Program: Cell Biology and Molecular Physiology
Graduated: 04/01/2004
Mentor: Barry Stripp
Thesis: Phenotypic Analysis of Stem Cell Microenvironments within the Conducting Airway Epithelium
Previous Institutions Attended: University of Rochester, BS in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology University of Rochester, MS in Toxicology
Job Title: Research Fellow
Job Position: Research Fellow
Job Description: I am currently a Research Fellow in Fiona Watt's keratinocyte biology lab at Cancer Research UK, located in central London, England. Additionally, I have been awarded one of two national Marshall Sherfield Postdoctoral Fellowships from 2004-2005 to study here in London, and currently hold an NIH Ruth L. Kirchstein Postdoctoral Fellowship (F32) through 2008.
Dev Cell. 2005 Jul;9(1):121-31. Beta-catenin and Hedgehog signal strength can specify number and location of hair follicles in adult epidermis without recruitment of bulge stem cells. Silva-Vargas V, Lo Celso C, Giangreco A, Ofstad T, Prowse DM, Braun KM, Watt FM. Development (in press) 2006. The cell surface marker MTS24 identifies a novel population of follicular keratinocytes with characteristics of progenitor cells. Nijhof JGW, Braun KM, Giangreco A, van Pelt C, Kawamoto H, Boyd RL, Willemze R, Mullenders LHF, Watt FM, deGruijl FR, van Ewijk W
Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2004 Dec;287(6):L1256-65. Epub 2004 Aug 6. Airway injury in lung disease pathophysiology: selective depletion of airwaystem and progenitor cell pools potentiates lung inflammation and alveolar dysfunction. Reynolds SD, Giangreco A, Hong KU, McGrath KE, Ortiz LA, Stripp BR. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol. 2004 Apr;286(4):L624-30. Epub 2003 Aug 8. Molecular phenotype of airway side population cells. Giangreco A, Shen H, Reynolds SD, Stripp BR. Am J Pathol. 2002 Jul;161(1):173-82. Terminal bronchioles harbor a unique airway stem cell population that localizes to the bronchoalveolar duct junction. Giangreco A, Reynolds SD, Stripp BR.
I moved to Pitt with my advisor Barry Stripp in 2001 after having completed my Master's degree at the University of Rochester. I was very impressed by the level of services / core facilities offered at Pitt, most notably Dr. Simon Watkin's cell imaging laboratory and the FACS lab now run by Hongmei Shen who I worked with extensively. Seminars and journal clubs at Pitt were also very impressive. As a highly funded and well-recognized institute with good travel connections there were many high-caliber lectures and scientists with whom students could network and interact. Even though I had finished coursework, Steve Phillips also made sure that I wasn't left alone and had chances to meet the other students. Through the biomedical graduate student association, we organized movie nights, days out at the local amusement parks / picnic days, and annual camping retreats in the area around Pittsburgh. I would certainly recommend Pitt to other students interested in biomedical science research, especially as it offers a high degree of flexibility once enrolled with regard to each individual's particular research interests.
My decision to move to London in 2001 was based on my interest in working in epithelial stem cell biology, and in particular with Fiona Watt who I met at a Keystone stem cell meeting. After two years I find myself in a world-class skin biology lab with a very generous operating budget, extremely well organized core facilities, and much more extensive support services than any location I've worked in the US. My coworkers are mostly postdocs with similar career goals, and it's nice to work with such a multicultural bunch. Contrary to popular belief, I've been able to maintain NIH funding and there is very good support for postdocs transitioning to careers in academia. I would highly recommend people stepping outside their comfort zone when choosing a postdoctoral position - the benefits will strongly outweigh the difficulties in moving away from US science culture.