A MODEL FOR OCCUPATIONAL EPICONDYLITIS

我的博士和博士后训练的重点是识别和测量与负荷引起的软骨和肌腱退行性变化相关的蛋白质。我的短期目标是利用我在细胞和分子生物学方面的长处，在一个可以量化结构组织负荷的研究环境中，研究结缔组织疾病(例如骨关节炎、肌腱炎)各种负荷指标的剂量-反应关系。我的长期目标是在与工作相关的结缔组织疾病生物学方面建立坚实的学术研究基础。加州大学旧金山分校的职业和环境医学部、人体工程学项目、整形外科研究实验室和新的组织工程中心为实现这些目标提供了理想的环境。我已经接受了一个有晋升潜力的初级教员职位。我80%的时间受到保护，可以进行这个奖项中确定的研究。新的组织工程中心提供了充足的实验室空间和所有主要设备需求，人体工程学实验室提供了办公空间。Rempel和Lotz副教授将为我提供指导，每月举行会议，指导我的学业进步。支持职业生物力学方面的高级培训。该研究计划包括修改一种重复手指加载的兔模型来研究上髁炎。具体目标是：(1)开发和验证模型，(2)确定生化和组织学结果指标的严重性和位置之间的关系，以及(3)确定在生物学上重要的组织学和生化结果指标上的力和重复的暴露-反应关系。这一结果将为检验力量、重复、恢复和持续时间在职业性上髁炎发病机制中的相对重要性提供基础。

My doctoral and postdoctoral training has focused on identifying- and measuring proteins associated with degenerative changes in cartilage and tendon due to loading. My short-term goals are to use my strengths in cell and molecular biology in a research setting where structural tissue loading can be quantified to investigate the dose-response relationships of various measures of load to connective tissue disease (e.g., osteoarthritis, tendonitis). My long-term goals are to establish a solid academic research foundation in the biology of connective tissue diseases associated with work. The Division of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at UCSF, its Ergonomics Program, the Orthopaedic Research Laboratory, and the new Center for Tissue Engineering provide an ideal setting to achieve these goals. I have accepted a junior faculty position with potential for advancement. Eighty percent of my time is protected to carry out the research identified in this award. Ample laboratory space and all major equipment needs are provided in the new Center for Tissue Engineering and office space is provided at the Ergonomics Laboratory. Associate Professors Rempel and Lotz will provide mentorship with monthly meetings to guide my academic progress. Advanced training in occupational biomechanics is supported. The research plan involves modifying a repetitive finger loading rabbit model to investigate epicondylitis. The specific aims are: (1) develop and validate the model, (2) identify relationships between the severity and location of the biochemical and histologic outcome measures, and (3) determine exposure-response relationships of force and repetition on the biologically important histologic and biochemical outcome measures. The results will provide a foundation to examine the relative importance of force, repetition, recovery, and duration in the pathogenesis of work-related epicondylitis.