University at Albany, SUNY Department of Biological Sciences

Research in Melinda Larsen’s laboratory is focused on regeneration and repair of tissue damage that occurs as a result of injury.

An NIH-funded Postdoctoral Associate position is available to investigate the contribution of cellular plasticity to recovery and regenerative responses following mechanical injury and irradiation using genetically engineered mouse models in combination with imaging and scRNA-Seq. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. received within the past three years from a college or university accredited by a USDOE, or an internationally recognized accrediting organization in Cell and/or Molecular Biology or a related field, with a publication record commensurate with their level of experience. Applicants should have a working knowledge of genetics, transgenic mouse models, bioinformatics, and statistical analysis, as demonstrated through publications.  Applicants must have proficiency in English and the ability to work in a diverse, collaborative environment. Applicants should submit a combined PDF that includes a CV and a one-page statement describing research accomplishments and specific reasons for interest in the research topics of this position, and names/contact information for three references to: Dr. Melinda Larsen mlarsen@albany.edu

An NIH-funded Postdoctoral Associate position is available to investigate the contribution of stromal cells to fibrotic responses following injury and their contribution to recovery and regeneration of functional tissue using mesenchymal stem cells, scaffolds, and mouse models with analysis by imaging and scRNA-Seq. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. received within the past three years from a college or university accredited by a USDOE, or an internationally recognized accrediting organization in Cell and/or Molecular Biology or a related field, with a publication record commensurate with their level of experience. Applicants should have a working knowledge of mouse models, cell culture, bioinformatics, and statistical analysis, as demonstrated through publications.  Applicants must have proficiency in English and the ability to work in a diverse, collaborative environment. Applicants should submit a combined PDF that includes a CV and a one-page statement describing research accomplishments and specific reasons for interest in the research topics of this position, and names/contact information for three references to: Dr. Melinda Larsen mlarsen@albany.edu

Regenerative medicine has the potential to restore function to aged, diseased, or damaged salivary glands. However, the field suffers from a fundamental lack of understanding of how the behavior of stem and progenitor cells is impacted by their stromal microenvironment, or niche, which is essential to understanding disease and to enable the design of therapeutics. My research focuses on defining the contribution of the microenvironment to tissue formation during development, tissue repair, and regenerative processes. Modulation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is critical for both the evolution of structure and function of developing organs. The ECM is also critical for recovery from injury; however, when misregulated excess accumulation of ECM occurs, which is referred to as scarring, or fibrosis. Fibrosis ultimately leads to loss of organ function in many diseases of the salivary glands and in almost all other organs. The overarching hypothesis driving work in my lab is that stromal cell populations regulate organ development, maintain homeostasis in the adult and can be controlled to promote a regeneration-competent and healthy microenvironment in diseased and fibrotic salivary glands. To enable future discoveries of mechanisms driving tissue formation and regeneration we are using organoids, which are miniature organs grown in a dish, to model developmental and processes and injury models to model disease states. We use genetic manipulations and analysis of molecular changes at the single cell level using RNA sequencing in single cells and protein analysis to define mechanisms. Improving our basic understanding of tissue formation and tissue repair will inform regenerative medicine strategies to restore function in patients suffering from reduced salivary gland function and other diseases.