Dr. Robert Blank, MD, PhD, Associate Professor
Joined ERP: June 2009

Department: Medicine
Office Address: H4/556 CSC, 600 HIGHLAND AVE, MADISON, WI 53792
Mailing Address: Mail Code: 5148, 600 HIGHLAND AVE, MADISON, WI 53792
Telephone: (608) 262-5586
E-mail: rdb@medicine.wisc.edu

Background:

Institution Degree Year Field of Study
Columbia College, Columbia University, NY, NY AB 1978 History & Philosophy of Science
University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK BA 1980 Genetics
New York University, New York, NY MD, PhD 1988 Medicine, Basic Med Science

Professional Experience:

 1981-1988

Graduate and Medical Student, Dept. of Biochemistry, New York University Medical Center; Laboratory of P. D'Eustachio

  1988-1995

Intern (1988-89), Resident (1989-90), and Fellow (1990-95), Department of Internal Medicine (Endocrinology), New York Hospital/Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

1990-1996

Postdoctoral Fellow, Rockefeller University; Laboratory of J.M. Friedm

1996-2000

Assistant (1996-2000) and Associate (2000) Scientist, and Assistant Director, Molecular Biology Core Laboratory, Hospital for Special Surgery, Visiting Scientist (2000-present)

1998-2000

Assistant Professor of Medicine, Cornell University Medical College

2000-present

 Assistant (2000-2007) and Associate (2007-present) Professor of Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health

2001

Peer Review Panel, Children's Brittle Bone Foundation

 2002

Peer Review, NASA

2002-2006

Special Review Panels, NIAMS (2002),NCRR (2003), NCI (2004), UK MRC 2004, 2006

2003-present FASEB Research Conferences Advisory Board (chair, 2007-present)
2004-present Peer Review, American Federation for Aging Research
2004-present Peer Review, ASBMR Career Development Awards and Bridge Funding Awards
2006-present Associate Director, Medical Scientist Training Program
2007-present Editorial Board, Endocrine Today
2008 Peer Review, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
2009 Peer Review, ZDE JH24, Facebase Consortium RFA DE09-003

Honors and Awards:

1977 Adam Leroy Jones Prize in Logic and Philosophy of Science
1988 Alpha Omega Alpha
1994-1996 National Research Service Award F32-HG00084
1996-1998 Development and Feasibility Award 5 P60 AR3850, subproject 0028
1997-1998 New York Chapter of the Arthritis Foundation Osteoporosis Research                Grant
1997-1998 American Federation for Aging Research Grant
1998-2000 Children's Brittle Bone Foundation Research Fellowship
1998 Travel Award, American Society for Bone and Mineral Research
1998 John Haddad Memorial Young Investigator, American Society for Bone and            Mineral Research
2000-2005 USAMRAA Research Grant DAMD17-00-1-0071
2001-2003 U. of Wisconsin/Howard Hughes Medical Institute Faculty Development Award
2002-2006 VA Merit Award
2007-2009 Wisconsin Network for Health Research Grant (present support)
2007-2011 VA Merit Award (present support)

Research Statement:

My lab studies bone genetics, at several different levels. Most of our effort is devoted to identifying genes that contribute to differences in bone’s biomechanical performance. We use the mouse as a model system for most of this work. Other projects study the genetic basis of congenital vertebral malformations and the genetics of idiopathic scoliosis.

Current Grant Funding:

Funding Period Project 
10/1/07-9/30/11 VA Merit Review, Blank, R (PI) Genetics of Bone Tissue Quality in Inbred Mice.
This study investigates differences in collagen cross-link maturity and crystallinity, their relationship to mechanical performance, and their genetic basis in mice.

Publications from Dr. Blank's Laboratory PubMed Search