Welcome to the Baht Lab!

The Baht Lab uses mouse models to investigate the process of bone repair and cellular differentiation. The capacity for tissues to repair and regenerate diminishes with age. Bone fracture repair in the elderly occurs slower, resulting in decreased bone and cartilage deposition, increased fibrosis, and prolonged inflammation at the injury site. Likewise, in vitro, differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells to osteoblasts is less efficient in aged cultures than in young cultures. These findings are recapitulated in mouse models.

We have used parabiosis (anastomosis of two mice) and bone marrow transplantation to understand aged bone fracture repair better. Aged mice anastomosed to young mice or engrafted with young bone marrow are rejuvenated for tibial fracture healing and bone marrow stromal cell differentiation. Furthermore, osteogenic media conditioned by young macrophages can rejuvenate osteoblastic differentiation in a tissue culture system.

Current work in the Baht Lab is focused on understanding the molecular, cellular, and metabolic pathways involved in the observed rejuvenation of aged fracture repair and cellular differentiation.

The Baht Lab uses mouse models to investigate the process of bone repair and cellular differentiation. The research themes within the lab currently involve cellular metabolism, inflammation, and aging.

Tibial fracture models assess in vivo bone healing in response to injury, and in vitro tissue culture systems are used to investigate osteoblastic differentiation. Three mouse-model systems are used: parabiosis, bone marrow transplantation, and tissue culture.

Recent efforts have generated a list of candidates which play a role in bone healing and play a role in osteoblastic differentiation at both the cellular level and within the whole organism. These candidates are currently being studied using our in vivo and in vitro systems.

Kristin Molitoris is a research technician in the Baht Lab specializing in developing mouse models, performing histological techniques, and investigating systems using tissue culture techniques. M.Sc. University of Maryland, 2018	Haiyang Wu is a visiting graduate student in the Baht Lab investigating the importance of metabolic regulation in osteoblast differentiation. M.Sc. Southern Medical University, 2020
Mingjian Huang is a postdoctoral fellow in the Baht Lab specializing in inflammation and bone fracture healing. Specifically, Mingjian is interested in bettering our understanding of inflammatory signals' role in osteoblast regulation during bone fracture healing. Ph.D. Shanghai Jiatong University School of Medicine, 2019

Lab Alumni

Abhi Balu was an undergraduate in the Baht lab from 2019-2022. His work within the lab focused on understanding the impact of circulating factors on osteoblast differentiation and activity. In 2022 Abhi will attend medical school. B. Sc. Duke University, 2022	Rong Huang was a postdoctoral fellow in the Baht Lab specializing in immune cell functioning as it correlates with bone biology. Her work within the lab focuses on understanding the role of specific immune factors within fracture healing. Ph. D. Queensland University of Technology (Australia), 2018
Lorenna Garcia-Bochas was a summer student in 2017 with SROP. Lorenna's project investigates the effects of gastric bypass surgery on bone health and osteoblastic differentiation. Bachelor of Science, Fayetteville State University	Xiaohua Zong was a technician in the Baht Lab. She helped develop the studies investigating the role of ApoE in aged bone healing and the efficacy of using MaR1 to improve aged fracture repair.. M.D., Nanjing Medical College (China), 1992

Selected Publications

• R. Huang, L. Vi, X. Zong. G.S. Baht. Maresin 1 resolves aged-associated macrophage inflammation to improve bone regeneration. FASEB J. 2020. 34(10): 13521-13532.
   
• R. Huang, X. Zong, P. Nadesan, J.L. Huebner, V.B. Kraus. J.P.  White, P.J. White, and G.S. Baht. Lowering circulating apolipoprotein E levels improves aged bone fracture healing. JCI Insight. 4(18): 2019, 1-13.
   
• G.S. Baht, D. Silkstone, L. Vi, P. Nadesan, Y. Amani, H. Whetstone, Q. Wei, B.A. Alman. Exposure to a youthful circulation rejuvenates bone repair through modulation of β-catenin. Nature Communications. 6: 2015, 1-9

Funded research positions in the following categories are available in the lab:

• Graduate Student (Ph.D. Program)

If interested, please email your CV or resume to gurpreet.baht@duke.edu​​​​​​.

Baht Lab, 300 North Duke Street, Durham, NC 27701

• The New York Times - Blood of Young Mice Extends Life in the Old - July 27, 2023
   
• BBC Science Focus - Here's how you can reverse your biological age, according to breakthrough new study - April 24, 2023.
   
• Science Daily - No bones about it, this protein slows down fracture-healing - September 19, 2019
   
• Bloomberg News - The Bloody Tale of Ambrosia, the Startup That Wants to Slow Aging - February 25, 2019 
   
• Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News - Young Blood Cells Supply Proteins That Speed Fracture Repair - December 8, 2018
   
• Science Daily - Scientists identify 'youth factor' in blood cells that speeds fracture repair - December 5, 2018
   
• The Toronto Star - Young Blood Repairs Old Bones Faster, More Efficiently - May 20, 2015
   
• Smithsonian Mag - Vampire Healing: Young Blood Can Mend Old Broken Bones  - May 19, 2015