Three Scientists Join Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) to Investigate Treatments, Cures and Prevention of Musculoskeletal Disease

New York, NY—October 5, 2004

In an effort to find new ways to treat, cure and ultimately prevent musculoskeletal disease, the Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) has recruited three scientists to investigate the disease's processes from a cellular and molecular perspective. The new scientists - Carl P. Blobel, MD, PhD; Paul Edward Purdue, PhD; and Inez Rogatsky, PhD - began their research at HSS in September, working within the hospital's Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program.

HSS' Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program adds a biomedical perspective at the cellular level to the hospital's expertise in biomechanics and bioengineering. The program enables researchers to study holistically the root causes of tissue destruction remodeling. Scientists in the program approach the research in the context of clinical conditions, such as arthritis or joint implant loosening.

Dr. Rogatsky and Dr. Blobel each will create new laboratories within the Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, which is under the auspices of Senior Scientist Lionel Ivashkiv, MD; Dr. Purdue will manage the Osteolysis Laboratory, working closely with Surgeon-in-Chief Thomas P. Sculco, MD, and surgeon Brian Nestor, MD in researching the causes and prevention of joint implant loosening.

"The addition of these exceptional scientists is part of our Discovery to Recovery: Campaign for Research," said John R. Reynolds, president & CEO of the Hospital for Special Surgery. "We are transforming the way we address scientific questions in order to take advantage of our research strengths and accelerate the translation of discoveries into new methods of treatment, diagnosis and prevention."

Francesco Ramirez, PhD, chief scientific officer at HSS, said: "Drs. Blobel, Rogatsky and Purdue bring tremendous intellectual assets to the Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program, where we are applying the practice of basic science to clinical problems in a hospital setting. This approach distinguishes HSS and significantly increases our capacity to bring effective new therapies to patients."

Prior to joining HSS, Dr. Blobel worked at the Cellular Biochemistry and Biophysics Program of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. A world leader in the field of proteins important in inflammation and in bone remodeling, Dr. Blobel will establish his laboratory within the Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program using biochemistry to study the function of these proteins in vitro as well as in models - a new avenue of study at HSS.

Dr. Rogatsky comes from the University of California, San Francisco, where she was a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology. She will head the Laboratory of Steroid Hormone Receptors and Inflammation within the Arthritis and Tissue Degeneration Program.

Dr. Purdue was previously with the Department of Cell Biology/Anatomy at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. At HSS, Dr. Purdue, in partnership with orthopedic surgeons, will provide expertise needed to further build HSS' Osteolysis program.