Effects of 24r,25(oh)2d3 in the Teratment of Knee Osteoarthritis

iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I first want to thank Dr. Boyan and Dr. Schwartz for their guidance and continued support over the past five and a half years. Their mentorship was not only limited to the research bench but also directed my future career aspirations and personal life. I first joined the Boyan/Schwartz lab as an undergraduate researcher and that experience sparked my interest in science research and helped me decide to pursue a PhD. I also want to thank my committee members: Dr. Babensee, Dr. Dixon, and Dr. Platt for their continual guidance through this long journey. Next I want to thank all of the graduate students, visiting doctors and f aculty, and staff of the Boyan/Schwartz lab. I want to specially thank our collaborator Dr. O'Connor for making the human knee study possible. I want to thank members of the Johnson for all of their administrative help.