In this issue:
Research Strengthens with External Support

Collaboration Targets New Funding for Engineering Stem Cells
Center Director, Roy Aaron, M.D., together with Co-Principal Investigators, Jeffrey Morgan, Ph.D., and James Padbury, M.D., have been awarded $1.4M from the Department of Defense for "Engineering Replacement Tissues with Amniotic Stem Cells".

Gait Lab Director Leads VR Study
Susan D'Andrea, Ph.D., Director, of The Gait and Motion Analysis Laboratory has been appointed Principal Investigator of a Department of Defense award for $849,000 for "Virtual Reality in Motion Analysis to Characterize Disabilities in Lower Limb Injury".

William Warren, Ph.D, Accepts Endowed Chair
Center Investigator, Professor, and Chair of Cognitive & Linguistic Sciences, William Warren, Ph.D., has accepted the Chancellor's Professor of Cognitive, Linquistic, and Psychological Sciences Endowment.

Thomas Webster, Ph.D., Receives Several Grants
Center Investigator, Thomas Webster, Ph.D. Director of the Brown University Nanomedicine Laboratory has received multiple grants; including NIH, NSF, and industry awards.

Collaboration Targets New Funding for Engineering Stem Cells

Center Director, Roy Aaron, M.D., together with Co-Principal Investigators, Jeffrey Morgan, Ph.D., Co-Director, Center for Biomedical Engineering, and James Padbury, M.D., Chief of Pediatrics at Women and Infants Hospital have been awarded $1.4M from the Department of Defense for “Engineering Replacement Tissues with Amniotic Stem Cells”. The goals of this research program are to explore the inter-relationships of amniotic stem cell populations with 3-D matrices subjected to mechanical loading to fabricate a cartilage substitute with improved mechanical properties.  Dr. Padbury has an extensive background in cell and molecular biology, experience with stem cell based strategies for organ repair and regeneration, and use of primary cells from amniotic tissues and cord blood. Dr. Morgan’s expertise includes biomedical engineering strategies for 3-D cellular growth. Dr. Aaron is the Director of the Orthopaedic Cell Biology Laboratory and has experience in chondrogenic cell differentiation and biophysical manipulation of connective tissues.

This program brings together researchers from the University and two hospital laboratories and epitomizes interdisciplinary and inter-institutional collaborations.

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Susan D’Andrea, Ph.D., Director, of The Gait and Motion Analysis Laboratory has been appointed Principal Investigator of a Department of Defense award for $849,000 for “Virtual Reality in Motion Analysis to Characterize Disabilities in Limb Injury”. These studies will compare intraoperative reconstruction data for Anterior Cruciate Ligament tears with postoperative function measured in the Gait Lab and in a virtual reality environment (VENLab).  Dr. D’Andrea is also the site Principal Investigator for two other DoD awards totaling $350,000.  The first study, “Variable-Stiffness Knee Orthosis for Gait Assistance and Rehabilitation” will develop a knee orthosis which will significantly reduce energy expenditure compared to standard prostheses.  The second study, “Improved Socket Performance and Fit for Transfemoral Amputees” will develop a user-adjustable volume socket for transfemoral and transtibial amputees that will provide the user with increased pressure for performance driven activities and decreased pressure as desired. Dr. D’Andrea recently received an industry award from Profoot in the amount of $46,140 for “Biomechanical Evaluation of Insoles Designed to Reduce Lower Limb Injuries in Military Recruits”.  The goal is to develop an improved insole which will decrease pressure on the metatarsal heads during running and other strenuous activities required of military personnel that often lead to stress fractures.

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Center Investigator, Professor, and Chair of Cognitive & Linguistic Sciences, William Warren, Ph.D. has accepted the Chancellor's Professor of Cognitive, Linguistic, and Psychological Sciences Endowment, one of three awarded from the support of Brown University Chancellor Thomas J. Tisch.  As Director of the VENLab, Dr. Warren’s research focuses on the visual control of locomotion and navigation, combining experiments in a large-scale virtual environment (the VENLab) with dynamic systems modeling. The VENLab is collaborating with the Center on several projects involving lower extremity injury and gait disturbances.  Dr. Warren earned an undergraduate degree at Hampshire College (1976), a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Connecticut (1982), and did post-doctoral work at the University of Edinburgh (1983). He is author of over 85 research articles and chapters, the editor of two volumes, and the recipient of an NSF Graduate Fellowship, a National Research Service Award from NIH, a Fulbright Research Fellowship, a Research Career Development Award from NIMH, and Brown's Elizabeth Leduc Teaching Award for Excellence in the Life Sciences.

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Thomas Webster, Ph.D., Receives Several Grants

Center Investigator Thomas Webster, Ph.D., Director of the Brown University Nanomedicine Laboratory which designs, synthesizes, and evaluates nanomaterials for various implant applications, has received multiple grants.  Dr. Webster is a recent recipient of an NIH award of $200,000 for “Creation of the First Nanostructured Synthetic Regenerative Bladder Graft Material”. The objective of this study is to modify traditional materials used as bladder grafts to possess nanoscale surface features to improve bladder tissue regeneration and decrease calcium stone formation.  Dr. Webster has also been awarded $300,000 from the NSF for “Carbon Nanotubes to Reverse Neural Tissue Damage”.  The objective of this program is to develop carbon nanotubes which can control stem cell differentiation to return motor function to damaged neural tissue.  $1.3M has also been awarded to Dr. Webster from various industries such as: 21st Century Fund, Boston Scientific, Coloplast, Inc., Electronics, Inc., Covidien, Ionic Fusion, Inc., Transparent Nanomaterials, Inc., and Glidewell Laboratories, Inc.

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