Congratulations to Dr. Brittany Taylor for being awarded an Alliance for Regenerative Rehabilitation Research and Training (AR3T) pilot grant.
The AR3T Pilot Funding Program supports researchers in the development of innovative, interdisciplinary Regenerative Rehabilitation research projects.
The overall goal of her project titled “Mechano-Engineered Extracellular Vesicles for Targeted Tendon Repair” is to provide clinically relevant insights on the enhanced therapeutic potential of extracellular vesicles (EVs) to improve the quality and function of repaired tendons. Mechanical therapies demonstrate how critical physical forces are in physiological regulation of cells and tissue regeneration. However, the translation of the mechanical stimuli to the cellular-derived vesicles is not well understood. Addressing this knowledge gap will uncover information on the mechanical manipulation of EVs to control their regenerative potential. Therefore, the objectives of this pilot study are to investigate the influence of mechanotransduction on EV biogenesis and composition and establish mechano-engineered EVs as a tailored cell-free alternative to cellular-based therapies that can be applied broadly to other mechano-responsive tissues. This work, in collaboration with Dr Mei He in the Department of Pharmaceutics, UF College of Pharmacy, will advance the long-term translation of EV-based interventions for musculoskeletal applications.
Regenerative Rehabilitation is the integration of principles and approaches from the fields of rehabilitation science and regenerative medicine. Regenerative medicine focuses on the repair or replacement of tissue lost to injury, disease, or age, primarily via the enhancement of endogenous stem cell function or the transplantation of exogenous stem cells. A focus of Rehabilitation science is the use of mechanical and other physical stimuli to promote functional recovery. The objective of AR3T is to create synergies through the integration of these two approaches with the ultimate goal of optimizing independence and participation of individuals with disabilities.