Professor Laura Gregory

Biography

Research theme: Health

Research discipline: Medical Sciences

Research program: Cancer Program; Trauma Research

Research area I am the leader of the Bone Biology Program within the School of Biomedical Sciences of the Faculty of Health, QUT. The goal of this program is to build upon current understanding of how bone tissue functions in both healthy and diseased states. Our research addresses this goal by: (1) investigating mechanisms to improve strength in the skeleton; (2) investigating novel treatments for bone disease; (3) investigating improved methods of anthropological investigations of identification from skeletal remains; and (4) developing and advancing research methodology to strengthen and expand opportunities for studies in bone biology. Research in the Bone Biology Program operates under four tiers of research activity: (1) bone metastasis; (2) fracture healing; (3) bone marrow studies; and (4) forensic anthropology.

1. Investigating the mechanism through which breast and prostate cancer cells differentially form osteolytic and osteoblastic lesions, respectively, in bone. Cancer cells were introduced into the tibia of imunosuppressed mice; histomorphometric analysis was undertaken to determine bone architectural and cellular changes.

2. Development of a novel, standardised murine fracture and fixation model to study the role of the mechanical environment on bone fracture healing. Femoral osteotomies were stabilised by rigid or flexible fixation plates; callus formation and tissue differentiation was evaluated using histological analysis and 3D computer remodelling. Data will be used to develop computational models of inter-fragmentary movement in callus formation in the early phase of fracture healing.

3. Investigating the relationship between bone marrow composition and bone tissue quality. Correlations between proportion of yellow to red bone marrow will be measured using magnetic resonance imaging and compared to bone density, bone architecture and bone remodelling rate using computer tomography (microCT) and bone histomorphometric analysis; to explore the effect of age, skeletal location and metabolic bone diseases such as osteoporosis and bone metastasis.

4. Biological age estimation of Australian adult populations using numerical 3D computerised tomography data from the pubic symphyseal surface: An evaluation of the Suchey-Brooks standards in a Caucasian population.

Areas of expertise

• Bone remodelling and adaptation
• Histomorphometry
• In vivo animal models
• Role of prostaglandins and cyclooxygenases in bone biology
• forensic anthropology

Selected research projects

• Relationship between bone metastasis and bone marrow composition: a study of spatial and functional interactions.
• Role of osteomacs (osteol macrophages) in fracture healing and bone metastasis.
• Role of PAR2 in prostate-cancer induced bone metastasis.
• MouseFix: development of a novel, standardised murine fracture and fixation model to study the role of the mechanical environment on bone fracture healing.
• Investigating the effect of internal fixation stiffness on endosteal bone formation in a mouse fracture model.
• Investigating the applicability of the Suchey-Brooks age determination method in an Australian Caucasian population using computer tomography scanning.