Research Interests

Connective tissue (cartilage) development; stem cell differentiation; chondrocyte biology; extracellular matrix; osteoarthritis; mRNA alternative splicing; transcriptional regulation.

Background

Dr McAlinden completed her Bachelor of Science degree (First Class, Honors) in Biochemistry and Immunology from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. She then obtained her Ph.D. from the University of London (Imperial College) in Biochemistry. Specifically, she carried out her doctorate in connective tissue biochemistry at the highly acclaimed Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology. Following a one year postdoctoral fellowship at Napier University in Edinburgh, Dr McAlinden joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at Washington University School of Medicine as a postdooral research fellow in 1999. She is now Assistant Professor in the Department and recently obtained a Secondary Appointment in the Department of Cell Biology and Physiology and Faculty membership of the Divison of Biology and Biomedical Sciences.

Doctorate

University of London (Imperial College), Biochemistry

Fellowship

Postdoctoral Research Fellowship - Orthopaedic Surgery, Washington University
Postdoctoral Research fellowship - Biological Sciences, Napier University (Edinburgh, Scotland)