The research of Wafa Tawackoli, PhD, focuses on imaging stem cell-based skeletal tissue, investigating the use of broad range of imaging modalities to track and to characterize different stages of adult stem cells derived from various tissues of the human body for the regeneration of bone, cartilage, tendon/ligament and the intervertebral disc. He also studies combining isolated stem cells with differentiation-inducing genes and biodegradable scaffolds in the possibility that it could lead to novel therapeutic solutions for patients suffering from non-union fractures, osteoarthritis, tendon tears, osteoporosis and spine disorders.

• Surgery

• Reviewer: Annals of Biomedical Engineering, Current
• Distinguished Alumni Award Nomination, 2009
• Member, World Molecular Imaging Society, 2006
• International Society of Biomechanics Dissertation Grant, 2006
• Best Presentation: HSEMB 2005 (Robotic Session), 2003

• Fahim DK, Sun K, Tawackoli W, Mendel E, Rhines LD, Burton AW, Kim DH, Ehni BL, Liebschner MA. Premature adjacent vertebral fracture after vertebroplasty: a biomechanical study. Neurosurgery. 2011 Sep;69(3):733-744.
• Kallai I, Mizrahi O, Tawackoli W, Gazit Z, Pelled G, Gazit D. Microcomputed tomography-based structural analysis of various bone tissue regeneration models. Nat Protoc. 2011 Jan;6(1):105-110.
• Kimelman-Bleich N, Pelled G, Sheyn D, Kallai I, Zilberman Y, Mizrahi O, Tal Y, Tawackoli W, Gazit Z, Gazit D. The use of a synthetic oxygen carrier-enriched hydrogel to enhance mesenchymal stem cell-based bone formation in vivo. Biomaterials. 2009 Sep;30(27):4639-4648.