University of Virginia Health System

The NIH-Funded UVA Training Program in Musculoskeletal Research

The University of Virginia, Department of Orthopaedics currently runs an NIH-funded Training Program in Musculoskeletal Research.  The primary goal is to train postdoctoral fellows with Ph.D., or M.D. and Ph.D. degrees in the field of musculoskeletal research with an emphasis on multidisciplinary approaches that emphasize research translation from musculoskeletal basic science to tissue repair and regeneration and the treatment of musculoskeletal conditions as a preparative step that will lead these candidates to careers in academic settings.

Each year, two orthopaedic surgery residency applicants are selected to participate in the training program, and are matched in our 6-yr Academic Orthopaedist Training Program (AOTP) track.  AOTP residents spend their PGY-2 year (between internship and clinical second year) working as research fellows within one of our funded musculoskeletal reasearch laboratories.  The program follows a commitment of 80% to research and 20% to clinical activity.  This unique permutation serves as a strong foundation for achieving one of the primary goals of the program in future clinician scientists.  Candidates with the highest qualifications based on their previous achievement in medical school and/or graduate schools will be considered for the fellowships as trainees.  This and a convincing interest to move into and obtain a strong training in musculoskeletal investigation are the primary determining factors in deciding and selecting from the applicant pool.

The AOTP track provides and excellent foundation for a career in research and the examples of faculty-preceptors and others has encouraged trainees to consider a career opportunity they did not have prior to this training.  Through interactions with preceptors who conduct basic research and also dealing with research in the clinical setting, trainees have a unique perspective on the importance of their research.

The preceptorship for this training program comes from a wide variety of areas and includes individuals whose interests are relevant to tissue regeneration from the clinical perspective to the basic science of cell and molecular biology, genetics and biomechanics of tissues.

The training faculty of this program has interests and expertise in four interrelated areas of musculoskeletal research.  These are: (1) development, morphogenesis and tissue regeneration, (2) graft design, host response and immunology, (3) adhesion, migration, cell signaling and differentiation, and (4) mesenchymal cells, tissue targeting and cell based gene therapy.  These basic research areas are the foundation for future translation of knowledge and technology that will enhance treatments for soft tissue repair, fracture care and bone regeneration, injuries to the spine, joint reconstruction surgery and bone metastasis.

Current Research