Philipp Leucht, MD
Assistant Professor, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery
Assistant Professor, Department of Cell Biology
Dr. Leucht finished his orthopedic residency and trauma fellowship training at Stanford University and is now a clinician scientist at New York University Langone Medical Center. He started his clinician scientist career in 2004 when he joined the laboratory of Dr. Jill Helms at Stanford University. In this environment he concentrated his efforts on the basic science and translational research focused on (1) determining the underlying cell and molecular regulatory mechanisms involved in skeletal development and fracture repair, (2) investigating the role of the mechanical environment during fracture repair, and (3) stem cell-based tissue engineering strategies to enhance bone regeneration. Dr. Leucht’s expertise and skills include in vivo fracture healing models in mouse, rat and rabbit, bone histomorphometry, genetically modified mouse models, in situ hybridization, microCT analysis, and routine cell and molecular biology techniques.
He received an OREF Career Development Award in 2010 focusing on the effect of liposomal Wnt3a, a pro-osteogenic protein, on aged bone grafts. This line of work integrates basic science research in the field of bone regeneration with a relatively new target indication: enhancing the osteogenic potential of aged bone autograft. Recently, he was awarded a 5-year NIH NIAMS K08 Mentored Clinician-Scientist Award. Here, he will study the intricate balance between stem cell proliferation and differentiation during the early stages of fracture healing.
Many adult tissues harbor stem cells, which theoretically could be employed for injury repair, but the origins of these cells, and the factors that influence their developmental potency, are poorly understood. A study funded by the Musculoskeletal Transplant Foundation (MTF) will address these questions in the context of skeletal tissue regeneration.
As an orthopaedic traumatologist, Dr. Leucht's long-term goal is to use the knowledge gained from basic research to improve fracture management.