Michael Zuscik, PhD

Mack Clayton Professor
Vice Chair of Research

Welcome from the Director

We are comprised of a core group of orthopedic faculty pursuing cutting edge basic, translational and clinical study of the musculoskeletal system.  Our research encompasses a broad array of topics, including the genetics of osteoporosis and scoliosis, bone biology, arthritis, and joint tissue biology, skeletal healing from the spine to limbs, stem cell biology & tissue engineering, growth plate biology, injury & repair, brain injury-skeleton connections, and orthopedic pain management.  Study in these contexts spans from the genetic to the organismal level --- from basic science investigations to clinical trials.  We partner with an array of musculoskeletal investigators in various clinical and basic science departments across the 4 campuses of the CU system.

Our overarching missions are to collaboratively study and address the most important unmet needs in orthopedic care, and to nurture the next generation of orthopedic investigators by providing comprehensive training in musculoskeletal science.

Orthopedic investigators at CU are supported by several elements of core infrastructure, including a Tissue and Molecular Imaging Facility, an Anatomic Imaging and Mechanical Testing Laboratory, a Metabolism Analysis Laboratory, and an Education Program.  A Musculoskeletal Tissue and Nucleic Acid Biorepository is also under development that will serve the research community by biobanking surgical material from orthopedic procedures for future scientific study.

For more information or access to our team, please contact:

Jennifer Smidt
Program Coordinator
jennifer.smidt@ucdenver.edu
(P) 303-724-8792