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We use next generation sequencing approaches to address unmet clinical need in musculoskeletal tissue repair

Close up of cells

Understanding tissue signatures and cell-biomaterial interactions to improve soft tissue repair

The Snelling group focuses on developing and delivering physiologically-informed biomaterial-based repair strategies for diseased soft tissues including tendons, ligaments, cartilage and synovium.  We work closely with our clinical partners to ensure both ongoing, well-curated access to carefully phenotyped tissues and clinical insight to study design and goals. This unique tissue access enables us to interrogate and define the molecular and cellular signatures of tissue health and disease. These signatures provide critical metrics for evaluating and testing repair strategies for musculoskeletal tissues, and for comparisons with in vitro and in vivo disease models.

Key ongoing projects within our group include:

The Tendon Seed Network 

The Tendon Seed Network aims to deliver spatially resolved transcriptomic maps of healthy human tendons to the Human Cell Atlas. We are using single nuclei RNAseq, Spatial Transcriptomics and Extracellular Matrix analysis methods to map tendons across multiple anatomical and microanatomical sites. 

Inflammation and fibrosis in osteoarthritis

Synovial inflammation and fibrosis is a hallmark of OA. This work aims to define the critical cellular drivers of synovial inflammation and fibrosis in OA and to understand their effect on the whole joint organ. In combination with our biomaterials work we aim to assess how biophysical cues can mediate the effects of these critical drivers of synovial inflammation and inform development of in vitro models of OA.  

Cell-Biomaterial Interactions for Soft Tissue Repair

Surgical repair of diseased tendon and ligaments is prone to failure. We utilise biomimetic, electrospun biomaterials that modify the activity of endogenous immune and stromal cells from diseased and healthy tendons and ligaments. We are investigating how modifying the chemistry and topography of electrospun biomaterials can modify inflammation to drive non-fibrotic repair of these musculoskeletal soft tissues.

 

An ANCESTRALLY INCLUSIVE ATLAS OF THE SOFT AND HARD MUSCULOSKELETAL SYSTEM

Building upon the expertise leveraged within the Tendon Seed Network, we are working across international sites to ensure ancestrally diversity is included within cellular atlases of the musculoskeletal system. Within this project we have also developed protocols for single-nuclei analysis of bone as well as soft tissues, and are working with our international partners to address the logistical challenges of cellular atlasing in settings with diverse infrastructures. 

 

Selected publications

Related research themes