John B. Brunski

There is a long history of interest in biomechanical conditions and their role in cell differentiation. Since the skeleton is a structural, load-bearing system, Dr. Brunski is interested in how the tissues that make up the skeleton are capable of sensing mechanical stimuli in their local environment, interpreting these stimuli, and responding in a biologically appropriate fashion. In particular, Brunski and colleagues have been examining how skeletal progenitor cells respond to mechanical stimuli in a clinically-relevant model of bone regeneration around specially-designed implants, where in vivo strain fields can be experimentally controlled.