MTF Awards $1.74 Million in 2017 Extramural Research Grants

EDISON, N.J., July 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation (MTF), the nation's leading tissue bank, today announced that 11 researchers from around the nation have received $1.74 million in funding through its 2017 Extramural Research Grants. This grant program has provided more than $50 million to advance allograft transplantation science and biological reconstruction since 1987.

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"MTF's mission has always included support for research, and as we have grown, we have been able to expand this support," said Bruce Stroever, President and Chief Executive Officer at MTF. "We see fueling innovation and advancement in transplantation science and biological reconstruction as an extension of our commitment to tissue donor families and recipients. We look forward to continuing to expand our grant program in the years to come, funding growing areas of research such as wound care."

In the last 30 years, MTF has awarded grants to more than 80 institutions and 200 principal investigators. Top funded institutions include University of California, Los Angeles, University of Rochester, Case Western Reserve University, University of Virginia, and Columbia University.

The 11 recipients selected for 2017 Extramural Research Grants are:

W.F. ENNEKING CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD: Named in honor of MTF's visionary co-founder, William Fisher Enneking, M.D., this award fosters the development of outstanding orthopaedic clinicians and enables them to expand their potential to make significant research contributions to the field of orthopaedics as clinician-scientists. 2017 grantee:

• Kristofer Jones, M.D., University of California, Los Angeles, "Biomechanical Evaluation of Contact Forces on Large Osteochondral Allografts: Effects of Graft Proudness, Donor Graft Sizing, and Medial-Lateral Graft Switching," $300,000

J.R. NEFF AWARD – HIGHEST PEER-RANKED PROPOSAL: Named in honor of the late orthopaedic surgeon and researcher, James R. Neff, M.D., this award goes to an individual whose work in the orthopaedics field embodies dedication, perseverance and intense curiosity. 2017 grantee:

• Clare Rimnac, Ph.D., Case Western Reserve University, "Is the Fatigue Life of Allograft Cortical Bone Sterilization Dose Dependent?", $300,000

PEER REVIEW AWARD – ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATOR: These grants are awarded to experienced researchers who wish to investigate new research areas. 2017 grantees:

• Curtis Cetrulo, Jr., M.D., Massachusetts General Hospital, "Co-stimulation Blockade-Based Regimens of Mixed Chimerism to Overcome Split Tolerance in VCA," $300,000
• Aaron James, M.D., Johns Hopkins University, "Bone Formation by Perivascular Stem Cells: Influence of Osteoporosis," $300,000

PEER REVIEW AWARD – JUNIOR INVESTIGATOR: These grants provide valuable funding to junior researchers at the beginning of their careers, allowing them to establish research projects to support future, larger grant applications. 2017 grantees:

• Abhijit Roy, Ph.D., University of Pittsburgh, "Novel Mg Alloy Based Biodegradable Porous Scaffolds for Bone Regeneration of Critical Sized Cranial Bone Defects," $100,000
• Dmitriy Sheyn, Ph.D., Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, "Neural Crest Cells Efficiently Revitalize Cranial Allografts," $100,000
• Ryan Warth, M.D., University of Texas Health Science Center-Houston, "Can We Improve Meniscal Healing in the Avascular Zone?: Fibrin Clot Augmentation with Stem Cells and Anti-Fibrotic Drugs," $100,000

OREF AWARD: Administered by the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation (OREF), this unrestricted research grant aids an investigator in funding an orthopaedic research project. 2017 grantee:

• Roman Eliseev, M.D., Ph.D., University of Rochester, "Improving Mitochondrial Function to Accelerate Bone Graft Healing," $100,000

HERNDON AWARDS: Named for MTF's first President, Charles H. Herndon, M.D., and administered through OREF, these unrestricted grants support orthopaedic resident research projects. 2017 grantees:

• Charles Hannon, M.D., Rush University, "The Influence of Amniotic Membrane and BMAC on Osteoarthritis," $20,000
• Alexander Jinnah, M.D., Wake Forest University, "The Healing Potential of a Decellularized, Deoxidized Porcine Bone Scaffold," $20,000

MSTS AWARD: Awarded in partnership with the Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS), this grant supports advances in the field of musculoskeletal oncology research related to transplantation of musculoskeletal allografts, bone regeneration, or biologic reconstruction. 2017 grantee:

• Thomas Scharschmidt, M.D., The Ohio State University, "Tension-Induced Periosteal Expansion: A Strategy for Managing Segmental Bone Defects," $100,000

MTF also funds grants provided through the Plastic Surgery Foundation and supports professional education for surgeons and nurses, along with other charitable outreach efforts. For information on how to apply for a research grant, contact Jeffrey Cartmell, Ph.D., Associate Director, Intellectual Property & Grants at 732-661-2151 or  [email protected]), or visit https://www.mtf.org/research_grant_programs.html.

About MTFMusculoskeletal Transplant Foundation (MTF) is a nonprofit organization based in Edison, N.J. It is a national consortium comprised of leading organ procurement organizations, tissue recovery organization and academic medical institutions. As the nation's largest tissue bank, MTF saves and heals lives by honoring donated gifts, serving patients and advancing science.  Since its inception in 1987, the organization has received tissue from more than 115,000 donors and distributed more than 7.5 million in allografts for transplantation. For more information, visit www.mtf.org.

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SOURCE Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation