Week 1: Alessandra

This week was primarily focused on onboarding and getting established at both Weill Cornell Medicine and Hospital for Special Surgery. I completed a number of required trainings and worked through some logistical challenges related to obtaining badges, email access, and system permissions across both institutions. While there were a few delays, most issues have been resolved quickly thanks to the support of administrative staff.

I had the opportunity to meet with Dr. Rodeo and the wonderful members of his laboratory and attend my first weekly lab meeting. It was exciting to learn about the diverse research projects underway and to gain a better understanding of the work I will be contributing to this summer.

My project will focus on evaluating osteoarthritis progression in a murine model of non-invasive ACL rupture with delayed reconstruction. Using microCT imaging and Dragonfly software, I will assess changes in the meniscus over time and correlate those findings with histological analyses. Additionally, I will contribute to the development of a meniscus grading system analogous to the OARSI scale used for cartilage degeneration. One particularly interesting aspect of the project is the observation that the posterior medial tibial plateau appears to degrade more rapidly than other regions of the joint in both murine and human samples. Investigating how meniscal changes relate to this localized degeneration may provide valuable insights into OA progression.

Beyond the laboratory, I attended a cultural event hosted by a student organization at WCM and a speaker seminar at HSS focused on the use of high-resolution CT imaging to assess osteoporosis and osteoarthritis. These events reminded me of the wide range of educational and community opportunities available outside of day-to-day research activities that are well worth attending!

One of the highlights of the week was observing a premature ventricular contraction ablation procedure in the cardiology department at WCM. It was fascinating to see the level of collaboration between the attending physician, fellows, and technical staff throughout the procedure. As the physician navigated the catheter within the heart, the technicians worked alongside the clinical team to generate a real-time 3D map of the cardiac anatomy and electrical activity. I was particularly impressed by how closely everyone worked together to troubleshoot challenges, interpret the mapping data, and guide the ablation process. Seeing the integration of advanced imaging technology, clinical decision-making, and teamwork firsthand was an incredibly valuable experience.

Finally, I attended the Cornell–HSS CAMEO Retreat, where biomechanics-focused laboratories from Cornell and HSS presented ongoing collaborative research efforts. The retreat provided an excellent opportunity to learn about ongoing projects, network with researchers across institutions, and see how interdisciplinary collaborations are formed and sustained. 

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