University of California-San Francisco · Biomedical EngineeringThe Joint Health Initiative
Thomas M Link · San Francisco, California
Research Focus
Dr. Thomas Link's lab at UCSF focuses on understanding how changes in body weight influence the progression of knee osteoarthritis (OA), particularly in overweight and obese individuals. The research aims to uncover the biological mechanisms behind this relationship, such as inflammation and muscle health, to develop personalized treatment strategies. By analyzing large datasets and utilizing advanced machine learning techniques, the lab hopes to create prediction models that can tailor interventions to patients, ultimately improving outcomes and preventing severe joint issues.
knee osteoarthritisobesityweight lossinflammationmachine learningjoint healthmuscle strengthpredictive modelingclinical outcomes
Research Aims
3AIM 01Characterize the associations between weight changes and knee joint inflammation, body composition, and muscle strength.
AIM 02Explore the mechanisms by which weight change impacts OA progression and assess the mediating factors involved.
AIM 03Develop a machine learning prediction model to identify features predicting OA progression over 8 years.
Skills the Lab Values
data analysismachine learningMRI imagingbody composition assessmentpathway analysisbiomechanicsmuscle morphology evaluationclinical data interpretationexperimental design
Output against the department
Publications503top 16% of dept.94th of 595
this lab
most publishedleast published
Citations24ktop 14% of dept.81st of 595
this lab
most citedleast cited
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