Synovial Translational Biology Lab in Osteoarthritis

Research Focus

The Appleton lab is focused on understanding the role of synovium in the onset and progression of OA.

We use molecular biology approaches to understand mechanisms controlling inflammation and cell physiology in the synovial environment. Model systems include post-traumatic and metabolic rodent models of knee OA, and translational work in humans, including the Western Ontario Registry for Early Osteoarthritis (WOREO) Knee Study.

Ongoing studies are aimed at understanding the pathophysiology of synovial cell types involved in OA-associated synovitis and how these mechanisms contribute to OA symptoms and disease progression.