Bone and Mineralized Tissue Biology in Health and Disease

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.

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
	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