Professor Mark Buckley receives NIH funding for research project
Professor Mark Buckley has received an NIH Research Project Grant (R01) for his project, "Modulation of Insertional Achilles Tendinopathy by Multiaxial Mechanical Strains.” Insertional Achilles tendinopathy (IAT) is a common and painful disease that responds poorly to conservative (i.e., non-operative) care. Improved outcomes for IAT patients require interventions that target its fundamental cause. Thus, this study aims to elucidate the patterns of mechanical strain (i.e., deformation) that cause and reverse IAT in vitro, and determine how to induce these strain patterns in vivo through exercise-based physical therapy. The findings of this study will motivate effective, targeted non-surgical therapies for IAT. Collaborators for this project include Alayna Loiselle (Orthopaedics and CMSR), Michael Richards (Surgery), Sam Flemister (Orthopaedics), John Ketz (Orthopaedics) and Tongtong Wu (Biostatistics).