In a recent conversation, first-year Rehabilitation Science PhD student Jessica Wagner shared insights into her cutting-edge research on the role of the infrapatellar fat pad on osteoarthritis (OA). With a background in physical therapy, Wagner brings a unique clinical perspective to her work, which combines imaging techniques and a multidisciplinary approach to better understand joint pain.
Q: How has your first year in the Rehabilitation Science PhD program been?
A: I’ve loved this first year! I feel like I’ve been able to really explore different avenues of science and rehab science, and I’ve definitely gotten the interdisciplinary experience I was looking for when I came here.
Q: Can you tell us about the research project you’re working on with Dr. Kelsey Collins and Dr. Rich Souza? 
A: Absolutely! We’re studying the infrapatellar fat pad’s role in patellofemoral joint osteoarthritis. We’re using magnetic resonance imaging to investigate how abnormalities in the fat pad correlate with the severity of osteoarthritis and the associated pain. It’s been fascinating because we’re looking into why there’s often a mismatch between the structural damage in the joint and the level of pain a patient feels.
Q: What’s this mismatch about? Can you explain it a bit more?
A: Sure. As a former physical therapist, I’ve seen a lot of patients who have severe pain but only minimal joint damage, and others with more advanced osteoarthritis who don’t report much discomfort. Pain doesn’t always align with what’s happening structurally in the joint. We’re exploring whether the infrapatellar fat pad plays a role in that mismatch.
Q: Have you discovered any interesting patterns so far?
A: Our research has shown a relationship between fat pad abnormalities and the progression of osteoarthritis, especially when looking at factors like body mass index (BMI) and gender differences. We found that females tend to have a stronger connection between fat pad abnormalities and pain compared to males, which could have significant implications for treatment approaches.
Q: What are your plans for continuing this research?
A: I’m planning to dive deeper into the role of the infrapatellar fat pad and other knee tissues as part of my thesis. We’re going to be collecting tissue samples from patients with knee replacement to study how these tissues contribute to osteoarthritis. There’s so much to uncover about the fat pad’s role, especially in terms of how it may relate to OA as a systemic disease, not just a localized joint issue.
Q: Speaking of osteoarthritis as a systemic disease, could you elaborate on that?
A: Osteoarthritis has traditionally been seen as an OA issue, and treatments are usually focused on physical therapy or knee replacements. But there’s growing evidence suggesting that OA could be more of a systemic disease, meaning it affects the whole body, not just one joint. Understanding how factors like fat tissue contribute to OA could lead to more comprehensive treatments in the future.
Q: As a former physical therapist, how does your clinical experience influence your research?
A: My clinical background has given me a strong motivation to bridge the gap between basic science and patient outcomes. There’s so much exciting research out there, but a lot of it doesn’t reach patients because of feasibility or accessibility issues. I’m always thinking about how our findings could eventually help patients and improve their quality of life.
Q: What advice would you give to others interested in this type of research?
A: I’d say it’s important to have a clear vision of the patient population you want to serve and the potential impact of your work. It’s also essential to be interdisciplinary, bringing together different experts who can help solve complex problems.