Regenerative Medicine and Disability Research Laboratory

Regenerative Medicine and Disability Laboratory Research Goals

The Regenerative Medicine and Disability Laboratory is part of the Department of Biomedical Sciences at the University of Illinois College of Medicine Rockford. Established through generous support of the Blazer Foundation, this lab is headed by Dr. Xue-Jun Li and Dr. Mathew Thoppil-Mathew who focus on fighting human motor neuron diseases and improving the integration of metal implants into the surrounding bone tissue, respectively. By combining stem cell biology, bioengineering, biomaterials, system biology, pharmacology and medicine, research in the RMDR lab aims to identify therapeutic agents, novel biomaterials and innovative approaches to improve clinical practice to provide better health care to patients with disabilities. Our long-term goals are to contribute to the community and to improve the quality of life of patients with disabilities.

Human pluripotent stem cells have the capacity to become all cell types in the body, including neurons as they provide an invaluable tool for studying early human neural development and exploring the potential treatment of neurological diseases. By combining cellular, molecular, bioengineering and system approaches, our ultimate goal is to develop therapeutics for treatment of these debilitating diseases.

More about the researchers:

Dr. Mathew Thoppil’s major research focus is in the area of simulation of human artificial joints, biomechanics and tribocorrosion of implanted biomaterials used in dentistry and orthopedics. Biomedical implants are increasingly used to assist the patients with disability and bring comfort and continue their healthy physical activities.

Dr. Li’s research focuses on specifying neuronal subtypes from human pluripotent stem cells and using these stem cell-derived neurons to study motor neuron and axonal degeneration. By combining cellular, molecular, bioengineering and system approaches, research in her lab aims to understand the pathogenic mechanisms of neurodegenerative diseases and to develop therapeutics for the treatment of these diseases.