Fertala Research

Collagenous proteins play a pivotal role in forming the architecture of connective tissues and organs, including bone, tendon, cartilage, skin, peripheral nerves, liver, lung, and others. At the macro-level these proteins provide mechanical strength to all tissues and organs, and at the molecular-level they provide crucial signaling to cells. While in physiological conditions the homeostasis of collagens facilitates normal functions of tissues and organs, aberrations of these proteins cause devastating effects.

The Fertala laboratory studies fibrotic diseases that develop due to injury of orthopedically-relevant tissues, including joint capsule, tendon, ligament, peripheral nerve, and others. In collaboration with clinical partners, they also study lung fibrosis and ocular fibrosis. In addition to studies on pathomechanisms of fibrotic response to tissue injury, the Fertala laboratory develops novel anti-fibrotic approaches that target extracellular processes of scar formation.

The Fertala laboratory also studies heritable disorders of connective tissue associated with mutations in collagen genes. The main focus of these studies are dysplasias that alter skeletal development and growth.

Furthermore, the Fertala group participates in developing recombinant collagen-like proteins for potential applications in tissue engineering and drug delivery. 

While scar formation is a part of the natural healing process, excessive scarring is a hallmark of fibrosis. The central goal of this project is to develop novel approaches to limit fibrotic scarring in orthopedically-relevant tissues. The research group led by Dr. Fertala has identified collagen fibrillogenesis as a valid target to limit excessive formation of collagen-rich tissue deposits. The group has developed and patented a monoclonal antibody that inhibits collagen-collagen interaction that drives the formation of collagen fibrils, a primary component of scar tissue. Employing a clinically-relevant animal model, the group has demonstrated the utility of their anti-fibrotic approach to reduce post-traumatic joint stiffness caused due to excessive scarring of joint tissues. Furthermore, the group demonstrated the anti-fibrotic potential of the antibody in animal models of pulmonary fibrosis and keloid.

The group carries out their research under the auspices of the Scientific Consortium for Arthrofibrosis Research (SCAR), which includes a group of dedicated orthopedic surgeons from the Rothman Orthopaedic Institute. The group’s interests include post-traumatic joint stiffness, Dupuytren’s contracture, and scarring of peripheral nerves.

Beyond the orthopedic targets, the Fertala group conducts collaborative research on limiting fibrotic processes occurring in the lung and the eye.