Will

Profile

I am currently a final year PhD student in the Centre for Doctoral Training in Tissue Engineering and Medicine – Innovation in Biological and Medical engineering. My PhD is focussed on the effects of biologics and mechanics on cartilage repair by resident mesenchymal stem cells in the ankle. My work aims to develop treatments which enable endogenous repair of the joint by recruiting stem cells to the wound site and encouraging repair, avoiding the abnormalities and poor cell recruitment following traditional stem cell injection, instead aiming to augment exisitng treatments such as microfracture. For this work I isolate mesenchymal stem cells from excess bone retrived from surgical fusion of the talocrural joint of the ankle. To investigate the effects of ankle osteoarthritis in the joint, I use mechanical testing, micro-computed tomography, histology and immunohistochemistry. Using isolated cells, I use cell culture, flow cytometry, differentiation assays, and various drugs and mechanical stimuli to investigate cartilage repair in both 2D and 3D environments.

I previously obtained a 1st class (hons) biomedicine undergraduate degree at the University of East Anglia in Biomedicine, where my research project investigated the role of autophagy in skeletal muscle repair by the resident stem cells, satelitte cells.

I have keen interest in equality and mental wellbeing. I am part of the School of Mechanical Engineering Equality and Inclusion team, as well as institute of Medical and Biological Engineering Mental Wellbeing student-led team, as well as a member of the LGBT+ staff network. 

Please feel free to email regarding research collaborations, equality and inclusion, or for general advice regarding starting a PhD.

Additional links: RegenMed Profile https://regenerative-medicine.leeds.ac.uk/profiles/william-jones/
                          Institute of Biological and Medical Engineering profile: https://www.imbe.leeds.ac.uk/profiles/william-jones
                          LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-g-jones/

Research interests

My current research interests are:
- The effects of post-traumatic osteoarthritis on the ankle bone and cartilage, in comparison to primary osteoarthritis found in other joints
- The role of biologics, mechanics and the synergy between the two required to develop long-term hyaline cartilage instead of fibrocartilage
- Investigating tissue repair from mechanical and biological angles, such as extracellular matrix production and alignment with healthy tissue

Qualifications

• 1st Class (Hons) Biomedicine