Mechanisms of neurogenic heterotopic ossification after spinal cord injury
A PhD project opportunity is available on an NHMRC Ideas grant for a student with an honours/master’s degree in immunology, molecular biology, neuroscience or a related field to join the Stem Cell Biology group at Mater Research, based at the Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Brisbane. The successful candidate will be enrolled in a higher degree (PhD) by research at The University of Queensland and carry out a research project focused on identifying new mechanisms of neurogenic heterotopic ossification.
Neurogenic heterotopic ossifications (NHOs) are extra-skeletal bones that develop around joints after severe central nervous system injury. NHOs are incapacitating as they impair flexing of the affected joint and without intervention or surgical excision they can lead to major motor incapacitation. As the pathogenesis of NHOs is poorly understood, there are no diagnostic tools to predict NHO development in patients. To address these challenges, our NHMRC funded project will investigate mechanisms of NHO development in a pre-clinical model of NHO after spinal cord injury to discover new therapeutics and predictive biomarkers.