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Marcel E. Nimni, MS, PhD, is a researcher and educator. He spent 54 years teaching at the Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern California, publishing several books, more than 200 papers, and more than 20 book chapters. While at USC, he taught Surgery, Biochemistry, and Orthopedics and served as Director of Laboratory of Connective Tissue Biochemistry and Anomalies Director of Surgical Research.

His studies on rheumatoid arthritis led to his discovery of Type II collagen.

Nimni was awarded Professor Emeritus status from USC in 2018.

Born: February 1, 1931, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Education

University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, B.S. l955; Pharm.D. 1955

University of Southern California, Los Angeles, M.S. (Biochemistry and Nutrition), l957

University of Buenos Aires, PhD (Pharmacology and Biochemistry), 1960

National Institutes of Health, Post-doctoral Fellowship, l961-62, University of Southern California Dept. of Biochemistry and Nutrition Los Angeles, California University College London, 1963. Research Fellow

University of Paris, 1989. Sabbatical. Research Professor.

Honors and Awards Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science

Fellow, New York Academy of Sciences

Founders Award: Society for Biomaterials, 1986

Jewel Award, Society for Cosmetic Chemists, 1988

University Professor and mentor, Department of Orthopedics, Osaka University, 1991

MERIT AWARD, NIH, Stem Cells, Osteogenesis and Aging (1987-1997)

Distinguished Professor University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, 2002-2004

Doctor of Medical Sciences, Honoris Causae, Maimonides University, Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1998

Distinguished Scientist, University of Bello Horizonte, Brazil, 1999

Honorary Professor, Departments of Physiology and Anatomy, University College London, 2001

Distinguished professor, Taiwan University, 2004

Academician, National Academy of Pharmacy, Argentina, 2010 Dedicated Service and Extraordinary Accomplishment Award, Keck School of Medicine of USC Department of Surgery, 2012

Major Areas of Research


 * Biochemistry of collagen: molecular structure, biosynthesis, mechanisms of crosslinking in soft tissues, bone and cartilage; interactions between connective tissues constituents, biochemical changes in degenerative diseases.
 * Cell culture.


 * Hydrophobic interactions involved in the self-assembly of macromolecules.


 * Biochemistry of vascular tissues.


 * Trans-dermal drug delivery.


 * Mechanism of bone formation and dystrophic calcification.
 * Osteogenesis: decline of osteoprogenitor cells with age.


 * Collagen-derived bioprosthesis.


 * Growth factors (TGF-B, BMPs and others).


 * Bone and cartilage repair.


 * Sulfur amino acids and glutathione: relationship to tissue repair.


 * Chemotherapy: matrix targeted drug delivery.

Patents Issued Nimni’s interests in collagen, connective tissue, and bone grafting have resulted in 16 different patents.

·	4,378,224 Coating For Bioprosthetic Device and Method of Making Same

·	4,772,288 Method for producing implantable ligaments and tendons.

·	 4,820,724 Dual Phase Solvent Carrier System

·	5,104,405 Process For Improving The Biostability of Tissue Implant Devices and Bioprosthetic Implants so Produced

·	5,374,539 Process For Purifying Collagen and Generating Bioprosthesis

·	5,487,776 Anti-Fungal Nail Lacquer and Method Therefore

·	5,800,811 Artificial Skin Prepared From Collagen Matrix Containing Transforming Growth Factor- Having a Collagen Binding Site

·	5,935,994 Nutritionally Balanced Dermal Composition and Method

·	6,352,972 Bone morphogenetic proteins and their use in bone growth

·	6,372,794 Method for alleviating arthritis in mammals

·	6,565,884 Bone graft material incorporating demineralized bone matrix and lipids

·	7,459,541 Matrix targeted fusion polypeptides for tissue regeneration and wound healing

·	7,598,291 Methods and composition for enhancing collagen and proteoglycan synthesis.

·	9248165 Composite containing collagen and elastin as a dermal expander and tissue filler

·	0238,672 Antifungal drug delivery

BOOKS PUBLISHED

1.	Nimni, M.E. Collagen: Biochemistry. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL., Vol. I 388 pp. 1988.

2.	Nimni, M.E. Collagen: Biomechanics. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. Vol. II 336 pp., 1988.

3.	Nimni, M.E. (Editor) Collagen: Biotechnology. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL. Vol. III 368 pp.,1988.

4.	Nimni, M.E. and Olsen, B. (Editors) Collagen: Molecular Biology, Vol. IV, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl., 1989.

5.	Nimni, M.E. and Kang, A. (Editors) Collagen: Pathobiochemistry, Vol. V, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl. (October, 1991).

BOOK CHAPTERS

1.	Nimni, M.E. and L.A. Bavetta. Nutritional Aspects. In: The care of the geriatric patient.Second edition. Ed. C.V. Cowdry. C.V. Mosby Company, l963.

2.	Bavetta, L.A. and Nimni, M.E. Nutrional Aspects. In: The Care of the Geriatric Patient. Ed. E.V. Cowdry. The C.V. Mosby Company, Saint Louis, Chapter 12, p. 163-182, 1968.

3.	Nimni, M.E., K. Deshmukh and A. Deshmukh. Mechanism of inhibition of collage crosslinking and depolymerization of an incompletely crosslinked form of insoluble collagen caused by D-penicillamine. In: Chemistry and Molecular Biology of Intercellular Matrix. Ed. E.A. Balazs. Academic Press, Vol. I, l970.

4.	Nimni, M.E. Structure and metabolism of collagen in health and disease. Clin. Digest. 2:2, l973.

5.	Benya, Paul D. and M.E. Nimni. Modulation of the chondrocyte phenotype. AAOS: SYMPOS.ON HERITABLE DISORDERS OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE, 316-323, 1981.

6.	Gendler, E., J. Jurgutis, R. Gamberdella, A. Sarmiento, G.J. Marshall, J. Sweeney, and M. Nimni. Bone reaction to implanted prosthetic glutaraldehyde treated bovine ligament. Proc. Fifth Workshop of Calc. Tiss. (Israel). Current Advances in Skeletogenesis. Int. Cong. Series No. 589:235-238, 1982.

7.	Chang, C., Gendler, E., Nishimoto, S.K., Stryker, W.F. and M.E. Nimni. Age dependence of bone matrix induced bone formation. In Current Advances in Skeletogenesis, A. Ornoy, A. Harell and J. Sela Eds., Elsevier Science Publishers, Belgium, pp. 27-32, 1985.

8.	Nimni, Marcel E. Collagen: Structure, function and biomaterial properties. In: Materials Sciences and Implant Orthopedic Surgery. Eds: R. Kossowsky and N. Kossovsky; Publishers: Martinus Nijhoff Publishers in cooperation with NATO Scientific Affairs Division., Boston, 1986.

9.	Nimni, M.E. and Harkness, R.D. Review entitled: Molecular structure and functions of collagen. Biology of Extracellular Matrix. In: Collagen: Biochemistry, Biotechnology and Molecular Biology. Ed: Marcel E. Nimni; Publishers: CRC Press, Vol. I (1988).

10.	Keyser, J.K., Nimni, M.E. and S.M. Cooper. Scleroderma Serum Stimulates Collagen Synthesis in Normal Human  Dermal Fibroblasts. In: CURRENT TOPICS IN RHEUMATOLOGY: SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS (SCLERODERMA); Proceedings of the International Scleroderma Meeting of the American Rheumatism Association; Eds: C.M.Black and A.R. Myers; Publishers: Gower Medical Publishing Ltd., New York, 1985.

11.	Nimni, M.E., Cheung, D.T., Ertl, D.C. and Nishimoto, S.K. Ectopic calcification induced by glutaraldehyde crosslinked collagenous tissues. In: Current Advances in Skeletogenesis, Vol. 3, Eds: S. Hurwitz and J. Sela, Heiliger Publishing House, Jerusalem, p. 281, 1987.

12.	Nimni, M.E. and Nishimoto, S.K. Biochemical events associated with dystrophic calcification and bone induction. In: BIOMAT 87, Calcified Tissues and Biomaterials, Ed. Marie-Francoise Harmand, 1987.

13.	Nimni, M.E. Dystrophic calcification and mineralization during bone induction: Biochemical Differences. In: Contents of Special Lectures at The Third Annual Meeting for the Orthopaedic Research of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association, September 1-2, 1988, pg. 25-37.

14.	Nimni, M.E., Cheung, D.T., Strates, B., Kodama, M. and Sheikh, K. Bioprostesis derived from crosslinked and chemically modified collagenous Tissues (A Review) in Collagen: Biochemistry, Biomechanic and Biotechnology, Ed. Nimni, M.E., CRC -Press, Boca Raton, FL, Vol. III:1-38, 1988.

15.	Nimni, M.E. and Kang, A. (Editors) Collagen: Pathobiochemistry, Vol. V, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl., 1992.

16.	Nimni, M.E. and Kang, A. (Editors) Collagen: Pathobiochemistry, Vol. V, CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl., 1992.

17.	Tuan, T.L., DiCesare, P.D., Cheung, D.T. and Nimni, M.E. Keloids and hypertrophic scars. In: Collagen: Pathobiochemistry, Eds. Andrew Kang and Marcel E. Nimni, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, Vol. V: 125, 1992.

18.	Nimni, M.E. Fibrillar collagens: Their biosynthesis, molecular structure, and mode of assembly. In: Extracellular Matrix, Eds: M.A. Zern and L.M. Reid, Publishers: Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, 1993, pg. 121-148.

19.	Amiel, D., Wiig, M., Nimni,, M. The molecular signals in ligament healing. In: The Anterior Cruciate Ligament: Current and Future Concepts, Eds. D.W. Jackson, et al. Raven Press, New York, Chapter 16, pp. 189-194, 1993.

20.	Nimni, M.E. Collagen, Structure and Function. In: Encyclopedia of Human Biology, Second Edition, Volume 2, Publishers: Academic Press, 1997, pg. 877-895.

21.	Han, B., Huang, L.H., Cheung, D., Cordoba, F., and Nimni, M. Polypeptide growth factors with a collagen binding domain: their potential for tissue repair and organ regeneration. In: Tissue Engineering of Prosthetic Vascular Grafts, Eds. Peter Zilla and Howard P. Greisler, R.G. Landes Company, Chapter 27, pp. 287-299, 1999.