Molly McGovern Chair in Biomedical Research
There are a variety of rotation projects that use a variety of imaging and biochemical techniques to assess microglial function in the CNS. The main projects are highlighted below. 1. Dissecting novel molecular mechanisms underlying microglial function at synapses. 2. Exploring new roles for microglia in the spread of neuroinflammation in neurological disease. 3. Identifying novel ways microglia regulate other glial cell populations (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes) in the CNS.
School of Public Health and Health Sciences
Health Informatics And Implementation Science
Fiocruz-Minas Caroline Junqueira, PhD - Staff Scientist Camila Brabosa, PhD student - Mapping of CD8 T cell-specifc Epitopes from Malaria Blood Stage Gregorio Almeida, DVM, PhD - Immunology of Asymptomatic Malaria Guilherme Maia, PhD - Innate Lymphocytes in Malaria Isabella Hirako, PhD - Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells in Malaria Júlia Castro, MSc student - Chagas Disease Vaccine Larissa Pereira, MSc student - Inflammatory Caspases in Malaria Kely Mateucci, PhD - Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells Metabolism in Malaria Milton Pereira, PhD - Caspases and inflammasomes in Malaria and Chagas Disease Natalia Satchiko Souza, PhD - CD8+ T cells in malaria UMASS Danielle Durso, PhD - IRAKs and Myddosomes in host resistance to T. gondii Patricia Assis, PhD - Host Clock genes and Malaria Ogooluwa Ojelabi, PhD - Glucose Metabolism and Malaria
Endowed Chair in Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology II
For more information about the Postdoctoral position in Dr. Rando’s lab please use the link provided. Post doc position
Rotation projects are available to study chromatin structure and function. Project 1. Measure histone dynamics in yeast. Histone dynamics play major roles in chromatin metabolism and in the inheritance of chromatin states. To measure histone replacement rates in yeast, we have created yeast strains carrying inducible epitope-tagged histones H3 and H2A. Using microarrays, we will measure histone replacement rates in a variety of mutant yeast to ascertain the role of various chromatin remodeling factors in histone exchange reactions. Project 2. Characterize mechanisms for epigenetic inheritance in yeast. We have identified a variety of genes whose expression state in yeast is epigenetically heritable. We will screen the yeast genome for genes that affect the inheritance of these expression patterns. Project 3. Measure histone dynamics in embryonic stem cells. Embryonic stem cells are pluripotent cells that can give rise to every type of cell in the adult animal. The role of chromatin structure in maintaining this pluripotent state is poorly understood, but it appears that stem cell chromatin is exceptionally labile relative to that in differentiated cells. We will create stem cell lines with inducible tagged histones to measure histone replacement rates across the mouse genome.
Elisabeth Chair for the Dean of Medicine
Our Danny Cancer Fund Chair in Biomedical Research I
A postdoctoral position is available to study in this laboratory. Contact Dr. Kelliher for additional details.
Please visit the Kelliher Lab website at: http://labs.umassmed.edu/kelliherlab/ to learn more about our current research areas. 1. Identify genes/pathways that mediate leukemia-initiating cell survival 2. Understand the molecular basis of glucocorticoid resistance in leukemia 3. Examine contribution of RIPK1 kinase in inflammatory and autoimmune disease mouse models. 4. Reveal tissue-specific roles for RIPK1 in cell death and inflammation. Use conditional Ripk1 allele to investigate effects of Ripk1 deletion in liver, pancreas and antigen presenting cells.
Postdoctoral positions are available for this lab. Please contact Junhao Mao directly, 508-856-4149 or via email, Junhao.Mao@umassmed.edu
Rotation Projects for graduate students: Examining the role of cross-reactive CD8 memory T cells in mediating the EBV-induced infectious mononucleosis syndrome in humans. Examining the role of cross-reactive CD8 memory T cells and cytokines in murine models of viral infection. Examining the mechanisms used by these memory T cells to unrelated infections to modulate disease outcome either for the bad or the good.
A postdoc position is available to study in Dr. Ceol's lab.Click here to apply.
Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Chair III
Please email Kate.Fitzgerald@umassmed.edu if you are interested in rotations.
H. Arthur Smith Chair in Cancer Research
Rotation Projects Laboratory rotations are available to study signal mammalian transduction mechanisms. Several projects are available, including studies of protein kinase cascades, gene expression, the cell cycle, and apoptosis. Targeted gene disruption approaches in mice combined with biochemical and molecular biology studies will be examined.
UMass Chan Medical School Chair in Biomedical Research
A postdoctoral position is available to study in this laboratory. Contact Dr. Rock for additional details.
Potential Rotation Projects <p >Rotations are available in Dr. Rock’s laboratory for graduate students in the GSBS program. The rotation projects will explore various aspects of how the immune system carries out surveillance to detect viral infections and cancers. Among the potential areas of research are: (1) The alarm signals that alert the immune system to potential danger; (2) The initial innate immune and inflammatory response to infection or other dangerous situations; (3) The biology of the sentinel cells (e.g. dendritic cells) that sense danger and report it the adaptive immune system; (4) The mechanisms by which sentinel cells (e.g. dendritic cells) acquire and display antigens to T cells; and, (5) The antigen presentation pathways by which virally infected or cancer cells display a sampling of their expressed gene products to the activated T cells. Specific rotation projects are chosen based on the student’s interests and state/availability of the various projects in the laboratory. The goals of rotations are for the student to gain knowledge in immunology, to learn how to approach experimental problems, to learn new techniques and methods, and to actually generate data that moves our knowledge forward. In addition, the rotation provides the student the opportunity to evaluate the laboratory as a possible place to conduct their thesis research in the future.
Irving S. and Betty Brudnick Chair in Psychiatry
Immediate opening! Two postdoctoral positions are available immediately to study cellular andmolecular mechanisms resulting in immunosuppression after alcohol use. Thefocus of this research is the role of monocytes and dendritic cells indecreased antigen-specific T cell activation after alcohol use.Intracellular signalling mechanisms resulting in decreased NF-kBactivation and inflammatory cytokine induction after acute alcoholconsumption are being investigated. Please contact Dr. Szabo for details.
Background for Student Rotation Projects <p >See Politz, Hogan and Pederson (2009) and Politz et al. (2005) in the above list. The novel microRNA work may be the most suitable for student rotations. Potential Rotation Projects <p >Are the nucleolar microRNAs pri-, pre- or mature? <p >Are they complexed with other nucleolar RNAs? <p >Do the cell cycle related proteins in the nucleolus exist as heterotypic complexes? <p >Does the nucleolus of human embryonic stem cells also share these features (which we have so far looked for, and found, only in transformed human cell lines)? <p >Can vanadium tagging be used to detect specific proteins by electron microscopy, perhaps exceeding the limitations of immuno-EM?
Please contact Dr. Imbalzano to discuss the possibility of a postdoctoral training.See lab research interests and publications for recent topics of research. http://www.umassmed.edu/imbalzanolab/ http://www.umassmed.edu/imbalzanolab/publications/
Please contact Dr. Imbalzano to discuss the possibility of a rotation project. Rotation projects are generally based on current work and tailored to the interests of the student. See lab research interests and publications for recent topics. http://www.umassmed.edu/imbalzanolab/ http://www.umassmed.edu/imbalzanolab/publications/
Lambi and Sarah Adams Chair in Genetic Research
Rotations: Targeting the IFN-?-chemokine axis for treatment of vitiligo: We are using our newly developed mouse model and human tissues from patients with vitiligo to identify the cytokines and chemokines that are expressed within the depigmenting skin and which skin cells produce them. We are using genetically modified mouse strains (knockouts, conditional knockouts, fluorescent reporter strains), and cytokine and chemokine neutralizing antibodies to identify the key proteins required for disease. This data will permit us to rationally develop and test new therapeutic agents. Understanding the proinflammatory signals generated by melanocytes under cellular stress. Melanocytes from vitiligo patients have intrinsic abnormalities, including cellular stress evidenced by increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). The immune system has evolved to recognize this stress as damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which activate innate immunity. We are using human cells and tissues to determine how cellular stress, innate immunity, and adaptive immunity cooperate to initiate and perpetuate depigmentation in vitiligo. Developing a humanized mouse model of immune-skin interactions to serve as a pre-clinical bridge to clinical studies: We are developing a humanized mouse model of skin disease that consists of an immunodeficient mouse strain as a host for an autologous human skin graft and immune reconstitution in order to study mechanisms of inflammation in the skin, including allergic contact dermatitis, response to infection, tumor immunotherapy, and autoimmunity, all within a fully human environment. This model system will act as a pre-clinical bridge between mouse models and human clinical trials, providing an opportunity to test new treatments on human cells and tissues prior to initiating trials on patients. Tracking real-time autoreactive T cell migration and interactions within the skin: We are using fluorescently/bioluminescently tagged CD8 T cells to track their movements and interactions within the skin in live mice, using real-time confocal microscopy and bioluminescent imaging. Initial studies will focus on the role of cytokines and chemokines in T cell migration within the skin. Clinical trial to test a novel treatment for vitiligo: We are in the early stages of developing a clinical trial based on insights developed from our animal data to test a novel drug for its ability to treat vitiligo.
Rotations: Targeting the IFN-g-chemokine axis for treatment of vitiligo: We are using our newly developed mouse model and human tissues from patients with vitiligo to identify the cytokines and chemokines that are expressed within the depigmenting skin and which skin cells produce them. We are using genetically modified mouse strains (knockouts, conditional knockouts, fluorescent reporter strains), and cytokine and chemokine neutralizing antibodies to identify the key proteins required for disease. This data will permit us to rationally develop and test new therapeutic agents. Understanding the proinflammatory signals generated by melanocytes under cellular stress. Melanocytes from vitiligo patients have intrinsic abnormalities, including cellular stress evidenced by increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR). The immune system has evolved to recognize this stress as damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which activate innate immunity. We are using human cells and tissues to determine how cellular stress, innate immunity, and adaptive immunity cooperate to initiate and perpetuate depigmentation in vitiligo. Developing a humanized mouse model of immune-skin interactions to serve as a pre-clinical bridge to clinical studies: We are developing a humanized mouse model of skin disease that consists of an immunodeficient mouse strain as a host for an autologous human skin graft and immune reconstitution in order to study mechanisms of inflammation in the skin, including allergic contact dermatitis, response to infection, tumor immunotherapy, and autoimmunity, all within a fully human environment. This model system will act as a pre-clinical bridge between mouse models and human clinical trials, providing an opportunity to test new treatments on human cells and tissues prior to initiating trials on patients. Tracking autoreactive T cell interactions within the skin: We are using fluorescently tagged CD8 T cells to track their cellular interactions within the skin using confocal microscopy. Future studies will adapt this model to investigate real-time migration and other movements of these cells within compartments of the skin. Clinical trial to test a novel treatment for vitiligo: We recently completed a clinical trial based on insights developed from our animal data to test a novel drug for its ability to treat vitiligo.
Interests: Vitiligo, autoimmunity, immunology, translational research
Arthur F. Koskinas Chair in Neuroscience
Many rotation projects are available so please inquire.
Herman G. Berkman Chair in Diabetes Care Innovation
Potential Rotation Projects Several rotation projects are available in structural biology of immune receptors, antigen presentation pathways, T-cell activation, and development of novel T-cell detection reagents. Please see Prof. Stern for details.
Joseph J. Byrne Chair in Biomedical Research
? Rotation Projects Multiple rotation projects are available in several areas related to long-range gene regulation and higher order chromosome organization. Projects include thorough analyses of the biochemical mechanisms of long-range gene regulation of specific disease-related genes, as well as large-scale analyses of chromosome organization using high-throughput genomics technologies (5C and Hi-C). The lab employs a wide range of experimental approaches, including cell culture, protein biochemistry, microscopy, genomics as well computational approaches such as bioinformatics and modeling. Specific rotation projects are determined dependent on the interest of the student.
A post-doctoral position is available immediately to study the role of genes found in a genome-wide RNAi screen to regulate the cellular response to the chemotherapy agent, cisplatin. The goal is to determine whether these genes function as tumor suppressor and/or regulate the mechanism of DNA repair processing. The laboratory is interested in understanding the role of hereditary cancer genes of the BRCA-Fanconi anemia pathway in DNA damage repair and tumor suppression. We seek motivated candidates with a PhD and background in cancer cell biology. Experience in mouse cancer models is desirable. The exceptional training environment within the Department of Cancer Biology at UMASS Medical School offers a rigorous and interactive research environment covering several aspects of tumor biology. Applicants should have excellent communication skills, and ability to conduct research independently and as a team. To apply, please send your CV with bibliography, a brief description of research experience and contact information for at least two references via email.
The laboratory is interested in a range of DNA replication/repair-related topics including (i) Defining biomarkers of “BRCAness” that signifies deficiency in the hereditary breast/ovarian cancer genes, BRCA1 or BRCA2, (ii) Targeting BRCAness as a replication gap vulnerability, (iii) Defining why replication proficiency requires the FANCJ helicase disengage mismatch repair proteins, (iv) Determining if suppressing gaps improves the health of Fanconi anemia patient cells, (v) Hunting down the cancer vulnerability that defines curability, (vi) performing functional genomic screens to uncover mechanisms regulating chemotherapy resistance.
<p >Rotation Projects <p >Rotation projects are designed to expose students to the molecular cell biology of solid tumors and to provide them with an appreciation for translational cancer research. Specific rotation projects, which are focused on the major themes of the lab, include: <p >Function and Regulation of Integrins (Cell Adhesion Receptors) in Cancer Epigenetic mechanisms that regulate integrin gene expression in human cancers Regulation of integrin expression and function during the EMT Role of specfic microRNAs (miRs) in regulating integrin function and signaling Contribution of integrins to carcinoma progression using mouse models of breast carcinoma <p >Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) Signaling, EMT and Carcinoma Progression Function and expression of VEGF receptors in carcinoma cells Regulation of VEGF transcription in response to EMT stimuli Role of miRs in regulating VEGF receptors and signaling Contribution of VEGF signaling to the behavior of aggressive, de-differentiated carcinomas <p >Nuclear Hormone Receptors and EMT Role of estrogen receptors in regulating the EMT Regulation of VEGF transcription by estrogen receptors
Population and Quantitative Health Sciences
Biochemistry and Molecular Biotechnology
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Myles J. McDonough Chair in Rheumatology
Worcester Foundation for Biomedical Research Chair I
Joseph D. Early Chair in Biomedical Research