In this episode we talk about the the WD-40 of the body, hyaluronan, or hyaluronic acid, with subject matter expert Professor Rebecca Pratt, who recently published an excellent paper on the subject entitled Hyaluronan and the Fascial Frontier.

Case study by Dr Antonio Stecco featuring imaging of densified hyaluronan pre and post treatment can be found here.

More on Rebecca Pratt 

Dr. Pratt joined Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine faculty in January 2018 as a tenured Professor in the Department of Foundational Medical Studies teaching anatomy. Dr. Pratt joined OUWB from Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine (MSUCOM), where she was a Professor of Anatomy, Embryology, Neuroanatomy, Physiology and Histology for seven years. Before that, Dr. Pratt was an Associate Professor of Anatomy and the Director of Histology at the West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine in Lewisburg, WV for four years. Prior to that, Dr. Pratt worked as an Assistant Professor at Grand Valley State University and as a post-doc at Purdue University. Her scholarly endeavors focus on student-led anatomy dissection projects, surgical anatomy and the longitudinal implementation of radiology and clinical imaging within the undergraduate medical curriculum.

Currently, Dr. Pratt serves as an elected Board Member of the American Association of Anatomy (AAA). She has also served a term as a Board Member of the American Association of Clinical Anatomy. Dr. Pratt has been Chair of the Educational Affairs Committee, Professional Development Committee and Committee for Early Career Anatomists within AAA. Highlights of her academic career include receiving the Basmajian Award (AAA) for outstanding research, leadership and teaching in the field of anatomy and the Keith and Marion Moore Award (AAA) for her manuscript on histology education. Dr. Pratt has also been the recipient of numerous teaching awards including five consecutive Golden Apples at MSUCOM. She has been an invited speaker for the International Association of Medical Science Educators in St. Andrews, Scotland and Leiden, Netherlands. Currently, Dr. Pratt also serves the medical community as a Visiting Anatomy Professor at Weill Cornell School of Medicine and St. George University School of Medicine. Dr. Pratt has been published in and peer-reviewed manuscripts for leading journals such as Clinical Anatomy, Anatomical Sciences Education, Journal of the American Osteopathic Association and Cell Biology.

Dr. Pratt received her dual B.S. in Zoology and Botany/Plant Pathology at Michigan State University and her Ph.D. in Cell Biology at Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indian, where she pursued biochemical oncology research with an emphasis on tyrosine kinase signaling in breast cancer cells in the laboratory of Dr. Michael Kinch. At Michigan State University School of Osteopathic Medicine, she was the Lab Director for a number of courses, including clinical anatomy, neuroanatomy, genitourinary, cardiology and respiratory. She also served the university as a member of MSUCOM Admissions, as the MSUCOM Chair of the Student Retention and Promotion Committee and on the MSU Faculty Senate and University Council for President Lou Anna K Simon.