Overview of Department & Mentor
Dr. Wang will join the new and exciting Guerin Children’s endeavor, more specifically the Klein laboratory. She will be mentored by Dr. Ophir Klein. Dr. Klein will plan bi-weekly meeting with Dr. Wang to ensure her stay is as beneficial as possible.
Guerin Children’s is a research and clinical institute aiming to fill a critical gap in car for young patients in Los Angeles and beyond. It combines advanced clinical care, leading-edge pediatric research and forward-looking physician education and training. By joining the Klein Laboratory, Dr. Wang will be affiliated with Guerin Children’s and CSMC Department of Pediatrics, both showing excellent track record of fundamental and translational research activities.
Dr. Wang will be co-mentored by Dr. Klein and Dr. Marangoni. Dr. Klein is the Executive Director of Guerin Children’s and Vice Dean for Children’s Services at CSMC. He is a developmental biologist as well as a pediatrician and clinical geneticist who is interested in translating an understanding of developmental mechanisms into medical advances. He directs a research laboratory focusing on stem cell biology.

Role Summary & Objectives
Dr. Wang will take part in a research project aiming at understanding how ameloblasts, the cells responsible for the production of enamel, differentiate in mammals. Having worked on the human condition Amelogenesis imperfecta as well as other human syndromes with dental abnormalities, Dr. Wang will bring mineralized tissue and translational expertise that will complement the Klein laboratory’s expertise on tooth development and epithelial homeostasis. Dr. Wang will notably be trained on working with animal models, molecular genetics, high-throughput gene expression profiling techniques (including spatial transcriptomics), enabling the start of long-term collaboration between the two laboratories.

Role Activities & Timeline
Dr. Wang will participate in the lab’s research for a duration of 2 years. She will perform her research activities fully on-site in the space the Klein laboratory uses in AHSP. She will focus her research on assessing the transcriptional and molecular signatures of ameloblast development, assessing the functional role of key genes in the production of normal vs abnormal enamel proteins. She will receive direct mentorship from the PI and a senior scientist in the laboratory but will also be able to present her findings during craniofacial small group meetings, lab-wide meetings and research-in-progress seminars to collect feedback from the broader scientific community. She will be expected to start her appointment at Cedars going through all necessary training and will participate in seminars and workshops as part of her continuous education.
During the first 3 months of her appointment, Dr. Wang will be receiving all the relevant bench-work training required for the completion of her research project. Deliverables will be evaluated by the mentor by her ability to provide training certificates whenever possible, show proficiency in using lab instruments and manage a small number of mouse cages.
For January-March 2024, Dr. Wang will start conducting her own experiments, including but not limited to: histology, tissue culture, mouse work, molecular genetics. She will be asked to meet on a weekly basis with senior scientists in the laboratory, and on a monthly basis with Dr. Klein to discuss progress, results and follow-up experiments. Deliverables will be evaluated by the co-mentors through regular presentations of the raw and analyzed data. She will also be encouraged to discuss with Klein lab members who have expertise in the field of enamel biology, and these will provide her with informal feedback.
After that initial 6-month-period, Dr. Wang will continue to move forward with her research, being able to conduct independent experiments at the bench, but still presenting her data and analyses to her co-mentors at the same frequency as described above. At the end of each successive trimester, Drs. Wang and Klein will meet together to discuss about the next phase of experiments.

Required Education & Experience 
•    Must be 18 years of age or older.
•    Must have a HS Diploma or GED.
•    Must reside in the greater Los Angeles area or surrounding cities while conducting all activities related to the intern or visitor appointment.
•    INTERNS: Those participating for academic credit must receive academic credit for the duration of the internship.
•    VISITORS: Must be receiving funding from an eligible sponsoring institution (employer, educator, funder, etc.).
Preferred Education & Experience

Visiting Post Doc (nonpaid)

Childrens Health Institute

Cedars-Sinai Medical Center

Academic/Research

Postdoctoral

Full-time

8 hour shift

Day

$18.00 - $100.00

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