Research Training in Hematology

Our training program brings together twenty-three faculty members from ten departments to focus on two areas of broad importance for hematology and human disease: vascular biology/inflammation and hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) biology/bone marrow transplantation (BMT). The primary goal is to train M.D. and Ph.D. scientists in a multi-disciplinary environment to do sustained, independent research in hematology. Two predoctoral positions are requested that will be filled from an outstanding pool of Ph.D. and M.D.-Ph.D. students in the highly competitive graduate programs at the University of Wisconsin (UW). Four postdoctoral positions are requested to train research track candidates from participating clinical (Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery) and basic science Departments of Biochemistry, Biomolecular Chemistry, Cell & Regenerative Biology, Medical Microbiology & Immunology, Nutritional Sciences, Oncology, and Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. The highly interactive training faculty cluster into two interest groups: vascular biology/inflammation and HSC biology/BMT. Vascular biology expertise includes microfluidics, proteomics, lipidomics and metabolomics; cryo-electron microscopy and structure; neutrophil and innate immune cell biology; zebrafish models of injury/inflammation; in vitro modeling of blood vessels and cell migration; and murine models of aneurysm, hemostasis and thrombosis. HSC biology/BMT expertise includes embryonic, induced pluripotent and mesenchymal stem cell biology; epigenetic regulation of hematopoiesis; genetics of bone marrow failure and cancer predisposition syndromes; metabolomics of normal immune and blood cancer cells, murine and zebrafish models of hematopoiesis and the HSC niche; the innate immune response vs. tumors; human immune xenotransplant models in mice; preclinical models of allogeneic BMT and adoptive cellular therapies; clinical trials and bone marrow imaging. Training opportunities span basic and clinical investigation; including cutting-edge technologies in genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, microfluidics, zebrafish and murine disease models, and stem cell transplantation. A strong emphasis is placed on translational research and multidisciplinary training of clinical investigators. The UW Institute for Clinical and Translational Research offers didactic and degree programs in clinical investigation, career development, and mentoring expertise. Our trainees have an excellent record of establishing research careers. Over the lifespan of the predoctoral program, 19 appointees have completed their Ph.D. degrees. Eight are in academic faculty or scientist positions, eight are industry scientists, one is a chemistry professor at a teaching college, and two are in academic post-doctoral positions. Over the past 15 years, 26 post-doctoral trainees have completed their appointments. These trainees include 14 assistant professors, 4 associate professors, one full professor, 3 academic scientists, 2 industry scientists, and a veterinary pathologist. The large pool of qualified candidates, outstanding mentorship record of our trainers, substantial institutional commitment, and broad range of scientific expertise all contribute to successful careers in science for our trainees.