Nancy Dickerson Whitehead Research Fellowship Kyung Hyun Park-Min, PhD Dr. Kyung Hyun Park-Min is an Assistant Scientist in the Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program and a member of the David Z. Rosensweig Genomics Research Center. Her research is primarily focused on efforts to develop new therapeutic approaches for preventing bone loss and destruction in diseases such as arthritis, osteolysis, and osteoporosis, and for regenerating bone in patients with avascular necrosis (death of the bone tissue). Bone erosion by osteoclasts is a major cause of disability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Dr. Park-Min’s recent studies have led to significant changes in the current understanding of osteoclast biology and are helping to develop new therapeutic targets to control bone erosion and loss in patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis.
Fellowship in Arthroplasty The Fellowship in Arthroplasty supports research into the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the destruction of bone tissue following joint replacement, or periprosthetic osteolysis, which causes implant loosening and is one of the major reasons for revision surgery. Recent studies have included a focus on how particles generated from the prostheses or bone cement around joint replacements affect the cells in the immediate environment, some of which are involved in regulating inflammation. The goal of this work is to gain an improved understanding of osteolysis so that methods can be developed to prevent or interrupt the cascade of events leading to bone destruction, thereby extending the life of joint implants.
Immunology and Inflammation Fellowship The Immunology and Inflammation Fellowship provides funding for basic and translational research defining the mechanisms involved in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. With a focus on understanding how tissue damage and repair are regulated in orthopedic and rheumatologic conditions, novel approaches are being developed for therapeutic interventions to prevent tissue damage and maintain patient mobility.
18 | Advancing the Frontiers of Medicine