MEET OUR FACULTY MENTORS
& ADVISORY COMMITTEE MEMBERS
At the Center of Musculoskeletal Research we are mentored by an exemplary group of veteran scientists and clinicians from various fields of research - arming our research fellows and students with necessary interdisciplinary knowledge required to excel in their research interests, discover new methods and techniques to further unravel key mechanisms within our bodies and develop appropriate treatments to target the same.
Dr. Xu Cao is a professor of orthopaedic surgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. His research focuses on the role of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in bone remodeling, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells have the potential to differentiate to lineages of mesenchymal tissues, including osteoblasts, adipocytes, chondrocytes, fibroblasts and myoblasts. Dr. Cao studies the microenvironment that is necessary for differentiation of the multipotential stem cells into functionally distinct cell types such as osteoblasts. Parathyroid hormone and TGFß1 are the important factors that regulate the fate of mesenchymal stem cells. The primary goal of Dr. Cao’s research is to study the role of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells in bone remodeling, osteoporosis and osteoarthritis.
Dr. Mei Wan is the Frank J. Frassica Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery. Her research has primarily focused on the mechanisms underlying the senescence of bone and bone marrow cells and the role of these senescent cells in skeletal disorders. Additionally, she has a keen interest in unraveling the impact of bone-derived signals on the aging processes of the central nervous system and vascular system.
Dr. Mei Wan has served as a Ph.D. program faculty for multiple JHU graduate programs, including BME, CMM, and Pathobiology.
Dr. Mei Wan has served on the editorial board for Bone Research and as a Reviewing Editor for eLife. Furthermore, she was previously a part of the editorial boards of The Journal of Bone and Mineral Research. In addition to her editorial roles, Dr. Wan has served as a standing member on the NIH SBSR study section.
Dr. Junying Zheng is an Instructor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Johns Hopkins University. She earned her Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, where she also completed her postdoctoral training and received additional bioinformatics training. Dr. Zheng’s expertise lies in applying bioinformatics and various omics approaches, including single-cell transcriptomics, to uncover the molecular mechanisms underlying various diseases. One of her major discoveries is the identification of a specific astrocytic subtype that regulates central sensitization during neuropathic pain.
Dr. Zheng joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine as an Instructor to study the mechanisms of skeletal pain. She serves as the Principal Investigator for the In Vivo Model and Histology Core of the P01 grant “Skeleton and Joint Degeneration with Aging” in the Center for Musculoskeletal Research.
Her research investigates chronic low back pain (LBP), a pathological condition involving central sensitization. In this condition, the central nervous system undergoes structural, functional, and chemical changes, leading to heightened sensitivity to pain stimuli. Dr. Zheng’s work explores how nociceptive signaling from the spinal porous endplate is transmitted to higher levels of pain circuitry, contributing to central sensitization and chronic LBP. She will also utilize her expertise, particularly in single-cell transcriptomics, to participate in studies on PGE2 skeletal interoception and osteoarthritis pain.
Dr. Janet L. Crane is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Her research is focused on bone modeling and remodeling factors that result in proper bone growth and strength. The goal of her studies is to identify diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets to enhance bone strength in children who have recurrent fractures. Dr. Crane also participates in industry sponsored clinical studies to investigate the safety and efficacy of medications for metabolic bone disease and skeletal fragility.
Dr. Crane is the Director of the Pediatric Bone Health Program, which focuses on the care of children with rare metabolic bone diseases & osteoporosis/skeletal fragility syndromes. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells have the potential to differentiate to lineages of mesenchymal tissues, including osteoblasts, adipocytes, chondrocytes, fibroblasts and myoblasts.
Dr. Richard Skolasky is a professor of orthopaedic surgery at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. Dr. Skolasky conducts independent research on treatments and outcomes for patients with musculoskeletal conditions, focusing on chronic pain, functional outcomes of spine surgery, patient reported outcomes, health-related quality of life, health services, patient engagement/activation and psycho-social determinates of health and health disparities. He has authored over 120 peer reviewed papers and has been funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the National Institutes of Health and the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute.
Dr. Skolasky serves as the director of the Spine Outcomes Research Center, which is dedicated to improving patient safety and outcomes by furthering knowledge and increasing the efficiency of spine care. He has worked with faculty members, residents, and medical, graduate and undergraduate students who are interested in applying rigorous research methods to answer questions about musculoskeletal treatment & health.
Dr. Shadpour Demehri is a Professor in the Johns Hopkins Medicine Department of Radiology and Radiological Science. He specializes in diagnostic radiology and musculoskeletal (MSK) radiology.
Dr. Demehri received his M.D. from Tehran University School of Medicine in 2003. He completed a fellowship in radiology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He performed his residency in diagnostic radiology in 2010 at Brigham & Women’s Hospital, where he subsequently completed two fellowships, one in musculoskeletal and nuclear radiology and a second in noninvasive cardiovascular imaging.
Dr. Demehri also co-chairs the Grand Rounds committee, and his research interests in kinematic imaging, osteoarthritis imaging, outcome assessment and weight bearing extremity imaging. In his pursuit of research he has been recipient of several awards and accolades, including the 2010 Annual Research Award for Outstanding Research hosted by Harvard Medical School.
Amit Jain, M.D., M.B.A, is a leader and innovator in spine surgery. He specializes in comprehensive surgical care of the spine in adults and children. He is an expert in cervical (neck) and lumbar (back) degenerative spinal surgery in adults, and complex scoliosis surgery in children.
Dr. Jain's leverages the latest technology, including minimally-invasive and robotic approaches to achieve the best outcomes for his patients. His philosophy is to take care of patients with respect, compassion and competence, as he would want his own family treated.
Dr. Jain has published more than 250 scientific articles. His research has been presented internationally and resulted in numerous awards. He is a Principal Investigator for a NIH R01 grant to develop the next generation of surgical robotic devices. He also serves as Medical Director of Value Based Care for Johns Hopkins Medicine, where he leads value-based contracting and care continuum strategy for the system. He is passionate about mentoring and serves as the Johns Hopkins Spine Fellowship Co-Director.
Dr. Philip Wong is a professor of pathology and neuroscience at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. His research focuses on understanding the molecular mechanisms of neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) - frontotemporal dementia (FTD).
Dr. Wong’s team takes a molecular/cellular approach, including transgenic, gene targeting, and RNAi strategies in mice, to develop models that facilitate their understanding of pathogenesis of AD and ALS-FTD as well as the identification and validation of novel targets for mechanism-based therapeutics.
Dr. Wong is a member of the Society of Neuroscience and a member of the editorial board for Molecular Neurodegeneration. Dr. Wong’s work has been recognized with the 2004 Zenith Fellow’s Award from the Alzheimer’s Association and the 2007 MetLife Foundation Award for Medical Research in AD.
The overarching themes of the Wong lab focus on the biology and pathobiology of an RNA splicing factor termed TDP-43 (TAR DNA/RNA binding protein 43kDa) that regulate the inclusion of cryptic exons, the loss of which underlies the pathogenic mechanism of several human age-related degenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s Disease Related Dementia (ADRD), Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), Frontotemporal Dementia (FTD) as well as Inclusion Body Myositis (IBM).
