Research
Skeletal, dental, and connective tissue biology research at McGill is, and has long been, world-class. A large group of researchers has been assembled to consolidate our strength in researching fundamental questions pertaining to mineralized tissue and extracellular matrix biology, the influence of the skeleton in organ and tissue cross-talk, and translational research and clinical trials in these fields.
Knowledge translation goals
Our research will:
- provide new therapies that enhance mineralization in soft bones and teeth and limit ectopic, debilitating pathologic calcification;
- provide new animal models for studying connective tissue disorders and organ cross-talk;
- provide tissue-engineered, synthetic, bioactive extracellular matrix grafts for implantation into connective tissues;
- in collaboration with the Integrated Clinical and Applied Biomedical Sciences cluster, provide protein/peptide-activated implantable devices for connective tissue and mineralized tissue healing and regeneration.
Tenured and Tenure-Track Researchers
Mari Kaartinen
- Bone formation
- Osteoblast differentiation and signaling
- Matrix biology
- Transglutaminase enzymes
Marc McKee
- Biomineralization
- Mineralized Tissues
- Bone
- Teeth
- Extracellular Matrix Biology
- Pathologic Calcification
Pierre Moffatt
- Osteogenesis imperfecta
- Osteoblast and chondrocyte differentiation and function
- Genetically engineered mouse models
- Tooth mineralization and gingival seal
- Fundamental and applied cellular and molecular mechanisms of mineralized tissue development and associated genetic disorders
Monzur Murshed
- Transgenic models
- Bone remodelling
- Bone mineralization
- Osteoblastogenesis
- Arterial calcification
Dieter Reinhardt
- Extracellular matrix
- Connective tissue disorders
- Fibrillins
- Microfibrils
- Protein function
Faleh Tamimi
- Machine learning
- Tissue pathologies
- Biomaterials
- Bone fractures
- Osteoperosis
- Oral cancer
Bettina Willie
- Skeletal Mechanobiology
- Osteocytes
- Bone healing
- Bone adaptation
- Rare bone diseases
- Microcomputed tomography
- Circadian rhythms in bone
- Multiple myeloma bone disease
Elizabeth Zimmermann
- Materials characterization
- Mechanical behavior of materials and tissues
- Structure-function relationships
- Pre-clinical and clinical imaging of mineralized tissues
Associate Members
Natalie Reznikov
- Structural water and its role in the architecture and mechanical behavior of natural and engineered materials
- Pre-stress in natural materials, and its implementation in biomimetic materials
- Structure-function relationships in living organisms (animals and plants)
- Biomineralization
- 3D-imaging, and deep learning in image processing