Nearly $100M in Support: Bethel Family Foundation Fuels the Next Chapter of BMRC
The Orland Bethel Family Foundation, a powerful supporter of the health sciences at the University of Pittsburgh, has committed an additional $53.5 million to expand the Orland Bethel Family Musculoskeletal Research Center (BMRC). The gift, which brings...
Milestone Achievements for the Musculoskeletal Oncology Lab: Major DoD Award, MSTS Record, and New Home
Our Musculoskeletal Oncology Lab (MOL) ended the year strong by achieving some big milestones.Starting off, the MOL was awarded a Community Resource Development Award from the DoD Rare Cancers Research Program - the largest award offered through this program. This...
MechanoBiology Lab Advancing Topical Metformin Lotion for Tendinopathy Prevention
The MechanoBiology Lab, a BMRC Core Lab directed by Dr. James H-C. Wang, is advancing innovative strategies to prevent overuse tendon injuries. Recent preclinical research from the lab demonstrates that a topical metformin lotion can prevent the onset of tendinopathy...
Ferguson Spine Lab and BMRC Core Lab Investigators Awarded NIH UC2 Grant
Congratulations to Dr. Gwendolyn Sowa and Dr. Nam Vo on their UC2 grant, “Whole person experience of pain: Novel integration with low back pain phenotypes”, which was recently funded for $20 million by NIAMS and NINDS. This project builds on the NIH HEAL Initiative...
BMRC Welcomes Associate Dean of AI in Medicine Dr. Hooman Rashidi
We were honored to welcome Hooman H. Rashidi, MD, MS, FCAP, to the Bethel Musculoskeletal Research Center (BMRC) as a guest speaker at our monthly research seminar. As the Associate Dean of AI in Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh, Executive Vice Chair of...
BMRC Team Attends the 2025 ORS PSRS Symposium
Members of our BMRC core labs, including representatives from our Ferguson Spine Lab, traveled together to Newark, DE, for this year’s ORS Philadelphia Spine Research Society (PSRS) Symposium, held on Friday, November 7, at the University of Delaware’s FinTech...
BMRC Hosts Inaugural Research Symposium: A Day of Discovery, Collaboration, and Celebration
In September, BMRC hosted its first annual BMRC Research Symposium, bringing together nearly 160 faculty, trainees, staff, and students. The full-day event highlighted the depth and diversity of musculoskeletal research across the clinical and basic...
2025 Summer Student Research Program Prepares Students for Discovery
In August, BMRC wrapped up its 2025 Summer Student Research Program (SSRP), a nine-week training experience for undergraduate and medical students interested in musculoskeletal research. Each year, the SSRP offers students from the University of Pittsburgh...
BMRC Welcomes New Fellows for 2025–2026
BMRC is proud to announce the 2025 class of Bethel/Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) Fellows. Following a highly competitive application process, these outstanding early-career researchers have demonstrated remarkable potential in advancing musculoskeletal...
Meet The Researcher: Q&A With John Fowler, MD
John Fowler, MD, is a professor in the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. He also works closely with orthopaedic surgery trainees as associate director of the residency program and the hand surgery fellowship. His...
BMRC Officially Celebrates Its Naming
The Orland Bethel Family Musculoskeletal Research Center (BMRC) recently celebrated the naming of its newly upgraded laboratory space in the Biomedical Science Tower with a ceremony honoring Orland Bethel and his family. The event was attended by University of...
2026 – 2027 Clinical Research Fellowship Applications Open
Now Accepting Applications for the 2026–2027 Bethel Musculoskeletal Research Center (BMRC) Orthopaedic Surgery Clinical Research Fellowship! This paid, one-year opportunity offers hands-on experience in orthopaedic research and clinical care, working directly with Dr....