• Physiology major Stephanie Valenzuela evaluating stem cells used for cartilage growth

    Physiology major Stephanie Valenzuela evaluating stem cells used for cartilage growth

  • Mechanical Engineering student Nick Diggins examining micro-CT image of a surface scaffold

    Mechanical Engineering student Nick Diggins examines a total surface scaffold µCT image

  • Undergraduate Efren Villalobos at WAESO Conference

    Efren Barron Villalobos at WAESO Conference

  • Orthopaedic Research Lab Students

    Orthopaedic Research Lab Students, Staff and the PI

  • Orthopaedic Resident Kim Frankie taking measurements of a femur for a scaffold design

    Orthopaedic Resident Kim Frankie taking measurements of a femur for a scaffold design

  • Cory and Caramello Feeding Cells

    Undergraduates Cory Benjamin and Carmelo Moraila feeding stem cells

  • Engineered Cartilage

    Engineered cartilage adjacent to native cartilage on a synthetic scaffold

  • Kwadjo Walker, David Gonzales and Laura Hacker

    David Gonzales explains scaffold design to Kwadjo Walker and Laura Hacker

  • Breanna and Marysol Examining Tissue Engineered Cartilage

    Biomedical Engineering students Breanna Duffy and Marysol Luna examining tissue engineered cartilage

  • Gerardo Figueroa programming the Bioprinter

    BME Graduate student Gerardo Figueroa programming Bioprinter

Szivek Lab Home Page

Dr. Szivek's goal in the Orthopaedic Research Lab, dedicted to lab founder Dr. Robert G. Volz, is to develop a clear understanding of the relationship between activity (measured using implantable sensors and radio telemetry) and musculoskeletal tissue formation (measured using µCT and histology).  This information is being used to develop cartilage and bone regeneration therapies.  These thereapies include the use of synthetic scaffolds, proteins and endogenous adult stem cells.  Current results indicate rapid tissue repair and regeneration is possible when the understanding of these interactions are used to design clinical therapies.