Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) infection in the lower genital tract can ascend to the upper genital tract, causing pathologies such as hydrosalpinx, a hallmark for tubal infertility in women. However, the mechanisms on how CT ascends and induces hydrosalpinx-causing inflammation in women remain unknown. Chlamydia muridarum (CM) have been extensively used for studying the mechanisms of CT pathogenesis and immunity because intravaginal inoculation with CM in some mice can induce hydrosalpinx similar to that observed in women.

Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD-MSCs) have the potential to serve as a critical toolfor bone tissue engineering as their relatively high frequency in the body can provide the exceedingly largenumbers of cells required for regenerative therapies. Unfortunately, many studies have shown that AD-MSCshave considerably less osteogenic potential than other types of stem cells. Our group has developed an invitro-produced extracellular matrix (ECM) that recapitulates specific attributes of the native bone marrow (BM-)and adipose (AD-) microenvironment.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) affects ~29.1 million individuals in the US and is associated withsignificant morbidity and mortality from both microvascular and macrovascular complications. Themicrovascular, and to a lesser extent macrovascular, complications primarily are related tohyperglycemia. Therefore, it is logical to initiate therapy early in the natural history of T2DM, at the?prediabetic? stage, with interventions that reverse specific pathophysiologic defects present in IGT andIFG.