Tamara Alliston, PhD

Professor
Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Research Overview: 

Our research focuses on the molecular pathways controlling mesenchymal stem cell differentiation, how these pathways coordinate with physical cues to influence mechanical integrity of normal skeletal tissue, and how they can be harnessed to repair tissue damaged in degenerative skeletal disease. In particular we focus on defining the function of TGFβ in coordinating physical and biochemical cues to regulate skeletal cell differentiation. To answer these questions we combine molecular, cellular, physiologic, and materials science approaches. This interdisciplinary approach will lead to the identification of targets to prevent skeletal disease or to improve skeletal repair.

Primary Thematic Area: 
Tissue / Organ Biology & Endocrinology
Secondary Thematic Area: 
Cancer Biology & Cell Signaling
Research Summary: 
Our research focuses on the molecular pathways controlling mesenchymal stem cell differentiation
Mentorship Development: 

10/20/20    Gathering in Community: a Training for Faculty and Staff
11/10/20    Optimizing the Efficiency of Your Lab
2/18/21    Three Truths and Three Tries: Facing and Overcoming Critical Social Justice Challenges at the Micro, Mezzo, and Macro Levels

Websites

Publications: 

Aging impairs the osteocytic regulation of collagen integrity and bone quality.

Bone research

Schurman CA, Kaya S, Dole N, Luna NMM, Castillo N, Potter R, Rose JP, Bons J, King CD, Burton JB, Schilling B, Melov S, Tang S, Schaible E, Alliston T

Effect of passaging on bovine chondrocyte gene expression and engineered cartilage production.

Tissue engineering. Part A

Lindberg ED, Kaya S, Jamali AA, Alliston T, O'Connell GD

Abstract C036: Restoration of T effector cells function by targeting senescent cancer-associated fibroblast in tumor microenvironment of stroma-rich cancers.

Cancer research

Yao Wang, Hara Apostolopoulou, Arjun Sanyal, Hong Sun, Cynthia Sieland, Kavya Gupta, Jiayu Ye, David Gibbs, Paul Wong, Ntranos Vasilis, Sui Huang, James Gardner, Ajay Maker, Thea Tlsty, Anil Bhushan, Tamara Alliston

Priming chondrocytes during expansion alters cell behavior and improves matrix production in 3D culture.

Osteoarthritis and cartilage

Lindberg ED, Wu T, Cotner KL, Glazer A, Jamali AA, Sohn LL, Alliston T, O'Connell GD

Deep learning models to map osteocyte networks can successfully distinguish between young and aged bone.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology

Vetter SD, Schurman CA, Alliston T, Slabaugh GG, Verbruggen SW