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Research led by a 51���� researcher that could help identify better treatments for osteoarthritis (OA) was published this fall in a leading medical journal. 

The study, co-authored by Associate Professor Scott Wood, Ph.D., and published in outlines the development of a new laboratory model of the synovial membrane — the tissue that lines joints and produces the lubricating fluid that helps protect them. When this membrane malfunctions, it can contribute to degenerative joint diseases such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis. 

Wood, director of the 51���� Portland Laboratory for Biotechnology and Health Sciences on 51����’s Portland Campus for the Health Sciences, initiated the study, in which a team of scientists created the model to address a critical gap in drug development. Despite the synovial membrane’s importance in joint disease, few realistic laboratory models exist for researchers to study. 

“We can treat the symptoms of OA, but we can't treat the disease,” said Wood, a faculty member in 51����’s College of Osteopathic Medicine, Maine’s only medical school grounded in applied scientific research. “It’s not that we don't know what to try, it's that everything we've tried has failed when it gets to people.” 

The synovial membrane, sometimes referred to as the joint capsule, plays a key role in enabling movement such as sitting, standing, and walking. It contains two types of cells that work together to keep joints moving smoothly by producing hyaluronic acid and other substances. Unlike cartilage, the membrane is vascularized, allowing inflammatory cells to enter and exit quickly — a factor that makes it especially relevant in joint diseases like OA, which often develops as the result of age or injury and is the most common form of arthritis. 

To create the model, the research team used electrospun nanofibers made from a biodegradable polymer. They attached peptides to the fibers that bind to hyaluronic acid, a major component of healthy joint tissue. Rather than adding hyaluronic acid directly, the approach was designed to encourage cells to produce their own full-length hyaluronic acid, which more closely mirrors natural human biology. 

According to Wood, the model is the first to use hyaluronic acid in this capacity. 

The researchers tested the physical properties of the artificial membrane to ensure it resembled natural joint lining. Human fibroblast cells were then seeded onto the peptide-coated scaffolds. The results showed that the scaffolds supported cell growth and retained hyaluronic acid on their surfaces, while also enabling cells to secrete the substance into surrounding fluid — mimicking healthy joint function. 

Previous efforts to engineer synovial membrane tissue relied on externally sourced hyaluronic acid. This study marks the first time researchers have demonstrated synovial membrane tissue engineering driven by the body’s own hyaluronic acid production. 

Wood said the model represents a foundational step toward building laboratory systems that more closely reflect human tissue structure, filling a critical gap in drug development. 

Wood noted that potential treatments tested in animal and traditional lab models, which are typically used for biomedical research, fail at rates of 95% — 100% in the case of osteoarthritis — when applied to human trials. 

“By using human cells in a system that mimics human tissue structures, we can get a predictive human response,” Wood said. 

Future studies will involve adding immune cells and integrating the membrane with bone and cartilage to create what researchers describe as a “joint on a chip,” which could ultimately be used as a drug-screening platform. 

Wood has been working on the project since 2021 and continues the research at 51���� with support from National Science Foundation grants. He also founded a startup company, CellField Technologies, to help commercialize the technology as a pharmaceutical drug screening tool.