Archive for category: News

Open Position: Research Technician, MGH Endocrine Department

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The Research Laboratory Technician 1 is a full-time position, and the primary responsibility is to assist in ongoing research studies under the supervision of a Core manager and Core directors. The position is dedicated to performing studies examining skeletal biology. This includes collection of and accurate recording of procedures and results, maintenance of databases used in the lab, ordering necessary reagents to conduct experiments, and participation in joint upkeep of the lab. This position requires a person who has Bachelor of Science degree in biochemistry, molecular/cell biology or a related field, pays attention to details, is capable of working independently after training, possesses good verbal and written communication skills, and works well as part of a team. Select candidates with an Associates degree may be considered.

Click here for more details and full job description

Open position: Research Scientist, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery in UConn Musculoskeletal Institute

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We are writing to ask for your assistance in identifying a Research Scientist to join the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery within the UConn Musculoskeletal Institute at the Assistant or Associate Professor Level in the tenure track.  We are searching for an outstanding individual working in skeletal biology and wanting to make a difference in the field of musculoskeletal research.  A Ph.D. or an M.D. degree is required.

Candidates’ research should be aimed at addressing fundamental questions related to cellular, molecular or physiological mechanisms of the skeletal system or of a translational nature to skeletal pathology.  We are particularly interested in individuals currently funded by the National Institutes of Health, including K99 award recipients.

The University of Connecticut School of Medicine has a highly interactive research environment with interdisciplinary graduate and medical science training programs.  The UConn Musculoskeletal Institute is a multidisciplinary center housing scientists, clinicians and clinician-scientists under one roof with investigators studying various aspects of skeletal cell biology and biomechanics of the musculoskeletal system.  There is ample opportunity to interact/work with basic and physician scientists, including orthopaedic surgeons, spine clinician-scientists and osteoporosis specialists. Appropriate laboratory space and a start-up package will be offered.

Candidates for the Research Scientist position can contact Dr. Ernesto Canalis (canalis@uchc.edu) and Dr. Isaac Moss  (imoss@uchc.edu).

 

Open position: Molecular Bone Biology Lab, Denmark (Thomas Levin Geiser Andersen lab)

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Open 4-year postdoc position for the project “How bisphosphonates affect bone matrix and remodeling: implications for atypical femoral fractures” within my Molecular Bone Histology (MBH) lab, Denmark.

The project is funded by a multi-PI NIH R01 grant (1R01AR080118-01A1) in collaboration with Dr. Ryan Ross from the Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, US, and Dr. Joseph Wallace, Indiana University, Indianapolis, US.

You can find the announcement on:

Application deadline: October 8, 2023

NEW CORE: Translational Imaging and Biomechanics Core

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NEW CORE: Directed Differentiation Core Services

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PI: April Craft, PhD

Assistant Professor of Orthopedic Surgery, BCH, HMS; Affiliate Faculty, Stem Cells & Regenerative Biology; Principal Faculty, Harvard Stem Cell Institute; Co-Director, Musculoskeletal Disease Program, HSCI

Email:  april.craft@childrens.harvard.edu              Longwood office: (617) 919-4495

Overview

The Craft lab develops and uses directed differentiation protocols for various skeletal and joint lineages from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), including both embryonic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells, to study cell and tissue development and disease pathology.  Dr. Craft has been trained in the derivation of various mesoderm and endoderm lineages, with a focus on mesoderm-derived chondrocytes, articular and growth plate cartilage tissues, and cardiac lineages, and has new technologies emerging for tendon-ligament fibroblasts.  These existing protocols provide access to primitive streak mesoderm, endoderm, as well as paraxial mesoderm and mesenchymal-like progenitors.

            Dr. Craft and her lab are available to discuss investigator-driven projects, experimental design, and provide hands-on training for generating working stocks of human iPSCs/ESCs and mouse PSCs, directed differentiations, deriving appropriate culture conditions and media compositions to support novel protocols, and troubleshooting existing protocols.  We also have experience with culturing and manipulating primary human skeletal cells (primarily chondrocytes and connective tissue lineages) and mouse embryonic limb bud micromass cultures. Our lab has purchased lot-tested reagents in bulk and we have a supportive infrastructure in place so that variability in PSC differentiations is minimized.

Example Services

  • Consultation with Dr. Craft (required)
    • 1 hour complementary to CSR members and trainees; over 1 hour – $100/hr
  • Training or production in Craft lab
    • IPSC/ESC expansion and creation of master stock and working stocks (~50-100 vials total) ~ $1450
    • Human iPSC/ESC directed differentiation (full-length experiment) ~ $2000-2600
      • Imaging: EVOS fluorescent microscope, Leica bright field microscope, Zeiss confocal
      • Flow cytometry available ($45/hr + antibody) in BCH core via Craft lab
      • Other analyses such as RNA/histo at investigator’s expense
    • Mouse ESC/iPSC expansion and/or differentiation ~ $700-900
    • Mouse limb bud micromass training ~ $550-900 (timed pregnant mice can be purchased if needed)

NEW Working Group: Arthritis and Joint Structure

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Mission of the Working Group:

The working group aims to address a need to support CSR musculoskeletal researchers to expand their studies from their original research toward the understanding of the mechanism of joint diseases, including osteoarthritis, osteoimmunology and joint structure pathology. The working group directors will provide consultative services to CSR members to embark on a pilot project in these specific areas.  The services will include identification of scientists with expertise in the area of interest, support for the design of studies to obtain preliminary data (including choice of model systems, specific experimental approaches), advice about potential pitfalls and data interpretation.   The working group members will provide a platform to discuss experimental problems, plan for workshops and educational activities in this area.

 

The expertise of the core directors is as follows:

  • Li Zeng will advise on osteoarthritis models, including injury-induced animal models and human in vitro models, histological analysis of joint structures and advanced imaging technologies to visualize joint changes.
  • Iannis Adamopoulos will advise on models of inflammatory arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis, as well as histological and osteoimmunological analysis of these models.
  • Jaehyuck Shim will advise on models of rheumatoid arthritis, including TNF mouse models, SKG model of RA, and serum transfer arthritis models. He will also advise on approaches of microCT, histology, morphology and AAV targeting.
  • Eva Liu will advise on the analysis of the enthesis, including pathophysiology, molecular techniques, histology, mouse models and imaging.

A consultation with at least one working group director is required prior to the studies being undertaken.  Consultations during preparation of the submission are encouraged.

How does the working group work:

The service will be offered in the following ways:

  • P30 investigator approaches the working group and presents specific requests.
  • The working group as a group will discuss how to best support the studies proposed. Then we will identify the investigator within our group with the most appropriate expertise to support the CSR member.
  • The investigator will submit a budget, which can be consultative services including training in experimental techniques and/or technical working group services.
  • The working group will review the request and the budget (Expertise and technical).

Consultation structure:

  • First meeting: free: 1hr limit.
  • The second meeting will be charged at $100/hr.

Analysis costs

  • Refer to CSR web site for cost of microCT, histology and histomorphometry consultation. Histomorphometry consultations will be provided by the Arthritis and Joint Structure Working Group directors