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Janet Rubin, MD - Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism

Janet Rubin, MD

Sarah Graham Kenan Distinguished Professor of Medicine

Vice Chair for Research, Department of Medicine

Joint Professor, Pediatrics and Pharmacology

Adjunct Professor, Bioengineering

Janet Rubin
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Address

Office:
5032 Burnett Womack Building
Chapel Hill, NC

Resources

Janet Rubin, MD

Sarah Graham Kenan Distinguished Professor of Medicine

Vice Chair for Research, Department of Medicine

Joint Professor, Pediatrics and Pharmacology

Adjunct Professor, Bioengineering

Areas of Interest

osteoporosis, metabolic bone disease role of intranuclear actin in nuclear structure, mechanical loading of mesenchymal stem cells development of clinician-scientist researchers

About

Dr. Rubin practices Endocrinology in the Meadowmont Endo/Diabetes Center with a specialty in Osteoporosis and metabolic bone disease, and is responsible for bone density testing there.

Dr. Rubin investigates the controls over bone remodeling, in particular exercise and mechanical force effects on the cell cytoskeleton. At the University Dr Rubin continues her decades long research into bone remodeling. The laboratory is currently investigating how bone marrow stem cells are directed to become osteoblasts or adipocytes, with a particular interest in how exercise regulates this divergent differentiation through the cellular cytoskeleton. Her research is funded by the NIH. Dr. Rubin’s lab recently published a case detailing an important side effect of iron administration, FGF23 based rickets, which was written with a medical intern at UNC.

Dr. Rubin is also active in DOM leadership as the Vice Chair for Research. Her interests are in junior faculty research development, and promotion of research throughout the Department.

Clinical Care: My endocrine sub-subspecialty is in skeletal pathophysiology. With regard to osteoporosis, we provide modern pharmaceutical care, and recommend appropriate mechanical (exercise) approaches. In 2021 I initiated a new clinic to teach Endocrine and other fellows to model exemplary care in this area, and to approach complex bone and mineral disease.

Research: My laboratory is funded by the NIH to explore how cytoskeletal structure, which is dynamically regulated by force, extends to the nuclear membrane and then inwards to modulate nuclear structure, which we believe impacts the epigenetic landscape.

Administration: As Vice-Chair for Research in the largest department of the SOM, my major goal is to improve the research experience of our junior faculty. Examples include initiating the DOM Physician Scientist Training Pathway intended to provide MD-PhD faculty for the growth and sustenance of our Department; creating the Population Health R-Grant Working Group; constructing the K-grant working group for our junior research faculty.

  • PA

    Bryn Mawr College

  • MD

    Brown University

  • Internship and Residency

    Northwestern University Medical Center

  • Endocrinology and Metabolism Fellowship

    University of California, San Diego