Alford Lab
Welcome To The Alford Research Laboratory
In the Alford Research Laboratory (part of the consortium of labs making up the Orthopaedic Research Laboratories at the University of Michigan) we study the dynamic interactions between bone cells and the extracellular matrix (ECM) that they coordinately assemble and remodel during skeletal development, regeneration and maintenance.
It is our hope that insights into the biological mechanisms by which the local milieu (ECM, soluble biochemical factors and cell-cell interactions) contributes to bone cellular physiology will inform the design of novel therapeutics for the treatment of skeletal trauma and developmental or aging-associated deficits in bone matrix quality that affect bone cell physiology. In particular, we are interested in harnessing biologically informed strategies to address large segmental bone injuries, which are highly challenging for patients, surgeons and care-givers.