The Musculoskeletal Regeneration Lab, directed by Dr. Chelsea Shields Bahney, is focused on developing translationally relevant therapies or diagnostics that improve musculoskeletal health. While the lab has broad interests in regenerative medicine, we primarily focus on the process of endochondral ossification, which is the mechanism of indirect bone formation by which cartilage transforms into bone during fracture healing, embryonic development, postnatal growth, and osteoarthritis. The laboratory’s research approach is built on a combination of engineering and biology, with the driving principle of improving tissue regeneration by engineering systems that promote the normal sequences of development or repair in systems that are disrupted by injury (fracture, radiation) or age. Our laboratory performs high-impact research that is published in top journals with over 50 peer-reviewed publications and Google Scholar reporting over 2600 citations at the start of 2024. Furthermore, our translational research focus has generated 18 patents /patent applications and a NIH/CIRM funded start-up company.

Given the laboratory’s cross-disciplinary approach to regenerative medicine, the Musculoskeletal Regeneration Lab uses Team Science to solve unmet clinical needs both within the Department of Orthopaedics, with other UCSF Departments (Cell & Developmental Biology, Bioengineering, Anesthesia, and Anatomy) and across other Research Institutes creating a wonderful network of collaboration. In 2023 these collaborations led to a diverse set of publications as listed below. The Musculoskeletal Regeneration Lab’s research priorities for the next few years are to: (1) develop novel therapeutics to accelerate fracture repair, (2) define biomarkers of fracture healing to be used in clinical trials, (3) measure and modulate pain during fracture repair, (4) understand the role of immunosenescence in fracture healing.

Dr. Bahney's expertise in fracture repair and tissue engineering has led to multiple national and international leadership positions. In 2014 she was nominated to the Advocacy Committee at the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS), transitioned to Advocacy Chair in 2016, served on the Board of Directors as Chair of the Communication Council (2018-2020), and just completed a term as President of the International Section of Fracture Repair (2020 – 2023). Currently, she serves on the Board of the Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine International Society (TERMIS) as Global Treasurer (2019-2024), the Orthopaedic Trauma Association (OTA) Strategic Initiative Committee (2020-2026), and the AO Foundation Craniomaxillofacial R&D Commission. Finally, in 2022 she joined the Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine as an Associate Editor.

2023 Research Manuscripts*

1. Nelson AL, Gontana G, Chobb L, Choe J, Williams K, Regan D, Huard J, Murphy W, Ehrhart NE, Bahney CS. Mineral coated microparticles doped with fluoride and complexed with mRNA prolong transfection in fracture healing. Frontiers in Bioengineering & Biotechnology.  Volume 11 - 2023 | doi: 10.3389/fbioe.2023.1295313
2. Nelson, AL; O’Hara KM; Nolte PC; Fukase N; Murata Y; Tross A; Bernholt DL; Huard J; Millett PJ*; Bahney CS*. Engineered decellularized tendon matrix putty preserves native tendon bioactivity to promote cell proliferation and enthesis repair. Journal of Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine. 2023 Vol. 2023 Pages 466579 | doi: 10.1155/2023/4665795 *Co-corresponding.
3. Waltz RA, Whitney KE, Duke VR, Kloser H, Huard C, Provencher MT, Philippon MJ, Bahney CS, Godin JA, Huard J. A Systemic and Local Comparison of Senescence in an Acute Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury—A Pilot Case Series. Life. 15 July 2023.
4. Rivera KO, Cuylear DL, Duke V, O’Hara KM, Kharbikar BN, Kryger AN, Miclau T, Bahney CS, Desai TA. Localized delivery of β-NGF via injectable microrods accelerates endochondral fracture repair. Frontiers in Bioengineering & Biotechnology. 22 May 2023.
5. Hambright WS, Xiaodong Mu, Yohei Kawakami, John Mitchell, Michael Mullen, Anna-Laura Nelson, Bahney CS, Xueqin Gao, Justin Hellwinkel, Andrew Eck, and Johnny Huard. The senolytic drug fisetin attenuates bone degeneration in the Zmpste24-/- progeria mouse model. Journal of Osteoporosis. 22 Feb 2023
6. Yamaura K; Sather NA; Metlushko A; Nishimura H; Pavlovic RZ; Hambright WS; Ravuri SK; Philippon MJ; Stupp SI; Bahney CS*; Huard J.* Sustained-release losartan from peptide nanofibers promotes chondrogenesis. Frontiers in Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology. Research Topic: Nanofibrous Biomaterials for Biomedical Applications. 06 Feb 2023. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2023.1122456. *Co-Submitting
7. Fok SW; Gresham RCH; Ryan W; Osipov B; Bahney C, Leach JK. Macromolecular crowding and decellularization techniques increase the growth factor binding potential of cell-secreted extracellular matrices. Frontiers in Biomaterials and Biotechnology. Volume 11, 06 February 2023. https://doi.org/10.3389/fbioe.2023.1122456
8. Haffner-Lutzer M; Weber B; Morioka K; Lackner I; Fischer V; Bahney CS; Igantius A; Kalbitz M; Marcuicio RS; Micalu T. Altered early immune response after fracture and traumatic brain injury. Frontiers in Immunology. Volume 14, 25 January 2023. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2023.1074207

*Complete list of publications:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/?term=Bahney+CS%5BAuthor%5D&page=3&sort=date

Other Significant 2023 Highlights

• PhD Candidate and CCMBM member Nafisa Elghazali awarded an NIH Diversity Award on Dr. Bahney’s R01 in collaboration with Dr. Tejal Desai titled “Dual Delivery of Bioactive and Anti-Microbial Nanowires for Accelerated Bone Repair”.
• Drs. Bahney, Jarret Weinrich (Anesthesia), and Allan Bausbaum (Anatomy) were awarded a NIH Heal Award to study pain in fracture healing.
• Drs Bahney and Knox were awarded a $2.3M CIRM Tran 1 Grant for their work to regenerate salivary glands using a neuromimetic hydrogel.
• Best Paper Award from the Journal of Orthopaedic Research for our work by Mullen MM et al titled “Exosome Production, Function, and miRNA Cargo in C2C12 Muscle Progenitor Cells” 
• Successfully completed the CCMBM Funded UCSF/Buck/SPRI Musculoskeletal Performance Research Program on the Impact of Cellular Senescence on the Fracture Phenotype.