Lab Members

John A. Szivek, PhD

  • First William and Sylvia Rubin Chair of Orthopedic Research
  • Immediate Past Director, Robert G. Volz Orthopedic Research Laboratory
  • Professor, Bio5, BME as well as BME’s & Physiological Science's Interdisciplinary Graduate Program
  • Adjunct Professor, Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering
  • Adjunct Professor, Materials Science and Engineering
  • Chair, University Biology Research Program Advisory Board
  • Executive Committee, Arizona Arthritis Center Advisory Board

Orthopaedic research in my laboratory is focused on developing cartilage and bone regenerative techniques with tissue engineering approaches using synthetic scaffolds and adult stem cells extracted from fat tissue. The range of research projects related to this work includes biomaterials studies to develop a variety of scaffolds prepared on a 3D printing system from microCT images of bone tissue, biomechanics studies to evaluate strength and stiffness characteristics of implantable scaffolds, computer based finite element modeling of scaffolds and tissues, software development for implantable transmitters, physiological test development to test scaffolds under physiological loading conditions, cell studies involving development of extraction, sorting , conversion and cell alignment techniques. The overall goal of all these projects is development of clinically viable tissue engineering techniques that include monitoring of healing using sensors and implantable transmitters.
Orthopaedic Surgery Profile
Biomedical Engineering Profile
UA Profile

David Margolis MD/PhD

Assistant Professor, Tenure Track

David Margolis, MD/PhD recently joined the Orthopaedic Research Lab (ORL) to expand our capabilities.

Dr. Margolis is a Tenur track, Orthopaedic hand surgeon who will spend half his time in the ORL.

He has expertise in tissue engineering of bone and cartilage and has utilized implantable sensors and telemetry.

He has previously studied cartilage, bone and neural tissues to develop clinical treatements for patients.

Alfonso Ayala

Medical School Student

Medical school student doing research in the lab

Working on and supervising other students on foot and ankle project

Mechanical testing of lower limb to study foot and ankle problems

Evaluation of tendosn in lower limb

Dave Gonzales

Technician and Lab Manager

Currently lab manager and technical support.

Developed testing protocols used in the lab.

Monitors equipment usage and maintenance.

Insures sufficient supplies are available for experiments.

Guides students in equipment use and development of procedures.

    Laura Hacker

    Undergraduate Research Assistant

    WAESO funded undergraduate researcher assistant.

    Studied cartilage tissue engineering using endogenous stem cells.

    Loaded cells during cartialge tissue formation.

    Photographed cartilage and examined tissue quality.

    Danielle Larson

    Undergraduate Research Assistant

    WAESO funded Biosystems Undergraduate student.

    Redesigning large segment bone regeneration scaffold.

    Updating and 3D printing hand bones and finger bones using PBT and ABS.

    3D priniting new scaffold designs.

    Jesus Lopez

    Undergraduate Research Assistant

    SEPA-NIH funded Undergraduate.

    Embedding bone specimens containing scaffolds to assess bone growth.

    Sectioning, grinding, polishing and staining bone slices.

    Imagining and photographing bone sections demonstrating new bone formation.

    Stephanie Valenzuela

    Undergraduate Research Assistant

    WAESO funded Physiology Undergraduate.

    Extracts pluripotent (mesenchymal stem) cells.

    Expands cells to confluence.

    Characterizes cells using real time PCR.

    Terminally differentiates cells to chondrocyte lineage.

    Efren Villalobos

    Undergraduate Research Assistant

    WAESO funded Biomedical Engineering undergraduate

    Developed reproducible PMMA tissue embedding and processing protocols

    Developed and utilized reproducible rosette strain gauging preparation for in vivo strian measurement

    Prepared stain gauges to monitor loading during 12 month long segment regeneration

    Szivek Lab Alumni