2024 Bethel Fellows Announced

We are thrilled to announce the selection of the first class of Bethel Fellows of the Bethel Musculoskeletal Research Center (BMRC), part of the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. After a rigorous search process, five outstanding early- career researchers have demonstrated exceptional potential in advancing the field of musculoskeletal research.

Please join us in congratulating the following individuals on their selection as the 2024 inaugural Bethel Fellows:

Postdoc/Resident ($20,000 each)

Varun Arvid, MD,PhD – orthopaedic surgery resident, Columbia University – Targeting Myotendinous Elongation for the Treatment of Neuromuscular Contracture

Kevin Burt, PhD – postdoctoral fellow, University of Pennsylvania – Immune Cell Phenotyping During Spine Destabilization

Rebecca Irwin, PhD – postdoctoral fellow, Cornell University – Intravital Multi-Photon Imaging of the Meniscus to Reveal Systemic Factors in Injury and Repair

Junior Faculty ($30,000 each)

Alice Goodwin, DDS, PhD – assistant professor, University of Pittsburgh – SIX6; a new candidate gene in the etiopathogenesis of Pierre Robin sequence

Natalia Harasymowicz, PhD – assistant professor, University of Utah – Elucidation of the role of T cells in obesity-induced osteoarthritis

BMRC Executive Director Dr. Joon Y. Lee, expressed his enthusiasm for the incoming fellows: “We are excited to welcome these exceptional researchers to the BMRC as our first cohort of Bethel Fellows. Their innovative approaches and dedication to advancing musculoskeletal science embody the spirit and mission of our center.”

Announced at the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) Annual Meeting February 2024, the search for the BMRC and ORS Research Fellowship program garnered over 100 applicants, which highlighted a need for this type of early-career funding. Sharon Smith-Terry, CEO of the ORS stated, “We would like to congratulate all the winners of this very prestigious award. The award represents great accomplishment in providing highly impactful research that will make life better for those affected by musculoskeletal disorders.”

 “We are excited for our first class of BMRC fellows,” Dr. MaCalus V. Hogan, David Silver Professor and Chair, Chief, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery said. “This is a huge step forward in the legacy of orthopaedic and musculoskeletal research for the BMRC and our department.”

The BMRC, created in 2023, enables the University of Pittsburgh to elevate its study of musculoskeletal disorders by attracting and retaining top scientists to advance leading-edge research.

ORS, an international research society focused on orthopaedics and musculoskeletal care, is celebrating 70 years of supporting basic, translational and scientific research.

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