FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                               

For more information, contact:

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

Sheila Champlin – (901) 448-4957, schampli@uthsc.edu

 

 

Associate Professor Thomas Currey of

The University of Tennessee Health Science Center

 Receives $873,964 Grant for Bone Repair Device Testing

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            Memphis, Tenn. (January 24, 2012) – Thomas W. Currey, MD, associate professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC), Chattanooga campus, has received an award of $873,964 from the U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity for a study titled, “Nanofiber-based Bone Repair Device for Limb Salvage.”  The award will fund a two- year study to develop and perform in vitro and preliminary testing of a nanofiber-based bioresorbable bone graft substitute, with and without antibiotics included.

The research will be a joint university and private-sector endeavor that offers the potential for future nanomedicine research efforts in multiple medical disciplines. The university team will consist of representatives from the UTHSC College of Medicine, Chattanooga; University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Departments of Biology and Chemistry; UTHSC Graduate School of Medicine in Knoxville, and the UT School of Veterinary Medicine.  They will collaborate with professionals at such companies as eSpin Technologies in Chattanooga, which will develop the nanofiber device, and Advanced Plasma Products in Knoxville, which will perform and test the sterilization technique.

            David Seaberg, MD, CPE, FACEP, dean of the UTHSC College of Medicine, Chattanooga, congratulated Dr. Currey and the entire team, adding, “This grant is truly a collaborative effort between the College of Medicine, UTC, and Chattanooga industry. We hope this is the start of many such awards.”

The U.S. Army Medical Research Acquisition Activity is the contracting element of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command and provides support to the Command headquarters and its worldwide network of laboratories and medical logistics organizations.  For more information, please visit http://www.usamraa.army.mil/index.cfm.

As the flagship statewide academic health system, the mission of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) is to bring the benefits of the health sciences to the achievement and maintenance of human health, with a focus on the citizens of Tennessee and the region, by pursuing an integrated program of education, research, clinical care, and public service.  In 2011, UT Health Science Center celebrated its centennial: 100 years advancing the future of health care.  Offering a broad range of postgraduate training opportunities, the main UTHSC campus is located in Memphis and includes six colleges: Allied Health Sciences, Dentistry, Graduate Health Sciences, Medicine, Nursing and Pharmacy.  The UTHSC campus in Knoxville includes a College of Medicine, College of Pharmacy, and an Allied Health Sciences unit.  In addition, the UTHSC Chattanooga campus includes a College of Medicine and an Allied Health Sciences unit.  Since its founding in 1911, UTHSC has educated and trained more than 53,000 health care professionals on campuses and in health care facilities across the state.  For more information, visit www.uthsc.edu.

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