Project Mentor

Dr. Caroline Dealy
Department of Orthodontics, Orthopedic Surgery, Biomedical Engineering, Cell Biology

Undergraduate Research Opportunity Description

Project Description	The meniscus is a C-shaped fibrocartilage cushion that stabilizes and protects the knee joint. Tears to the meniscus are common and often heal poorly, even when surgically repaired. This project is a collaboration with Orthopedic surgeons who are providing tissue from patients with meniscal tears. The project will compare the transcriptome of meniscal tears that heal poorly to those that heal well. The long term goal is to identify genes that correlate with better healing outcomes, which might offer potential for clinical use as meniscal pro-healing factors. Experiments this summer will include preparation of meniscal cell isolates and analysis of RNA transcriptomal data using bioinformatics software. Additionally, there is opportunity to carry out validation studies in meniscal tissue sections. All IRB approvals for this project are already in place; as are University-approved safety protocols for handing human tissue.
Project Direction	This project leverages a unique patient population to achieve its goal to identify meniscal pro-healing factors. About 5% of all healthy people have discoid meniscus, which is a meniscus that is D-shaped with a thick, solid center. In children, the solid center often interferes with smooth joint motion, prompting surgical debridement. Intriguingly, the solid center grows back, suggesting that discoid meniscus may have unusual self-healing ability. This unique patient pool will provide tissue for our study that is predicted to heal well, vs tissue from normal meniscus which heals poorly. The broader research direction is to understand the cellular differences between normal and discoid meniscus, to better understand the nature of meniscal regeneration. The Single Cell RNA Sequencing method we are using is ideal for this, as it provides unprecendented detail of cellular lineages and progenitor populations. Future studies will examine the feasibility of pro-healing factors for clinical application, and/or for use in healing other cartilage tissues such as articular cartilage.
Mentorship and Supervision	The student will be mentored by Dr Dealy, with day to day training and mentoring provided by a graduate student with experience in the necessary skills (eg, isolation of single cells, bioinformatics analyses). Progress will be monitored via informal interactions several times per week, and a formal meeting once per week over the summer. Feedback will occur during these interactions / conversations.
Student Qualifications	Qualifications include strong interest in the research topic and enthusiasm to engage. Students in the pre-medical track / pre-orthopedic surgery track may find this project relevant for their career goals. Good communication skills a must. Preference for students willing to consider extending the summer project into a multi-year research project (eg, honors or u-scholar).
Summer Schedule Options	Typical day is M-F 9-5.
Project Continuation	Fall 2025, Spring 2026
Academic Year Time Commitment	9 hours/week
Possible Thesis Project	Yes

Application

Submit an online application for this research opportunity at https://quest.uconn.edu/prog/HRPSU25-6. The application deadline is Monday, February 17, 2025.

This application requires a resume or CV, an unofficial transcript, GPA and Science GPA, a brief statement of research interests, and a brief statement of career interests. References should be available upon request.