Tissue biology

The newly created Tissue Biology platform offers a pipeline for translational research into musculoskeletal and mechano-inflammatory disease. By supporting complex models of disease, including use of in vitro human tissue models, and by facilitating analysis of diseased human tissues in the laboratory and through early phase clinical studies, the platform aims to support molecular discovery and validation of target pathways for translation into the clinic.   

The platform brings together the Institute’s established expertise in histology and human tissue management with approaches and technologies to examine how cells interact with each other and their environment in tissues at steady state, in response to injury, and during disease. Technologies include proteomics, spatial proteomics, stem cell biology, 3D organoid systems and organs-on-a-chip. The platform also provides administrative support for new Experimental Medicine studies in collaboration with the Oxford Clinical Trials Research Unit. This translational pipeline is relevant to diseases of interest across the Institute including osteoarthritis, fibrotic disease, tendinopathy, cancer, atherosclerosis and inflammatory arthritis.