Joint tissue presents unique obstacle for drug delivery

A team led by Lori Setton, the Lucy & Stanley Lopata Distinguished Professor and chair of Biomedical Engineering, investigated the mechanisms of drug transport through synovium, specialized connective tissue in the joints, to improve treatment of osteoarthritis.

The team’s findings were recently published in the Journal of Biomechanical Engineering.

Few therapies exist for the treatment of osteoarthritis beyond non-steroidal anti-inflammatories and periodic steroid joint injections, which quickly dissipate from the joint space. The team used computational and experimental models to better study how fluids and drugs diffuse through healthy joint tissue.