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Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF)

OREF is dedicated to being the leader in supporting research that improves function, eliminates pain and restores mobility

OREF
Rosemont, IL

Dr. Christopher Mendias – Hospital for Special Surgery

New York City, NY

The National Stem Cell Foundation partnered with the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation to support the work of Dr. Christopher Mendias at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City.

Rotator cuff disease is a frequent and debilitating upper extremity injury. Even after surgical repair, patients with chronic rotator cuff tears often fail to return to full function and experience persistent pain and disability. Cells harvested from the stromal vascular fraction of subcutaneous adipose tissue (SVFCs) have been shown in preclinical studies to possess the ability to enhance the regeneration of musculoskeletal tissues.

Dr. Mendias is conducting a phase II clinical trial to determine if this promising and practical autologous cell therapy can improve outcomes for patients with chronic rotator cuff tears who undergo surgical repair.

Dr. Brian Feeley – University of California, San Francisco

San Francisco, CA

At UCSF, the National Stem Cell Foundation partnered with the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation to support the work of Dr. Brian Feeley. Rotator cuff (RC) tears are the most common shoulder injury, affecting up to 50% of the population over 65. After injury and repair, changes in the muscle can influence clinical outcomes. Dr. Feeley is working with a newly discovered muscle stem cell population to investigate new treatment options and improve clinical outcomes for these debilitating injuries.

Dr. Geoffrey Baer – University of Wisconsin

Madison, WI

The National Stem Cell Foundation partnered with the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) to support the work of Dr. Geoffrey Baer at the University of Wisconsin, Madison. Ligament and tendon injuries are extremely common clinical problems that often result in scar formation and incomplete recovery. Dr. Baer and his team are working with mesenchymal stem cells (MSC’s) and gene delivery strategies to develop novel therapies for better clinical outcomes.

Dr. Jeffrey Spang and Dr. Elizabeth Loboa – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC

The National Stem Cell Foundation partnered with the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF) to support research being conducted by Drs. Jeffrey Spang and Elizabeth Loboa at UNC Chapel Hill. Drs. Spang and Loboa are using stem cell guided 3-D tissue engineering to create functional osteochondral grafts to repair or replace articular cartilage in the knee. Osteoarthritis, a common condition of cartilage failure that can lead to limited range of motion, bone damage and debilitating pain, is the most common cause of disability among U.S. adults.