Cliff Rosen, MD – Lab

Cliff Rosen, MD
Faculty Scientist III
Center for Molecular Medicine

For Media Inquiries: Contact Caroline Cornish, MaineHealth Communications & Public Affairs Manager, 207-662-5146

Rosen Lab

Understanding the metabolic and biochemical fate of marrow stromal cells as progenitor osteoblasts and adipocytes.

Lab Members

Lab Members

Clifford J. Rosen, MD

Faculty Scientist III
Associate Director, Center for Clinical & Translational Science
Co-Principal Investigator of the Northern New England CTR Network

Clifford.Rosen@mainehealth.org

Education
BS: Biochemistry, University of Maine, Orono, Maine
MD: State University of New York at Syracuse, Syracuse, NY


	Ben Aaronson Medical Student at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine Ben is a third-year medical student at the University of New England whose research interest focuses on the intersection of metabolism, weight loss, and bone integrity. His work aims to clarify how contemporary nutritional patterns and weight-loss strategies influence bone health, with particular relevance to orthopedic surgery and prosthetic outcomes. By integrating findings from both murine models and clinical datasets, he seeks to advance understanding of the biomechanical and metabolic factors that shape bone quality in modern patient populations. Ben has presented his work at numerous scientific and clinical meetings, and he was awarded First Place in the Student American Osteopathic Academy of Orthopedics Research Poster Competition. Ben’s research has been supported by the University of New England Carmen Pettapiece Student Research Fellowship.
	Cassandra Amarello, BS Research Associate II Cassandra.Amarello@mainehealth.org Cassandra is a member of the Physiology CORE specializing in genetics, genomics, and molecular biology. In the lab, she supports Victoria’s research on Hypophosphatasia (HPP) using both in vitro and in vivo mouse model approaches, and works closely with Jennifer on mouse handling and physiology studies. She also collaborates with Rosen lab members on bench techniques, equipment operation, and data analysis. Cassandra brings a broad scientific background to the Rosen lab, with experience spanning academic research at Massachusetts Eye and Ear’s Ocular Genomics Institute, diagnostics at the University of New Hampshire’s COVID‑19 testing lab, and industrial biotechnology roles at Spear Bio and Qiagen. Through this diverse path, she has found her professional home in academic research. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Genetics from the University of New Hampshire and is pursuing an ALM in Anthropology at Harvard Extension School. Her long‑term goal is to earn a PhD in evolutionary genetics.
	Carolyn Chlebek, PhD Postdoctoral Fellow Carolyn.Chlebek@mainehealth.org Dr. Chlebek is a postdoctoral fellow interested in understanding how changes to bone cell energetics contribute to bone loss and fracture risk. Following obesity and weight loss, fracture risk increases. Dr. Chlebek examines how changes to cellular metabolism may negatively affect bone mass during obesity and subsequent weight loss. Carolyn uses various multi-omics approaches, including metabolomics, lipidomics, and transcriptomics, to identify the biological pathways that contribute to bone loss during weight loss. Dr. Chlebek is currently funded by the Translational Research Institute for Space Health. Her postdoctoral work has also been funded by the Stryker / ORS Women’s Research Fellowship, the MaineHealth Mentored Research Grant, and the Natalie V. Zucker Research Center for Women Scholars Grant. Dr. Chlebek’s research has been recognized by several external awards, including the American Society for Bone and Mineral Research Harold M. Frost Young Investigator Award and the Endocrine Society Eugenia Rosemberg Travel Award.
	Jennifer Daruszka, BS Research Assistant III Jennifer.Daruszka@mainehealth.org Jennifer has extensive expertise in mouse colony management and is widely regarded as the lab’s “mouse whisperer.” She is deeply committed to animal welfare and consistently ensures that all animals receive exceptional care. In her role as a research assistant, she performs and oversees genotyping and trains staff in the use of Faxitron, Piximus, and NMR systems. In addition to providing training, she conducts Faxitron, Piximus, and NMR imaging and plays a key role in operating metabolic cages and collecting associated data.
	Victoria E. DeMambro, MS, PhD Physiology Core Manager Victoria.DeMambro@mainehealth.org Victoria is the manager of the COBRE in Mesenchymal & Neural Regulation of Metabolic Networks-Physiology CORE providing in vivo and in vitro metabolic phenotyping and data analysis for COBRE-supported, MHIR and outside investigators. She recently graduated with her PhD in Biomedical Science from the University of Maine. Her independent research focus is on Hypophosphatasia (HPP), a rare bone disease resulting in rickets, osteomalacia, bone fragility, chronic fatigue and muscle weakness. HPP occurs due to mutations in the Alpl gene coding for the Tissue Non-Specific Alkaline Phosphatase protein (TNAP) a known pro-mineralizing enzyme. Her research interests involve HPP phenotypes beyond known skeletal defects and is currently investigating the role of TNAP in whole body metabolism, muscle and mitochondrial function.
	Ruixin Feng, BA Medical Student at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine Ruixin Feng is a medical student at the University of New England with a strong interest in understanding how weight loss impacts bone health. In Dr. Rosen’s lab, she works under the guidance of Carolyn Chlebek, investigating how calorie restriction and social isolation influence bone quality. Her research reflects her broader commitment to improving health outcomes through evidence-based, patient-centered science.
	Stephanie Lam, BS Medical Student at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine Stephanie Lam is currently a medical student at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine. She holds a B.S. in Kinesiology from Purdue University, which informs her strong interest in the interplay between physical activity, systemic metabolism, and musculoskeletal health. In the Rosen Lab, Stephanie is assisting Dr. Carolyn Chlebek with studies examining how metabolic interventions and weight loss impact bone quality and strength. Her work focuses on understanding how significant changes in body composition and associated metabolic pathways affect bone cell energetics and potential fracture risk. This research is vital for ensuring that patient strategies designed to improve overall health also support long-term skeletal integrity.
	Phuong Le, MS Scientific Manager Phuong.Le@mainehealth.org Phuong is the manager of the Rosen Lab. In this role, she oversees operational efficiency, financial administration, optimizes team workflows, and streamlines laboratory processes to support high-quality research. In addition to managing day-to-day operations, Phuong actively leads and collaborates on multiple research projects. She also dedicates time to mentoring students, helping them develop essential scientific skills, independence, and confidence. Beyond her managerial responsibilities, Phuong is also active at the bench. Her research focuses on understanding how dietary, environmental, and pharmacological factors influence skeletal health and metabolic diseases. In addition to a project investigating the role of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in thermogenesis, her primary work centers on characterizing an adipsin-specific knockout mouse model targeting bone marrow adipocytes. Using this model, she examines skeletal phenotypes and explores how calorie restriction and high-fat diet interventions affect bone metabolism and overall skeletal health
	Linyi Liu, PhD Staff Scientist I Dr. Liu earned his PhD in Stomatology from the Western China School of Stomatology at Sichuan University, where he focused on oral tissue biology and experimental research methods. His work centers on pulp and bone biology, particularly the molecular and cellular mechanisms that drive tissue development, regeneration, and disease. Throughout his graduate and postdoctoral training, he has investigated inflammatory regulation, metabolic signaling, and skeletal tissue dynamics. His current research explores the roles of adipsin and the transcriptional regulator ZFP467 in skeletal metabolism and bone remodeling, aiming to clarify how these factors influence bone homeostasis in conditions such as metabolic dysfunction and osteoporosis. By integrating molecular biology, histology, and in vivo modeling, Dr. Liu seeks to advance therapeutic strategies that support bone regeneration and oral health. Long term, he aims to translate basic scientific discoveries into improved treatments for craniofacial and skeletal disorders.
	Helen Nguyen Medical Student at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine Helen is a second-year medical student at the UNE College of Osteopathic Medicine with interests in radiology and sports medicine. Prior to medical school, she worked as a post-baccalaureate research fellow at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, where she explored the role of environmental exposures in programming adverse transgenerational health outcomes using animal models. In the Rosen Lab, she contributes to research examining the effects of protein intake and caloric restriction on bone health, merging her interests in musculoskeletal medicine and disease prevention.
	Madhura Nijsure, PhD Postdoctoral Research Fellow Madhura.Nijsure@mainehealth.org Madhura is a Postdoctoral Research Fellow in the Rosen Lab. Her research focuses on identifying strategies to protect musculoskeletal health during calorie restriction, which is a common intervention for weight loss and improved metabolic function. She is particularly interested in approaches to sustain IGF-1 levels during calorie restriction to prevent bone and muscle loss. She received her PhD in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania, where she studied the molecular pathways that drive periosteal expansion during bone fracture repair. For her postdoctoral work, Madhura is interested in learning how nutrition affects musculoskeletal physiology.
	Sam Rubin, BS Research Assistant Samuel.Rubin2@mainehealth.org Samuel is a Research Assistant. He investigates osteoblastogenesis in response to adipocyte paracrine signaling within the bone marrow niche. His research has important implications for understanding the pathophysiology of obesity, diabetes, and osteoporosis. In addition to his part-time work in the lab, Samuel is a trained EMT and volunteers with the City of Portland Harm Reduction Services, supporting harm reduction and community health approaches to the opioid epidemic. He is passionate about pursuing medicine and is applying to medical schools for the class of 2030.
	Sophie Slivia, BS Medical Student at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine Sophia (Sophie) Silvia is a medical student at the University of New England College of Osteopathic Medicine and is interested in the relationship between modern endocrinology treatments and their impact on patient outcomes. In the Rosen Lab, under the guidance of Dr. Carolyn Chlebek, Sophie is investigating the relationship between elevated biomarkers, originally identified in mouse models, and fracture risk in clinical settings of weight loss. Sophie is also an expert in quantification of murine bone marrow and subcutaneous fat depots using histology. She has presented her research findings from the Rosen lab at local meetings.