Tissue Engineering & Stem Cell Lab

We aim for a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying osteogenesis and angiogenesis with respect to future bone replacement or regeneration strategies. We mainly focus on purinergic signaling during the differentiation processes towards osteoblast and osteoclast, as well as endothelial and smooth muscle cells in mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and in induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Purinergic receptors play a fundamental role in stem cell differentiation and can be altered using artificial ligands. In combination with functionalized scaffolds we want to proceed from basic research to applied approaches and develop personalized bone tissue for critical size defects. Another project aims to characterize a newly synthesized cathepsin K inhibitor which might be a novel drug for osteoporosis treatment. Last but not least we are also interested in early atherosclerosis. To do so we investigate the effects of secreted adipokines on endothelial cells during adipogenesis of MSCs.