Alexander Cigan

Current Position

Medical Director, Medical Strategy and Scientific Affairs • BGB Group

Education

  • B.S. Tulane University, Biomedical Engineering, 2009
  • M.S. Tulane University, Biomedical Engineering, 2010
  • M.Phil. Columbia University, 2013
  • Ph.D. Columbia University, 2016

About

Hailing from Portland, Oregon, Alexander received both his BS and MS in Biomedical Engineering from Tulane University, and his Ph.D. from Columbia in Dr. Gerard Ateshian's Musculoskeletal Biomechanics Laboratory.  His research focused on cartilage tissue engineering, cartilage biomechanics, nutrient transport and extracellular matrix synthesis within engineered cartilage, and techniques for engineering large chondrocyte-agarose constructs to treat cartilage defects found in osteoarthritic joints.

Publications

Cigan, A. D., Durney, K. M., Nims, R. J., Vunjak-Novakovic, G., Hung, C. T., Ateshian, G. A., 2016. Nutrient channels aid the growth of articular surface-sized engineered cartilage constructs. Tissue Eng Part A 22(17-18):1063-74 PubMed.

Cigan, A. D., Nims, R. J., Vunjak-Novakovic, G., Hung, C. T., Ateshian, G. A., 2016. Optimizing nutrient channel spacing and revisiting TGF-beta in large engineered cartilage constructs. J Biomech 49(10):2089-94 PubMed.

Cigan, A. D., Roach, B. L., Nims, R. J., Tan, A. R., Albro, M. B., Stoker, A. M., Cook, J. L., Vunjak-Novakovic, G., Hung, C. T., Ateshian, G. A., 2016. High seeding density of human chondrocytes in agarose produces tissue-engineered cartilage approaching native mechanical and biochemical properties. J Biomech 49(9):1909-17 PubMed.

Cigan, A. D., Nims, R. J., Albro, M. B., Vunjak-Novakovic, G., Hung, C. T., Ateshian, G. A., 2014. Nutrient channels and stirring enhanced the composition and stiffness of large cartilage constructs.  J Biomech 47(16):3847-54 PubMed.

Cigan, A. D., Nims, R. J., Albro, M. B., Hung, C. T., and Ateshian, G. A., 2013. Insulin, ascorbate, and glucose have a much greater influence than transferrin and selenous acid on the in vitro growth of engineered cartilage in chondrogenic media. Tissue Eng Part A 19, 1941-1948 PubMed.

Nims, R. J., Cigan, A. D., Durney, K. M., Jones, B. K., O'Neill, J. D., Law, W.-S. A., Vunjak-Novakovic, G., Hung, C. T., Ateshian, G. A., 2017. Constrained culture improves engineered cartilage functional properties by enhancing collagen network stability. Tissue Eng Part A doi:10.1089/ten.tea.2016.0467 PubMed.

Nims, R. J., Durney, K. M., Cigan, A. D., Dusseaux, A., Hung, C. T., Ateshian, G. A., 2016. Continuum theory of fibrous tissue damage mechanics using bond kinetics: application to cartilage tissue engineering. Interface Focus 6(1):20150063 PubMed.

Albro, M. B., Nims, R. J., Durney, K. M., Cigan, A. D., Shim, J. J., Vunjak-Novakovic, G., Hung, C. T., Ateshian, G. A., 2016. Heterogeneous engineered cartilage growth results from gradients of media-supplemented active TGF-β and is ameliorated by the alternative supplementation of latent TGF-&beta. Biomaterials 77:173-185 PubMed.

Nims, R. J., Cigan, A. D., Albro, M. B., Vunjak-Novakovic, G., Hung, C. T., Ateshian, G. A., 2015. Matrix production in large engineered cartilage constructs is enhanced by nutrient channels and excess media supply. Tissue Eng Part C 21(7):747-57 PubMed.

O’Connell, G. D., Nims, R. J., Green, J., Cigan, A. D., Ateshian, G. A., Hung, C. T., 2014. Time- and dose-dependent effects of chondroitinase ABC on growth of engineered cartilage.  Eur Cell Mater 27:312-20 PubMed.

Nims, R. J., Cigan, A. D., Albro, M. B., Hung, C. T., and Ateshian, G. A., 2013. Synthesis rates and binding kinetics of matrix products in engineered cartilage constructs using chondrocyte-seeded agarose gels. J Biomech 47(9):2165-72 PubMed.

Albro, M. B., Nims, R. J., Cigan, A. D., Yeroushalmi, K. J., Alliston, T., Hung, C. T., and Ateshian, G. A., 2013. Accumulation of exogenous activated TGF-beta in the superficial zone of articular cartilage. Biophys J 104, 1794-1804, PubMed.

Albro, M. B., Nims, R. J., Cigan, A. D., Yeroushalmi, K. J., Shim, J. J., Hung, C. T., and Ateshian, G. A., 2012. Dynamic mechanical compression of articular cartilage does not activate latent TGF-beta. J Biomech 46, 1433-1439, PubMed.

Albro, M. B., Cigan, A. D., Nims, R. J., Oungoulian, S. R., Hung, C. T., and Ateshian, G. A., 2012. Shearing of synovial fluid activates latent TGF-beta. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 20, 1374-1382, PubMed.

Zhang, Q., Cigan, A. D., Marraro, L., Lopreore, C., Liu, S., Ge, D., Savoie, F., and You, Z., 2011. Expression of doublecortin reveals articular chondrocyte lineage in mouse embryonic limbs. Genesis 49, 75-82.

Parekh, A., Cigan, A. D., Wognum, S., Heise, R., Chancellor, M., and Sacks, M. S., 2010. Ex vivo deformations of the urinary bladder wall during whole bladder filling: contributions of extracellular matrix and smooth muscle. J Biomech 43, 1708-1716.

Cigan, A. D., Nims, R. J., Albro, M. B., Hung, C. T., and Ateshian, G. A., 2013. Effects of media stirring and presence of nutrient channels on functional properties of large engineered cartilage constructs. In: ASME Summer Bioengineering Conference. Sunriver, OR, USA.

Cigan, A. D., Nims, R. J., Albro, M. B., Quien, M. M., Vunjak-Novakovic, G., Hung, C. T., and Ateshian, G. A., 2013. Identification of a glucose concentration threshold critical for tissue growth in engineered cartilage. In: 59th Annual Meeting of the Orthopaedic Research Society. San Antonio, TX, USA.

Cigan, A. D., Nims, R. J., Albro, M. B., Breves, S. L., Hung, C. T., and Ateshian, G. A., 2012. Insulin and ascorbate have a much greater influence than transferrin and selenous acid on the growth of engineered cartilage in chondrogenic media. In: ASME Summer Bioengineering Conference. Fajardo, PR, USA.Nims, R. J., Cigan, A. D., Albro, M. B., Hung, C. T., and Ateshian, G. A., 2013. Binding and release kinetics of glycosaminoglycans and collagen in engineered cartilage under TGF-beta supplementation. In: ASME Summer Bioengineering Conference. Sunriver, OR, USA.