Holland Bone and Joint Research
Musculoskeletal conditions have a major impact on our function and independence. The cost of treatment and care for these conditions is growing as the population ages.
The Holland bone and joint research program works to reduce the burden of illness in the population due to musculoskeletal conditions. We strive to bridge the gap between evidence-based research and clinical practice by developing and testing strategies to improve the provision of health care, including health promotion, diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation.
Our program benefits from the expertise and knowledge of many renowned scientists and investigators conducting research in key areas of musculoskeletal medicine, including arthritis and arthroplasty, musculoskeletal injury and bone metastases.
We are a leader in orthopaedic care and research, thanks in great part to a $20-million gift from Susanne and William Holland.
Areas of focus
The Holland bone and joint research program at Sunnybrook Research Institute focuses on multidisciplinary and clinically translational research.
We align with the clinical priorities of the Holland bone and joint program at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre and strive to strengthen and reinforce the hospital’s overall mission and vision.
We are working to understand the differences in access to care for total joint replacement throughout Ontario. We are looking to change the model of care by using alternate care providers better to offer more comprehensive arthritis therapy.
Clinical research activities
- Developing multidisciplinary clinical practice and pain management guidelines
- Studying safety, follow up, services and outcomes following total joint replacement
- Working to understand the best treatments for and to prevent arthritis
Basic sciences research activities
- Studying the relationships between mechanics and biology in the spine
- Developing novel tissue-engineered constructs to prevent and treat degenerative disc disease early
We are focused on evaluating access to care for hip, pelvic/acetabular and spine fractures.
Clinical research activities
- Evaluating the best fracture treatments and soft tissue repair strategies through randomized controlled trials
- Developing interventions for primary and secondary prevention of fragility fractures
- Understanding the implications of low back pain and gender differences in surgery
Basic science research activities
- Developing new algorithms to improve fracture-reduction using computer-assisted orthopaedic surgery
- Evaluating the biomechanics of numerous fracture fixation techniques
- Developing better methods for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction
- Trying to predict outcomes for hip fracture patients based on biochemical markers in order to design intervention strategies better
Traditionally, patients with bone metastases (spread of cancer to bone) have not qualified to participate in clinical trials of new therapeutics because it was not possible to evaluate the response of their disease accurately.
We have developed new methods for monitoring tumour growth and treatment effect in bone and use this information to predict fracture risk.
Ongoing research activities
- Developing local minimally invasive targeted treatments for non-responsive tumours in bone
- Evaluating markers that may indicate and direct best treatments both for the cancer and the remaining bone
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