Director:
Shawn W. O'Driscoll, Ph.D., M.D.
Professor of Orthopedics

Co-Director:
Gregory G. Reinholz, Ph.D.
Associate Researcher
reinholz.Gregory@mayo.edu
Dr. Reinholz is a molecular biologist with extensive experience in the biology of bone. He is the Co-Director of the Mayo Clinic Cartilage and Connective Tissue Research Laboratory. His background includes studies of the regulation and activity of osteoblasts. He is responsible for the overall scientific direction of our research and he oversees all aspects of experimental design, the application of methods used as well as provides insights with respect to data interpretation.

James S. Fitzsimmons, BSc,
Lab Supervisor/Senior Research Technologist
fitzsimmons.james@mayo.edu
Jim, who has been involved in cartilage research since 1991, has extensive experience in the surgical technique for periosteal harvesting, computerized histomorphometry, tissue culture, cartilage biochemistry, quantitative collagen typing, and data analysis. He assists with research projects, the writing of papers and grants and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the lab

Terry Ruesink,
Research Technologist
ruesink.Terry@mayo.edu
Terry, who has worked at the Mayo Clinic since 1977, is responsible for in the execution of the biochemistry, histology and tissue culture work done in our lab and the training of the research fellows in these techniques.

Hsi-Wei (Yvonne) Chung, MB, BS,
Research Fellow
chung.HsiWei@mayo.edu
Yvonne is an alumni of Guy’s, King’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals, King’s College London. She has completed her internship in Singapore with the Singapore Health Services Organization. As a Medical Officer, she has served postings in Orthopaedic Surgery, Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine and Ophthalmic Surgery. Yvonne is currently taking time out of her residency training to pursue research interests at the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine. She has a keen interest in mesenchymal stem cell biology and its applications for tissue engineering and has been involved with the lab’s work since Feb 2004. She intends devote 2 years to complete her current projects. Her present involvement is with tissue engineered scaffolds and their applications in cartilage repair and the role of Wnt signaling in periosteal chondrogenesis.

Eike Mrosek, M.D.,
Research Collaborator
mrosek.Eike@mayo.edu
Eike joined the cartilage research team at the Mayo Clinic in August 2004. He started cartilage research in 1999 at the Cartilage Research Center and the Institute of Anatomy, University Hospital Freiburg, Germany and now continues his training in orthopedic surgery at one of the academic training hospitals of the University of Freiburg. He speializes in reconstructive joint surgery and also continues research in this field. He has a background in both clinical & experimental joint surgery and the use of different biocomposites for cartilage repair. His research is focused on the use of biodegradable and non-biodegradable scaffolds, various cartilage imaging techniques (immunohistochemistry, TEM, confocal microscopy, MRT) and pathology of subchondral bone trauma.

Jan C. Schagemann, M.D., ,
Research Fellow
schagemann.Jan@mayo.edu
Jan joined the Cartilage & Connective Tissue Research Lab at the Mayo Clinic in June 2005. Since 2000 he has been affiliated with the Cartilage Research Center University Hospital Freiburg in Germany. He has a background in biomaterial-based tissue and cell culture, imaging techniques (immunohistochemistry, CSLM, TEM) and experimental joint surgery. His research has been focusing on cartilage and bone tissue engineering using different biodegradable scaffolds, hydrogels and biomaterial composites for the restoration of articular cartilage and osteochondral lesions.

Ahron Dunagan,
Administrative Assistant
dunagan.Ahron@mayo.edu
Ahron is responsible for the day-to-day clerical and administrative operations of our lab.