects

1. Bone turnover & remodeling:
   a) Marrow stromal cells
   b) Electrically charged dextran resins
   c) Spaceflight

2. Lumbar vertebral instability (animal and human models):
   a) An acute traumatic episode
   b) Biomaterials for vertebral body fusion

3. Fracture healing and the effect of cytokines.

4. Bone lengthening:
   a) irradiation
   b) cytokines