George F. Muschler MD

George Muschler, MD, joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in 1988. Since his arrival, he has developed a regional and national reputation in reconstructive surgery for arthritis, failed joint replacements, treatment of fractures that have failed to heal, and treatment of limb deformities. He is recognized and appreciated internationally as a leader in skeletal reconstruction, bone regeneration, and fracture repair. In 1999, he was appointed Research Associate in the Cleveland Clinic Office of Clinical Effectiveness, due to his work in establishing a program of patient-oriented outcomes assessment for hip and knee replacements performed in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. Dr. Muschler is also a member of Cleveland Clinic Taussig Cancer Center, leading and collaborating in research related to aging and adult stem cell therapies and transplantation.

In addition to his commitment to patient care, Dr. Muschler is a Vice-Chairman of the Department of Biomedical Engineering within the Cleveland Clinic's Lerner Research Institute. There he directs the Bone Biology Laboratory. This laboratory is supported by the National Institutes of Health and other funding agencies and is focused on the development of improved methods for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. This work has provided insight into the effects of aging on stem cells of bone and cartilage, and the importance and application of these cells in the development of osteoporosis, bone diseases, and in the broader area of tissue repair, including bone, cartilage, tendon, nerve, muscle, and skin.

Dr. Muschler has become a leader in the development of collaborative interdisciplinary programs and research teams in the area of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine, contributing significantly to both regional and national development of translational research leading to new products and therapeutic strategies. In 2005, he and colleagues at Cleveland Clinic, Case Western Reserve University, University Hospitals, NASA Glenn Research Center, and the Ohio Super Computer Center established the Clinical Tissue Engineering Center (CTEC), through a grant from the Ohio Third Frontier Program. CTEC continues to serve as a catalyst for research and collaboration in the development and assessment of new therapies between over 70 Ohio investigators and over 10 Ohio institutions.