Samantha Weaver
Credentials: PhD
Position title: Assistant Professor
Email: srweaver@wisc.edu
Website: Samantha Weaver's website
Address:
3254 SVM South, 2015 Linden Dr, Madison, WI 53706
Education
PhD: Endocrine and Reproductive Physiology, University of Wisconsin-Madison
Research Summary
- Cellular and molecular mechanisms of bone regeneration in response to disease, fracture, and aging
- Novel molecular targets of cartilage preservation and regeneration
Research Detail
Musculoskeletal conditions are among the leading reasons that people visit their doctor. Diseases like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis cause significant economic and societal burdens as nearly a trillion US dollars are spent each year on diagnosis, treatment, and lost wages. The percentage of individuals reporting a musculoskeletal problem will continue to rise in the coming decades as the population ages.
Our laboratory studies the molecular mechanisms that regulate bone and cartilage development and disease with the long-term goal of validating novel treatment targets and testing new therapies for osteoarthritis and osteoporosis. Despite the wide prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders, we still lack sufficient, effective therapies that regenerate bone and cartilage once they have been lost.
To regenerate the musculoskeletal system, we must understand the processes and cells that regulate bone and cartilage, which we accomplish in various ways:
1) We isolate different types of bone and cartilage cells from transgenic mice throughout their lifespan and grow them in vitro with or without various therapeutics. Through this process, we can examine the direct regenerative effects of repressing or enhancing molecular pathways in different cell types.
2) Our lab also induces osteoarthritis and osteoporosis in transgenic mice to understand how bone and cartilage recover from injury when a particular gene or pathway has been deleted or is enhanced. We do this by visualizing the cells within the bone and cartilage using a variety of sophisticated imaging techniques.
3) Finally, we utilize transgenic mice to study natural life events where there is extensive bone turnover and/or cartilage loss, such as pregnancy and lactation, menopause, or aging.
The ultimate goal is to develop strategies to both prevent extensive bone and cartilage loss and to discover new therapeutics that can aid in these tissues’ regeneration.
Publications