Grants We Funded

Abstract
It is estimated that 50-60% of all extremity injuries in the US military are complicated by delayed heterotopic ossification (HO). Although not fatal, the considerable morbidity associated with HO includes pain, inability to fit amputation prosthesis properly, and a grotesque appearance to the extremity that prevents proper psycho/social rehabilitation. The estimated 50,000-battlefield injuries secondary to Operation Iraqi and Enduring Freedom has increased awareness of this entity beyond orthopedic surgeons who have traditional treated HO. There is evidence that muscle derived progenitor cells (MDC)s have osteogenic potential and are the source of the structurally sound mature endochondrial bone formed in HO. We seek to establish a murine translational HO model to harness MDC mediated osteogenesis. Although the initial goals of my research include the understanding and inhibition of the processes of HO, the information that will be gained in pursuit of these goals should be directly applicable to strategies designed to enhance or induce bone regeneration. If we understand how to stop bone from forming, we may better understand how to initiate bone formation. Our laboratory has established a technique for isolating MDCs from murine muscle. We have also fabricated 3D cell cultures and gathered preliminary data that suggests the osteogenic potential of these MDCs. In this study, we hypothesize that MDCs isolated from murine muscle will display in vitro osteoegenic differentiation in response to osteoinductive factors. We expect cyclical motion and inflammatory mediators (both being intrinsic to the HO process) to further enhance the in vitro osteogenic differentiation of MDCs. Finally, we hypothesize that osteoinduced MDCs will promote in vivo bone growth when implanted into heterotopic locations or into large orthotopic defects in syngeneic animals.

Biography
Anand R. Kumar, MD was recruited to Pittsburgh from Bethesda, MD, where he served as Director and Staff Pediatric Plastic Surgeon of the Military Craniofacial Unit at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. He previously acted as Division Chief in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery at the National Naval Medical Center in Bethesda. Dr. Kumar completed a fellowship in craniofacial surgery/pediatric plastic surgery at the University of California at Los Angeles. While in Los Angeles, Dr. Kumar also completed a residency in plastic and reconstructive surgery. He received additional training in general surgery at the Mayo Clinical Graduate School of Medicine; Rochester, MN. Dr. Kumar obtained his medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in Bronx, NY. His clinical practice focuses on craniofacial surgery including the correction of pediatric and adolescent facial skeletal deformities and airway obstruction using traditional orthognathic surgery and distraction osteogenesis. His basic science research is focused on combat casualty care related to heterotrophic bone formation and harnessing its potential for structural bone regeneration.