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Ryan Jones

Ryan Jones

Teams and roles for Ryan Jones

  • Research Associate

    School of Biosciences

Overview

I am a post-doctoral research associate at Cardiff University’s Biomechanics and Bioengineering Centre, where I investigate how the sensory nervous system interacts with musculoskeletal tissues to drive pain in conditions such as osteoarthritis. My research focuses on developing innovative human cell-based models that link biological mechanisms to patient-reported pain.

During my PhD, I established a novel co-culture system combining stem cell–derived sensory neurons with mechanically stimulated bone cells, enabling the study of bone-derived pain in a clinically relevant context. I now expand this work using advanced electrophysiology and imaging to understand how mechanical loading and inflammation alter neural activity and pain signalling.

My work has been recognised with national and international awards, and I am driven to translate these discoveries into new diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies for musculoskeletal pain.

Publication

2026

2024

2023

2021

Articles

Conferences

Thesis

Biography

I am a researcher in biosciences at Cardiff University, where my work focuses on understanding the mechanisms underlying pain in osteoarthritis and related musculoskeletal conditions. My research spans fundamental neuroscience, tissue engineering, and translational medicine, with a particular emphasis on developing in vitro human-relevant models to better understand patient pain.

In my current role I co-lead multidisciplinary research exploring neural–tissue interactions in osteoarthritis. A key focus of my recent work is the development and application of electrophysiological techniques alongside in vitro modelling of peripheral nerve interactions with musculoskeletal tissues capable of analysing patient pain responses, with the aim of improving diagnosis, patient stratification, and treatment outcomes. This work has contributed to advancing our understanding of neuronal activity patterns associated with pain, particularly in the context of chronic conditions such as osteoarthritis.

 

Honours and awards

Recipient of the New Investigator Award at the British Orthopaedic Research Society annual meeting 2025 for presentation: Predictive Modelling of Osteoarthritis Patient Pain In Vitro

Recipient of the British Orthopaedic Research Society/Bone and Joint Journal Travelling fellowship 2025 to spend a month visting research centres across the US showcasing the best in British orthopaedic research

Recipient of the Andrew Sprowson award for translational research British orthopaedic society annual meeting 2023, Cambridge, UK for presentation: The mechanical regulation of Sema3A in patient synovial fluid with Chronic knee Varus Malalignment 

Recipient of the Highest rated abstract award in Osteoarthritis Research international annual meeting 2023, Denver, Colorado USA for abstract The Regulation of NGF, Semaphorins and Glutamate signalling by Mechanical Loading and Inflammation in a 3-Dimensional Model of Human Stem Cell Derived Osteocytes. 

Academic positions

Chair of the Cardiff School of Biosciences Early Career Researcher comitee

Speaking engagements

May, 2026 – Invited Lecture, Berlin-Brandenburg Center for Regenerative Therapies (BCRT), Charite, Berlin, Germany
Talk title: “Predictive modelling of osteoarthritis pain in vitro”
Presented research on all the neural models I have developed in osteoarthritis pain and patient-specific analysis approaches to pain analysis

Committees and reviewing

Co-Chair of the Osteoarthritis Research Society International - Early Career Investigator commitee 

Committee member of the British Orthopaedic Research Society 

Contact Details

Research themes

Specialisms

  • Pain
  • musculoskeletal research
  • Osteoarthritis

External profiles