Center of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) for Skeletal Health and Repair

Phase II Projects

Investigator: Ying-jie (Angie) Guan, MD, PhD
Project 1: Mechanosomes Essential for Regulating Chondrocyte Differentiation

Investigator: Anthony M. Reginato, MD, PhD
Project 2: Articular Cartilage Calcification in Osteoarthritis

Investigator: Nicolas Fawzi, PhD
Project 3: Seeds of Protein Aggregation in Inclusion Body Myositis

Pilot Projects

Investigator: Wei Lu, PhD

Assistant Professor of Biomedical & Pharmaceutical Sciences
University of Rhode Island

Pilot Project: A Chemo-chrysotherapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis by Hollow Gold Nanospheres

Aim 1: NIR laser-triggered release of MTX from F-HAuNS-MTX and cytokine absorption by the de-pegylated gold nanoparticles.

Aim 2: Chemo-chrysotherapy for RA treatment by F-HAuNS-MTX. Highlights of research: We have found that the photothermally triggered de-pegylation liberates the surface of the hollow gold nanospheres and subsequently binds pro-inflammatory factors. This property may have potential to provide a photo-chrysotherapy to reduce the extracellular levels of pro-inflammatory proteins in rheumatoid arthritis.