Michael J. Yaszemski BS, MS, MD, PhD

Michael J. Yaszemski, M.D., Ph.D., investigates bone, cartilage and spinal cord regeneration using synthetic polymeric scaffolds, cells and controlled delivery of bioactive molecules. Dr. Yaszemski's Tissue Engineering and Biomaterials Laboratory is equipped to perform polymer synthesis and characterization and scaffold fabrication utilizing injectable techniques and solid freeform fabrication techniques.
Dr. Yaszemski's research team cultures cell-polymer constructs, studies delivery kinetics of bioactive molecules from microparticles and microparticle-scaffold combinations, and studies these scaffold-cell-biomolecule combinations in vivo. The team investigates musculoskeletal sarcoma biology and works on the controlled local delivery of chemotherapeutic agents to osteosarcoma, chordoma and chrondrosarcoma. The laboratory is fully equipped for molecular biology and bone histomorphometry, with a focus on translational research for current clinical needs.