Lab rotations are currently available in this lab. Please contact Dr. Kim.
My research for almost 30 years has focused on obesity, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes and explores the molecular link between inflammation and insulin resistance using transgenic mice with elegant in vivo metabolic experiments and molecular approaches. My research also investigates the role of inflammation and altered metabolism in diabetic heart disease.
A Postdoctoral position is available in the Trivedi lab to study roles of novel chromatin and epigenetic modifications during cardiovascular development and disease (for details of our research: The Journal of Clinical Investigation, Science Advances, Journal of Experimental Medicine, ATVB, Human Molecular Genetics, Journal of Biological Chemistry). Candidates with a PhD in Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Stem Cell Biology or Developmental Biology are encouraged to apply. Previous experience with mice handling and biochemistry-molecular biology-epigenetics related techniques such as ChIP-seq is strongly desired. Candidate will be required to learn new techniques in the area of translational biology to advance their project.
Rotation Projects: Please contact Chinmay Trivedi (chinmay.trivedi@umassmed.edu) for information regarding potential rotation projects (for details - research performed by graduate students in the trivedi lab: The Journal of Clinical Investigation, Science Advances, Journal of Experimental Medicine, JCI Insight, ATVB, Human Molecular Genetics, Journal of Biological Chemistry). We will develop a specific rotation project based on student's interest, background, and goals of the rotation. Students can rotate either for a half- or full-semester.
Isadore and Fannie Foxman Chair in Medical Research
A postdoctoral position is available to study in this laboratory. Contact Dr. Czech for additional details.
Mentoring……………………………………………………………………………………………………… The Czech laboratory is active in mentoring graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Many former student and postdoctoral trainees of the Czech laboratory are now internationally recognized professors at major universities and medical schools. These former lab members include: Paul Pilch, Professor of Biochemistry, Boston University School of Medicine Jeffrey Pessin, Professor and Director of the Diabetes Center, Einstein College of Medicine Joan Massague, Director, Sloan Kettering Institute Roger Davis, HHMI investigator and Professor of Molecular Medicine, UMASS Medical School Silvia Corvera, Professor of Molecular Medicine, Co-Director of the MD/PhD Program, UMASS Medical School Carla Greenbaum, Vice Chair and Director of Clinical Research, Benaroya Research Institute Jes Klarlund, Professor of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Rob Lewis, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Eppley Cancer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center Richard MacDonald, Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Eppley Cancer Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center Assia Shisheva, Professor of Physiology, Wayne State School of Medicine. Mark Sleeman, Professor of Physiology, Monash University, Australia John Harris, Associate Professor of Medicine, UMASS Medical School Zhen Jiang, Associate Professor of Pharmacology and Medicine, Boston University Vishu Puri, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Ohio University Olga Gupta, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics and Medicine, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center Tim Fitzgibbons, Assistant Professor of Medicine, UMASS Medical School Myriam Aouadi, Assistant Professor, Integrated Cardio Metabolic Centre, Karolinska Institute Adilson Guilherme, Associate Professor, University of Massachusetts Medical School Our laboratory currently offers graduate student Rotation Projects (examples below and others available) and Thesis Research Projects for students following a rotation: Developing CRISPR technology for gene editing in adipocytes: Adipocytes function as master regulators of whole body metabolism and deletions of specific adipocyte genes in knockout mice promote dramatic improvements in glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity in diabetic models. Thus the ability to direct gene editing in adipocytes in vivo has great potential in developing therapeutic strategies for obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular complications. Alternatively, an ex vivo approach is also feasible since adipose cells can be genetically altered in vitro prior to implantation into mice with beneficial effects. Such projects are designed to be performed in collaboration with other Czech lab members with the goal of specifically deleting or editing genes in adipose depots that drive increases in fatty acid oxidation, energy expenditure and systemic metabolic activity. Exciting preliminary data at the “proof of principle” stage has been achieved and this project is designed to focus on specific genes of high interest for therapeutics. Signaling by the lipogenesis pathway through Acetyl CoA: A major function of adipocytes is to store calories as triglyceride, in part through the process of fatty acid synthesis (lipogenesis). This metabolic pathway involves a number of metabolites including Acetyl CoA, which is also a substrate for acetylation reactions that modify proteins such as histones. Thus metabolic flux through adipocyte lipogenesis may also function as a signaling pathway to the nucleus to modulate transcription via levels of Acetyl CoA that accumulate during this process. This rotation project is designed to test this idea at the molecular level by monitoring histone acetylations and resultant transcriptional events during changes in Acetyl CoA levels caused by altering physiological conditions such as exercise, obesity and diabetes. If this concept is correct, the project could lead to developing therapeutic strategies for metabolic disease based on targeting lipogenic enzymes.
Postdoctoral Fellow Applications are being accepted for one position. A position is available to develop Cys2His2 zinc finger proteins (ZFPs) for the treatment of monogenic disorders. This project will focus on the creation of ZFPs with novel DNA-binding specificity to recognize sequence elements within genomic loci of therapeutic interest. In collaboration with other laboratories, we will evaluate the activity of these ZFP-based gene therapy reagents in vitro and in vivo in relevant disease models. Applicants will also have the opportunity to learn to apply Cas9 and Cas12a editing systems in vivo.
Potential Rotation Projects Improving the Precision of CRISPR/Cas9 nucleases for gene therapy applications: We are working to improve the precision of the CRISPR/Cas9 system to generate nucleases that will cleave at only a single site in the genome. These engineering efforts focus on increasing the DNA-editing precision of Cas9 and using protein engineering to introduce new properties into the nuclease. Much of this work is now transitioning to the use of Cas9 (and Cas12a) protein-RNA complexes. These modified nucleases will then be applied to patient derived cell-culture systems for the targeted repair or inactivation of disease-causing alleles. With the eventual goal of creating therapeutics for Sickle Cell Disease, beta-Thalassemia, HIV, Limb Girdle Muscular Dystrophy, Hermansky Pudlak Syndrome and other monogenic disorders. ex vivo genome editing in CD34+ HSPCs: We are developing improved Cas9 proteins for delivery ex vivo into CD34+ HSPCs for therapeutic application to sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia. The goal is to modify the hematopoietic stem cells of a patient to complement the loss of function of the beta-globin gene and then return these cells to the patient through an autologous transplant. Development of Cys2His2 Zinc fingers proteins (ZFPs) as targeted therapeutics: We are developing artificial ZFPs for the regulation of target genes to change their gene expression profiles for therapeutic applications.
Potential Rotation Projects Rotation projects in my laboratory will involve questions of how cilia are assembled and the function these organelles play in mammals. Projects vary depending on ongoing work in the laboratory and interests of the rotation student. Rotations in my laboratory can give students exposure to a range of techniques from mouse breeding and histological analysis of mouse tissues to mammalian cell culture and other cell biological techniques.
A postdoctoral position is available to study in this laboratory. Contact Dr.Guertin for additional details.
National Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center