Design Project: Degenerative Disc Disease

By: Nicholas Mirsky

Background Information

• Humans are prone to spinal issues• Americans spend 50 billion dollars a year on pain

medications.• Overlook extremely important muscles in the back

when working out. • DDD, when vertebrae degrades over time

causing serious issues.

Current Treatment

• Physical Therapy• Pain Medication

(temp.)• Discectomy Surgery• Lower back strength

training.

How it Works

Annulus Fibrosus• Firm, stabilizing layer• Acts as the dough in a jelly

doughnut.• Hold the nucleus in place.• Grows larger and harder as

degradation occurs. • Concentric sheets of

collagen fibers.

Nucleus Pulposus• Inner, soft, jelly like nucleus

of the disc. • Used as a shock absorber

for the back.• Prone to inflammation and

dehydration as degradation occurs.

• Contains Aggecan, Fibrillar collagens and water. (main components.)

How it Works (cont.)

DESIGN

• Goal: keep disc hydrated over time, preventing the degradation of the disc and to allow for continual shock absorption.

• Creation of Aggrecan, a necessary component lost over time, as the collagen increases.

• Injected directly as an E. Coli bacterium. • Gene used known as the ACAN Gene.

1. Outside Inducer: Fibrillar Collagen2. Receptor: Integrin α11β1 3. Operon (Below)4. Protein channel5. Secretion of newly created Protein.6. Happy hydrated disc

Operon

Protein Channel/ Protein Excretion

Potential Issues/ Unresolved Aspects

• Require invention of another Bacterium that would break down Collagen over time in miniscule amounts.

• Must add water or water substitute for continuous hydration.

• E. Coli may not survive well in area of spine, very little known bacteria there.