Dr Rahul S Tare MSc, PhD

Lecturer - Musculoskeletal Science and Bioengineering

Dr Rahul Tare is Lecturer in Musculoskeletal Science and Bioengineering within the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Southampton.

My research employs a multidisciplinary approach to bioengineer 3D cartilage tissue from human stem cells for the repair of articular cartilage defects, and seeks to gain insight into the pathogenesis of skeletal diseases through improved appreciation of the molecular regulation of skeletal development

Rahul’s research interests include human stem cells, tissue engineering and skeletal development.

Rahul’s interdisciplinary research harnesses human stem cells, human skeletal cells, tissue engineering strategies, acoustofluidics and computational modelling to generate 3D cartilage tissue grafts for the regeneration of articular cartilage defects, and seeks to gain insight into the pathogenesis of skeletal diseases such as osteoporosis and osteoarthritis through improved appreciation of the molecular regulation of skeletal development.

Potential students and researchers interested in the above- mentioned areas of research are encouraged to contact Rahul.

Rahul’s research employs a multidisciplinary strategy to bioengineer 3D human cartilage tissue grafts for the repair of articular cartilage defects and seeks to gain insight into the pathogenesis of skeletal diseases through improved appreciation of the molecular regulation of skeletal development. The cartilage tissue engineering work has been widely covered by the BBC, New Scientist and BECTИ.RU (a Russian news outlet).

Research highlights include,

1. Demonstration of the first successful application of acoustofluidic bioreactors to bioengineer scaffold-free 3D cartilage constructs from human articular chondrocytes that have the potential for use in restorative surgical techniques for the treatment of focal articular cartilage defects [Lab on a Chip, 2014; 14: 4475-85 – paper included in the top 30 most downloaded articles published in Lab on a Chip in 2014; Lab on a Chip, 2018; 18: 473-85].

2. Elucidation of the key role of 'threshold' oxygen tension in influencing the composition of the extracellular matrix synthesised by human articular chondrocytes in a 3D scaffold-free culture model, thereby providing valuable insight into scaffold-free cartilage bioengineering approaches and their optimisation [Biotechnology and Bioengineering, 2014; 111: 1876-85]

3. Demonstration of the sub-optimal cartilage-forming potential of human bone marrow-derived Skeletal Stem Cells (SSCs), in comparison to human articular chondrocytes, and the propensity of SSC-derived chondrocytes for hypertrophic differentiation, thereby highlighting the crucial role of strategies to augment SSC chondrogenesis and prevent the phenotypic drift to hypertrophy in delivering improved SSC-based cartilage regeneration therapies [Journal of Biomaterials Applications, 2015; 29: 824-36].

4. Elucidation of the significance of BAG-1-mediated protein-protein interactions, specifically BAG-1-mediated activation of estrogen receptor by HSC70, in the regulation of osteoblast development and bone formation [Scientific Reports 2016; 6: 33504].

The research is funded by grants from the European Calcified Tissue Society, Wessex Medical Research, Rosetrees Trust, Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, Versus Arthritis, EPSRC, MRC, Institute for Life Sciences (University of Southampton).

Qualifications

PhD, University of Southampton, UK (2002)
Postgraduate Certificate in Academic Practice, University of Southampton, UK (2013)

Appointments held

Lecturer, Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton (May 2010 onwards)

Senior Postdoctoral Career Track Fellow, Bone and Joint Research Group, University of Southampton (Jan 2009 – Apr 2010)

Postdoctoral Career Track Fellow, Bone and Joint Research Group, University of Southampton (July 2008 – Dec 2008)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Bone and Joint Research Group, University of Southampton (Mar 2004 – June 2008)

Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Department of Cell Biology, University of Massachusetts Medical School, Worcester, USA (Oct 2002 – Feb 2004)