Carina Blaker

Dr Carina Blaker is a Research Academic at the University of Sydney's Sydney School of Veterinary Science, affiliated with the Kolling Institute. Her work focuses on musculoskeletal diseases, particularly osteoarthritis (OA) and tendon biomechanics, using animal models for translational research.

Education:

• PhD
• BE (Mechanical Biomedical)
• BMedSc

Dr Blaker's research explores OA pathogenesis, knee injury biomechanics, and graft material properties. She has published extensively on mouse models of post-traumatic OA and human tendon allograft characteristics. Her work bridges biomedical engineering and clinical orthopaedics.

Recent research trends include:

• Sex differences in OA pathology and pain mechanisms
• Age-related proteomic changes in joint tissues
• Optimization of graft materials for surgical reconstruction
• Quantitative histopathological scoring systems
• Investigation of inflammatory pathways as therapeutic targets
• Comparative analysis of tendon and cartilage biomechanics

Selected Grants:

• 2023: "Does mild joint injury..." (Arthritis Foundation of Australia)
• 2021: "Glycosaminoglycans in tendon disease" (The Lincoln Centre)
• 2019: "Database of human tendon properties" (Australian Orthopaedic Association Research Foundation)
• 2015-2014: Multiple Arthritis Foundation grants

Dr Blaker collaborates with researchers in musculoskeletal health, including Professors Little and Clarke. Her work utilizes animal models, histopathological analysis, and biomechanical testing to advance OA prevention and treatment strategies.