Grant: Undergraduate: Summer Studentship Award - Institute Community Support

Tendons are a type of connective tissue. They are made mainly of collagen fibres, which connect muscle and bone. We know that high cholesterol levels increase the risk of tendon injury, but the reason for this is not understood. The goal of this research is to better understand the link between high cholesterol and tendon injury. Our hypothesis is that high cholesterol inhibits tendon healing by causing the metabolism of local cells (tenocytes) to go awry, which interferes with collagen formation and thereby reduces the strength of the tendon. We will test this idea using an animal (rat) model of high cholesterol. If successful, the research could help prevent or improve the treatment of tendon injuries in people with high cholesterol.