The Centre

Information about the Centre's history, as well as its aims and the scope of its research.

On

Aims

The centre aims to:

  • establish a focus for musculoskeletal research at the University of Sheffield
  • foster the development of inter-disciplinary research across the University of Sheffield
  • develop collaborative research programmes and grant applications
  • develop links with the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry
  • enhance the profile of musculoskeletal research at the University of Sheffield

Research

Clinical research interests span musculoskeletal diseases of childhood through to the elderly, from childhood bone diseases,  metabolic bone diseases, osteoarthritis, low back pain resulting from intervertebral disc degeneration and inflammatory arthritis.

The Centre for the Integration of Research into Musculoskeletal Ageing is a Versus Arthritis Centre of Excellence based at the Universities of Sheffield, Liverpool and Newcastle (CIMA).

Our clinical research is underpinned by a world-class programme of fundamental biomedical research undertaken within the Henry Wellcome Laboratories in the Medical School.

We have also created three core laboratories, one for musculoskeletal biochemistry, bone and cartilage analysis, and musculoskeletal cell and tissue culture within physiological environment, which are supported by HEFCE-funded and grant-funded technicians. These laboratories contain the latest automated immunoassay analysers and state-of-the-art high-resolution microCT imaging equipment and the equipment and expertise for undertaking quantitative analyses of musculoskeletal tissue and specialist culture systems to mimic physiological oxygen and mechanical load.

History

The University of Sheffield’s School of Medicine and Population Health has a strong track record in basic, translational and clinical musculoskeletal research.

The recent era began with the establishment of the Department of Chemical Pathology in 1974 by Professor Jack Martin and continued as the Department of Human Metabolism and Clinical Biochemistry under the leadership of Professor Graham Russell for 25 years to 2001.

The Mellanby Centre for Musculoskeletal Research was established by The University of Sheffield in 2009 as a centre of excellence which brings together researchers from the School of Medicine and Population Health, the School of Clinical Dentistry, the Department of Biomedical Sciences, the Insigneo Institute and the Centre for Computational Imaging and Simulation Technologies in Biomedicine.