Resource Cores for Musculoskeletal Biology Research

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT Musculoskeletal disease and disorders affect 1 out of 2 Americans and continue to be responsible for the majority of physician/hospital visits and medical costs. Addressing this serious health issue requires teams of investigators and clinical scientists with training and experience in studying the tissues and organs of the musculoskeletal system

as well as their interactions with other body systems. The Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health, ICMH, was established in 2017 to address this need. The over 100 ICMH members, from 5 schools and 26 departments, have formed focused research teams to investigate specific musculoskeletal health issues such as post-traumatic

osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, sarcopenia, and fracture healing, as well as the musculoskeletal impacts and contribution in systemic disease processes such as aging, diabetes, cancer cachexia, renal disease and others. To identify targetable cellular and molecular mechanisms involved or responsible for these conditions, investigators

collaborate in areas as diverse as periodontal disease, muscle/bone crosstalk, osteosarcopenia, and osteocyte mechanobiology and function. The goal of the ICMH Resource Cores, ICMH-RC, is to promote and support advancements in the field of musculoskeletal research through understanding muscle/bone interactions, mechanobiology,

and the roles of the musculoskeletal system beyond movement. To accomplish this goal, it is imperative individual investigators and research teams have access to core facilities that provide services and cutting-edge technology specific to bone/cartilage/connective tissue and muscle. The ICMH-RC will be composed of the Ad

min/ Enhancement Core, Core A and three resource cores: Core B: Histology and Histomorphometry core, Core C: Systems Biology and Multi-Omics core, and Core D: Mechanobiology/3D Bioprinting Core. The Ad min Core will not only be responsible for efficient and productive operations of these cores but also for the selection of promising

pilot applications proposing novel yet feasible concepts in the study and treatment of musculoskeletal disease. Core A will also place high priority on the training not only of faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and graduate students, but also will introduce underserved high school students and faculty to the field of musculoskeletal research to

ensure that the next generation of critical musculoskeletal scientists, engineers, and physicians will comprise a diverse and well-trained workforce. New cutting-edge technologies such as 3D tissue and organ bioprinting will be further developed. The ICMH-RC will interface with the clinical cores of the ICMH Clinical Research Center, ICMH

CRC, to promote transfer of discovery to clinical application, using the "bench-to-bedside" translational approach to achieve the ultimate goals of musculoskeletal research.