Postdoctoral Position in Skeletal Regeneration, Diabetes, and Spatial Biology

Postdoctoral Position in Skeletal Regeneration, Diabetes, and Spatial Biology

Location: University of Pennsylvania - Penn Dental

Open Date: Jul 21, 2026

Deadline:

A postdoctoral position is available in the laboratory of Dr. Dana Graves at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Dental Medicine, Department of Periodontics, to investigate a newlyidentified mechanism through which diabetes impairs fracturehealing and to develop a locally delivered therapeutic strategy torestore skeletal repair.

The project is supported by strong preliminary evidencedemonstrating that lineage-specific deletion of FOXO1 inchondrocytes or osteoblasts reverses diabetes-impaired fracturehealing. We have also found that disruption of primary cilia inthese skeletal lineages reproduces defining features of defectiverepair in diabetes. Together, these findings identify and stronglysupport a previously unrecognized FOXO1-primary cilia signalingaxis as an important regulator of skeletal regeneration underdiabetic conditions.

The successful candidate will define how diabetes-induced FOXO1activity alters ciliogenesis, cellular differentiation, andregenerative signaling in chondrocytes and osteoblasts. The studieswill integrate conditional mouse models targeting FOXO1, IFT
80, andcombined FOXO1/IFT
80 deletion with fracture-healing models of type1 and type 2 diabetes to establish the cellular and molecularevents that impair skeletal regeneration.

A major emphasis will be resolution of the fracture-healingmicroenvironment at spatial and single-cell resolution.

Experimental approaches will include 10x Genomics Xenium spatialtranscriptomics, single-cell RNA sequencing, computational analysisusing R and Seurat, histology, immunofluorescence, semi-automatedimage analysis, and microcomputed tomography. These complementarymethods will identify lineage-specific transcriptional programs,spatially organized signaling networks, and cellular interactionsthat distinguish effective from impaired skeletal repair and determine how these programs are altered by diabetes, FOXO1activity, and loss of primary cilia.

The project also includes a translational component focused on anewly developed IGF-1 mimetic-containing nanofiber hydrogeldesigned for controlled local delivery at the fracture site. The candidate will examine its effects on inflammation and thesequential formation of immature mesenchymal tissue, cartilage, andbone, and determine whether the hydrogel restores cilia-dependentregenerative signaling, limits pathological FOXO1 activity, and improves structural and functional fracture healing in type 1 andtype 2 diabetes.

This work directly connects discovery of apreviously unexplored regulatory pathway with preclinicalevaluation of a locally delivered, mechanism-based therapy.

The fellow will be expected to take substantial intellectualownership of the project, including development of experimentaldirections, leadership of spatial-transcriptomic and computationalanalyses, presentation of findings, and preparation of first-authormanuscripts. The position provides multidisciplinary training atthe interface of skeletal biology, diabetes, mouse genetics,spatial and single-cell genomics, computational biology, andtranslational biomaterials research. The fellow will receive directscientific mentoring from Dr. Graves, regular project-basedguidance, and opportunities to work with collaborators andshared-resource specialists across the University of Pennsylvania.

Access to Penn core facilities and collaborative expertise will support spatial transcriptomics, single-cell genomics, imaging,histology, and quantitative analysis. Guided training in R, Seurat,and analysis of Xenium and single-cell datasets will be available to candidates who have strong experimental backgrounds but require additional computational experience. The research plan is designed to support intellectual independence, high-quality first-author publications, and development of a competitive platform for subsequent fellowship, faculty, or industry applications.

Applicants should hold a PhD, MD, DMD, DVM, or equivalent degree inskeletal biology, cell biology, molecular biology, bioengineering,diabetes biology, immunology, computational biology, or a related field.

Experience in one or more of the following areas is desirable:mouse genetics and disease models, bone or cartilage biology,fracture healing, spatial transcriptomics, single-cell RNA sequencing, computational analysis using R and Seurat, image analysis, molecular and cellular assays, histology, ormicrocomputed tomography. Candidates with strong experimentalbackgrounds who wish to develop expertise in osseous andregenerative biology, spatially resolved molecular analysis, andsingle-cell transcriptomics are encouraged to apply.

Evidence of scientific rigor, clear communication, and the ability to work both independently and collaboratively will be important.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

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