Project Grant R01AR083445

This federal Project Grant award, valued at $626,879.00, was awarded by the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) under the Arthritis, Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases Research program (CFDA 93.846). The research aims to explore a novel mouse model of large-scale bone regeneration to unravel the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing the initiation and coordination of bone repair following extensive injuries. Specifically, the research will investigate the role of a sentinel-type Sox9-expressing cell population in triggering the activation of the bone repair process and recruiting other cell types, including bone marrow-derived cells, to facilitate robust callus formation spanning the injury site. The project will provide critical insights into the key cell types and mechanisms driving large-scale bone repair in a mammalian model, which could inform future pre-clinical studies targeting challenging skeletal injuries in patients. The award period runs from August 16, 2024 to June 30, 2029 and will be carried out by the University of Southern California.