The group focuses on three main aspects of tissue engineering: stem cells, genes and biomaterials. The group has developed substantial expertise in skeletal tissue injury models in rodents, which include critical size bone defects, chondral and osteochondral defects and tendon tears in mice and rats. Furthermore, the lab is a pioneer in the use of molecular and micro imaging in skeletal repair. Role and contribution: isolation and genetic engineering of adult mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), labelling of MSCs with nanoparticles, in vivo injection of labelled MSCs into rat intervertebral disc (IVD), generation of rat IVD degeneration, perform all molecular biology assays required for the invasive bio-distribution of MSCs at distant organs, including quantitative RT-PCR.
Yoram Zilberman
Ph.D., D.M.D., is a senior technician at the Skeletal
Biotech Lab, who specializes in small animal skeletal repair models. Dr.
Zilberman is in charge of the in vivo
induction of skeletal injuries in rodents (e.g. intervertebral disc
degeneration) and the implantation of stem cells for the repair of the injury.