The primary educational focus of the Comparative Orthopaedics Laboratory is in training of postdoctoral, doctoral (PhD), and masters of science (MS) candidates. An equally important function is to provide residents in surgery a basis in research techniques that can be extended to a PhD degree or be confined to the simple design and implementation of a single experiment. Openings for DVM, MD, and baccalaureate degree candidates seeking the PhD are available in cartilage molecular biology, stem cell differentiation, and tendon pathobiology and repair. Annual projects for undergraduate honors degree programs are available in all areas of musculoskeletal cellular and molecular biology.

PhD theses 

• "Growth Factor Enhanced Chondrogenesis for Articular Cartilage Repair" by Dr. Lisa A. Fortier, 1999
•  "Molecular Basis of Growth Factor Enhanced Tendon Repair" by Dr. Linda A. Dahlgren, 2003

MS theses

• "In-vitro and in-vivo studies of a fibrin polymer as vehicle for chondrocyte grafting of large articular cartilage defects in horses" by Dr. Dean A. Hendrickson, 1993
•  "Studies of chondrocyte laden collagen scaffolds for resurfacing extensive equine articular cartilage defects" by Dr. Andrew E. Sams, 1993
•  "Studies on the effects of insulin-like growth factor I on tendon metabolism and intrinsic tendon repair" by Dr. David J. Murphy, 1996
• "In-vitro studies of equine mesenchymal stem cell chondrogenic capacity after treatment with transforming growth factor-B and insulin-like growth factor-I" by Dr. Allison A. Worster, 2000
• "A Molecular and Morphologic Study of Naturally-Acquired Equine Osteochondrosis" by Dr. Stacy Semevolos, 2001

Honors theses

• "Gene Therapy Approaches to Promote Cartilage Healing by Combination Insulin-Like Growth Factor-l and Interleukin-l Receptor Antagonist Therapy" by Jennifer Haupt, 2003
• "Cloning and Characterization of Equine Platelet-Derived Growth Factor A and B Genes and Their Temporal Expression in Healing Tendon" by Brandon Donnelly, 2004
• "Cloning and expression of SMAD 1 through 8 and SMURF 1 and 2 in osteochondritis dissecans" by Adam Doyle, 2004
•  "In Vitro Chondrogenesis of Genetically Modified Equine Mesenchymal Stem Cells Expressing Transforming Growth Factor 1" by Christina Cheng, 2004

Postdoctoral Fellows

• Dr. Polly Foureman, 1997
• Dr. Jennifer Barrett, 1999-2002
• Dr. Gloria Matthews, 2002-2003