Prof Richard Oreffo
DPhil DSc (Oxon)
Professor of Musculoskeletal Science
Profile page(s)
Richard is Professor of Musculoskeletal Science and co-founder of the Centre for Human Development, Stem Cells and Regeneration.
Richard leads a multidisciplinary research group focused on developing strategies to repair bone & cartilage with translation for patient benefit a personal key driver. His research led to the first 3D titanium bone stem cell impaction graft operation in England. Richard has trained over 50 MD/PhD interdisciplinary scientists and, published over 350 papers including breakthrough publications on skeletal stem cells, osteoarthritis, bone regeneration and holds 7 patents. He is founder/CSO of Renovos Biologics Limited and Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences.
Landmark publications:
Dalby MJ, Gadegaard N, Oreffo RO Harnessing nanotopography and integrin-matrix interactions to influence stem cell fate. Nature Materials. 2014 May 21; 13(6):558-69. doi: 10.1038/nmat3980
Kanczler JM, Ginty PJ, White L, Clarke NM, Howdle SM, Shakesheff KM, Oreffo ROC. The effect of the delivery of vascular endothelial growth factor and bone morphogenic protein-2 to osteoprogenitor cell populations on bone formation. Biomaterials. 2010;31(6):1242-50
JI Dawson, JM Kanczler, XB Yang, GS Attard, ROC Oreffo (2011) Clay Gels for the Delivery of Regenerative Microenvironments. Advanced Materials, 23(29), 3304-3308
de Andrés MC, Imagawa K, Hashimoto K, Gonzalez A, Roach HI, Goldring MB, Oreffo RO. Loss of methylation in CpG sites in the NF-κB enhancer elements of inducible nitric oxide synthase is responsible for gene induction in human articular chondrocytes. Arthritis Rheum. 2013 Mar;65(3):732-42. doi: 10.1002/art.37806
Xavier M, Kyriazi ME, Lanham S, Alexaki K, Matthews E, El-Sagheer AH, Brown T, Kanaras AG, Oreffo ROC. Enrichment of Skeletal Stem Cells from Human Bone Marrow Using Spherical Nucleic Acids. ACS Nano. 2021 Apr 27;15(4):6909-6916. doi: 10.1021/acsnano.0c10683. Epub 2021 Mar 22
Major grants:
Lighting the Way to a Healthy Nation – Optical 'X-rays' for walk through diagnosis & therapy £5.6M; EPSRC Programme Grant (Oreffo co-I) June 2020- May 2025
Acellular / Smart Materials - 3D Architecture: MRC UK RMPII Hub: £4.2M; MRC (Oreffo Dep. Dir.); April 2018-March 2024
Impact example:
Translation from bench to clinic – we have pioneered translational application of cell-scaffold composites in skeletal disease culminating in the first 3D printed titanium scaffold-bone stem cell impaction bone graft in the UK – basis of a REF Impact Case Study.