Bethel Musculoskeletal Research Center >>

Collaborative Research
Fueling Patient Outcomes

About the Bethel Musculoskeletal Research Center (BMRC)

The Orland Bethel Family Musculoskeletal Research Center (BMRC) will enable the University of Pittsburgh to elevate its study of musculoskeletal disorders, including osteoporosis, degenerative arthritis, fragility fractures and spinal pathology. It will attract and retain top scientists and advance leading-edge research, making musculoskeletal medicine a major focus at the University of Pittsburgh Health Sciences alongside cancer and neuroscience.

Orland Bethel, seated at an outdoor table, smiles warmly.

Orland Bethel, founder of Hillandale Farms

Research Fellowships

 

Our Fellowship program is designed to support the generation of critical preliminary data for larger grant applications, leading to breakthrough treatments for musculoskeletal disease.

We have 2 levels of BMRC Fellowships to support translational basic science and clinical musculoskeletal research.

4-6 BMRC/ORS Fellowships are available 2025.
All recipients must be active ORS members.

Fellowship Funding

$20,000

  • Postdoctoral Scholars
  • Medical Residents

$30,000

  • Junior Faculty Members

Core Labs

We offer 11 Core Labs that are housed in both the Department of Orthopaedics and the Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.

BMRC BioBank

A first-in-kind accurate encyclopedic  data repository, fostering cross-institutional collaboration has officially collected its first patient tissue samples. BMRC collaborator Dr. Malcom Dombrowski and Executive Director Joon Y. Lee, MD were part of the team to gather the first samples from joint replacement and spine surgery last week.

This major step is a move to get closer to personalized treatment options for common ailments like arthritis and back pain.

Joon Y. Lee.

Executive Director Joon Y. Lee, MD

Recent News

Our Clinical Partnership

A world-renowned health care provider and insurer, UPMC combines clinical and research excellence to deliver high-quality care for patients from Western Pennsylvania and across the globe. The schools of the health sciences work closely with UPMC to ensure that health care delivery, biomedical research and education are equally robust and continuously evolving.