Mark Buckley among 2016 AOFAS Research Grant Award recipients
BME Professor Mark Buckley and his collaborators A. Samuel Flemister (Orthopaedics), Alayna Loiselle (Center for Musculoskeletal Research) and Michael Richards (Surgery) were awarded a 2016 AOFAS Research Grant earlier this month for their project entitled, “In Vitro Assessment of the Role of Mechanical Strain in the Pathogenesis and Reversal of Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy.” This was announced at AOFAS Specialty Day on March 5 in Orlando, Florida. Insertional Achilles tendinopathy (IAT) is a common and painful disorder that responds poorly to conservative (i.e., non-operative) care. Improved outcomes for IAT patients require interventions that target the fundamental causes of the disease. Thus, this study seeks to elucidate 1) how mechanical deformations occurring in the Achilles tendon insertion can lead to IAT pathogenesis (using an in vitro model); and 2) whether the IAT-associated changes can be reversed in vitro by specific mechanical loading regimens. The findings of this study will motivate effective, targeted non-surgical therapies for IAT.