Objective
Articular cartilage serves as a load bearing material for synovial joints, transmitting loads while maintaining low friction and wear. Progressive degeneration of the tissue leads to osteoarthritis (OA), a debilitating condition characterized by pain and severe limitations in mobility. OA is highly prevalent amongst the EU population and is associated with significant economic burdens. An improved understanding of the underlying mechanisms that defeat normal tissue maintenance and lead to joint degeneration is critical for the development of successful treatment strategies. This project examines a newly hypothesized intrinsic repair mechanism in articular cartilage, mediated by the extracellular activation of large stores of latent (inactive) TGF-beta through the action of chondrocyte-secreted proteases. This proposal hypothesizes that this mechanism maintains cartilage homeostasis in response to a wide range of physiologic mechanical loading conditions, but is unable to maintain tissue subjected to excessive loading, as seen in OA associated risk factors (e.g. joint instability, high impact activities). This hypothesized mechanism will be investigated through the implementation of an in vitro experimental model system, consisting of the mechanical loading of articular cartilage explants and the sophisticated biochemical analysis of resulting TGF-beta activation and microstructural alterations to the cartilage ECM. This state-of-the-art proposal represents an exciting, unique opportunity to bring together the complementary skillsets of the candidate and the Stevens Group, with their respective expertise in biomechanics and biochemistry, to uncover fundamental mechanisms in cartilage mechanobiology. This mutually beneficial cooperation between Europe and the U.S. can promote the development of successful treatments for OA, including tissue engineering and molecular intervention strategies that will impact the EU community at large.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences biological sciences biochemistry
- medical and health sciences medical biotechnology tissue engineering
- natural sciences biological sciences biophysics
- medical and health sciences basic medicine physiology homeostasis
You need to log in or register to use this function
We are sorry... an unexpected error occurred during execution.
You need to be authenticated. Your session might have expired.
Thank you for your feedback. You will soon receive an email to confirm the submission. If you have selected to be notified about the reporting status, you will also be contacted when the reporting status will change.
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
FP7-PEOPLE-2013-IIF
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Coordinator
SW7 2AZ London
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.