Graduate Student Position

Extended Tissue Preservation for Osteochondral Allograft Transplantation

Degree: PhD Student

Start: Fall 2025 (potential to start as a research assistant in Summer 2025)

Supervisors: Adele Changoor (University of Toronto) and Judith Koenig (Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph )

https://www.uoguelph.ca/ovc/current-opportunities/uoft-phd-extended-tissue-preservation-for-osteochondral-allograft-transplantation/ 

Fresh osteochondral allograft transplantation is a surgical technique used to treat painful joints by replacing damaged cartilage with healthy tissue from a donor. In Canada, these surgeries are limited because donor tissue can only be preserved for 14 days using current methods. Our team has created a new storage medium that better simulates the native joint environment. Experimental studies in animal tissues suggest this method could extend storage duration up to four times longer than the current standard. This project aims to support clinical translation of the new medium by assessing its ability to preserve human tissues and by evaluating the long-term durability of donor tissues stored in the new medium. The study will involve multidisciplinary collaboration and includes working with a large animal pre-clinical model and applying a variety of techniques to analyze cartilage quality.

We are looking for a PhD candidate with a background in biomedical sciences, biomedical engineering, veterinary medicine or medicine, with an interest in articular joint health and a strong aptitude for research. The candidate will join a diverse team of scientists in engineering, veterinary medicine, and orthopedics and lead an advanced research project with strong potential for clinical application and opportunities for innovation.

Please send a CV and cover letter to: changoor@lunenfeld.ca 

Graduate Student Position

Electroarthrography to Non-Invasively Assess Cartilage Health During Rehabilitation from Knee Injury

Degree: MASc (potential to transfer to PhD)

Start: Fall 2025 (potential to start as a research assistant in May 2025)

Supervisors: Adele Changoor and Timothy Burkhart, University of Toronto

The knee is highly prone to sports injuries due to its complex structure and wide range of motion. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is essential for knee stability, yet it’s involved in around half of all knee injuries in athletes. Surgery and rehabilitation are common after an ACL tear, and athletes must meet certain criteria before returning to sports. However, 20% re-injure their knee, and 35%–50% develop early osteoarthritis, leading to cartilage wear and joint pain. Electroarthrography (EAG), a new technique using skin sensors to measure cartilage quality, could offer a cost-effective way to monitor knee health and improve rehabilitation outcomes. This project aims to evaluate how useful the non-invasive EAG method is for tracking progress through rehabilitation and return to sport after an ACL injury. The study will involve the collection and analysis of EAG data and simultaneous biomechanical assessments from control and ACL-injured participants, as well as analysis of MRI data.  

We are looking for a candidate with a biomedical engineering or kinesiology background with interest in joint injury biomechanics and an aptitude for research. Experience working with human participants would be an asset.

Please send a CV and cover letter to: changoor@lunenfeld.ca