The Windber Research Institute and the Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative have formed a partnership to address scientific issues at the interface between proteomics, genomics, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine. The partnership is seeking to enhance their current core capabilities at this interface through the recruitment of world class scientists at the Windber Research Institute with a focus in Women’s Health (e.g. breast, cervical, endometrial, ovarian cancers), trauma, or in Cardiovascular Disease (e.g. CHD, obesity, diabetes, risk reversal).

We believe that broad clinical implementation of cellular therapy will require a patient specific understanding of how gene expression controls cell behavior. Candidates with a research focus in Women’s Health, Trauma, or Cardiovascular Disease and with expertise in one or more of the areas of proteomics, genomics, tissue engineering, and regenerative medicine will be given preference in our search. The successful candidates will form a team that will explore the genome and proteome of engineered tissues. Bioinformatics and tissue engineering will be combined to advance the frontiers of regenerative medicine. The partnership is committed to the advancement of the relevant sciences and the rapid pursuit of clinical translation, both from the laboratory to the clinic and from the clinic to the laboratory. Academic appointments, commensurate with experience, at the University of Pittsburgh-McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine will be available to successful candidates.

• The Windber Research Institute (WRI) is one of the most integrated clinical, genomic and proteomic research facilities in the world, acquiring, storing and analyzing clinical thousands of clinical samples each year within a proprietary data warehouse and analysis system. Researchers analyze these samples at the cellular and molecular level to identify DNA, RNA and proteins that are dysfunctional so that diagnostics and therapeutics as well as disease management protocols can be developed. Specific strategic areas for WRI are Women's Health (including breast, ovarian, endometrial and cervical cancers, menopause, lymphedema) and cardiovascular (obesity, lifestyle intervention, cardiac transplantation). Current WRI technologies include cDNA microarrays, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, protein separation, mass spectrometry, bio-imaging, laser capture micro-dissection as well as other molecular biology, biochemistry and immuno-histochemistry methods. (www.wriwindber.org)

• The Pittsburgh Tissue Engineering Initiative’s mission (PTEI) is to facilitate the recognition of the Greater Pittsburgh region as an international center of excellence in tissue engineering research and education. PTEI also fosters economic development by promoting the growth of a regional biotechnology industry rooted in tissue engineering. (www.ptei.org)

• The McGowan Institute for Regenerative Medicine-University of Pittsburgh provides a national center of expertise in regenerative medicine focused on developing and delivering therapies that reestablish tissue and organ function impaired by disease, trauma or congenital abnormalities; fosters the generation of scientific knowledge in regenerative medicine and the sharing of that knowledge with researchers, clinicians and the public; educating and training scientists and engineers to pursue technologies related to regenerative medicine, and training a generation of clinicians in the implementation of regenerative therapies, and; supporting the commercialization of technologies in regenerative medicine and thereby accelerate the translation of research discoveries to clinical implementation and patient benefit. (www.mirm.pitt.edu)

These positions will be located at the Windber Research Institute. Interested candidates should send a complete dossier, including a statement on their view of the interface between bioinformatics and tissue engineering, to:

Chair, Bioinformatics and Tissue Engineering Team Search Committee
Windber Research Institute
600 Somerset Ave.
Windber, PA 15963 U.S.A.

Applications will be accepted until January 31, 2005, but candidates will be considered as they are received.

The partners are affirmative action, equal opportunity employers