Dr. Brian Eames PhD

The Eames lab uses molecular genetics and advanced imaging techniques to understand how skeletal tissues develop and evolve.  A general focus of the lab is on skeletal cell differentiation.  What are the external signals that direct undifferentiated cells to turn into bone or cartilage cells?  How are these signals interpreted by cells to activate pathways of differentiation?  On the one hand, the Eames lab is interested in applying answers to these questions to such debilitating diseases as osteoarthritis.  On the other hand (and these hands know each other), the Eames lab is interested to know how these same answers vary among chordate clades.

Since studying HIV during my undergrad, I became fascinated with understanding molecular mechanisms of evolution. In fact, I was accepted into grad school with the presumption that I would be a molecular virologist. But then I discovered the power of using embryonic development to study evolution.

The skeletal system seemed fruitful to analyze. Ironically, my first job in science was getting stem cells to make bone in a dish, so after those intervening 5 years, I really came full circle. I figured that any genomic understanding of evolutionary changes to skeletal anatomy would require knowledge of the genes that drive cells to make skeletal tissues in the first place.

On the practical side, I love the idea that my science can help people to  live more active and healthy lives--my findings can be applied as therapies for bone fractures, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, and many other serious contributors to inactivity in humans today. On the esoteric side, I love the idea that my work can serve as a textbook example of the genomics of trait evolution.Current Re

Evolutionary Projects:
Chondrichthyan anatomy and histology
Evolution of skeletal cell transcriptomes

Health-relevant projects
Molecular and cellular approaches to detect and treat osteoarthritis
I. Proteoglycan loss alone causes a broad spectrum of OA pathology
II. Chemical-specific imaging as a readout of proteoglycan function
III. Tissue engineering of articular cartilage

Total amount: $5,165,000 

Years	Amount	Agency	Award	Title
2024-2025	5,385	Company of Biologists (UK)	Scientific Meeting grant	12th Canadian Developmental Biology conference
2024-2026	10,000	USask Office Vice President Research	President’s NSERC (Sole Investigator)	Skeletal tissue and cell evolution
2024-2025	30,000	USask College of Medicine	CoMRAD grant (Sole Investigator)	Exploring the role of proteoglycan sulfatases in skeletal development
2024-2025	73,452	Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)	Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) (1 of 7 Co-Applicants)	A contactless mechanical tester for tissue engineering
2023-2024	9,900	Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF)	Align grant (1 of 7 Co-Applicants)	Personalized Medicine Team for craniofacial and cardiovascular birth defects for Saskatchewan children and youth
2023-2025	50,000	USask College of Medicine	CoMBRIDGE grant (Sole Investigator)	Proteoglycan-dependent growth factor signalling drives normal skeletal stature
2023-2024	5,000	SK Orthopedic Association	Operating grant (Principal of 2 Co-Applicants)	Evaluating a molecular mechanism towards new therapeutics for SK osteoarthritis patients
2022-2023	10,000	Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF)	Align grant (Principal of 2 Co-Applicants)	Evaluating a molecular mechanism towards new therapeutics for SK osteoarthritis patients
2022-2023	150,000	Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)	Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) (1 of 6 Co-Applicants)	High Efficiency X-ray Macroscope for Biomedical Imaging at the Canadian Light Source Synchrotron
2020-2021	150,000	Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)	Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) (1 of 8 Co-Applicants)	A cutting-edge mechanical simulation bioreactor for tissue engineering
2019-2024	194,427	Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)	Discovery Grant (Sole Investigator)	Evolution of skeletal cell transcriptomes
2018-2019	150,000	Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)	Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) (1 of 5 Co-Applicants)	A cutting-edge printer for bio-fabricating tissue scaffolds
2018-2019	8,000	LabEX CeMEB (France)	Invited Scientist Grant (Sole Investigator)	Collaboration with Melanie Debiais-Thibaud (Univ. Montpellier)
2018-2019	7,700	USask CoM OVDR	Discretionary fund	SciArt: Dans Le Mesure (Insofar)
2018-2019	34,000	USask CoM OVDR	Research Cluster Funding (Principal of 13 Co-Applicants)	Imaging and Development cluster
2018-2019	5,000	USask Office Vice President Research	Sabbatical Leave Grant (Sole Investigator)	Travel for sabbatical collaborations
2018-2019	5,000	USask Office Vice President Research	Global Ambassador (Outgoing)—(Sole Investigator)	Travel for sabbatical collaborations
2018-2020	100,000	University of Saskatchewan College of Medicine	CoMBRIDGE operating grant (Principal of 4 Co-Applicants)	Establishing a pig model for cartilage tissue engineering
2018-2019	50,000	Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF)	Collaborative Innovation Development Grant (1 of 6 Co-Applicants)	Synchrotron imaging-based non-invasive studies on 3D printed scaffolds for bone repair
2018-2019	41,000	Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)	Discovery Grant Extension (Sole Investigator)	Evolution of skeletal cell transcriptomes
2017-2018	39,000	USask CoM OVDR	Research Cluster Funding (Principal of 13 Co-Applicants)	Imaging and Development cluster
2017-2018	102,000	Canada Council for the Arts (CCA)	Explore and Create (New Media Arts)—(1 of 2 Co-Applicants)	All forms at all times
2016-2024	777,493	Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)	Operating Grant (Sole Investigator)	Mechanisms and effects of proteoglycan-dependent signalling in skeletal tissues
2016	50,200	Canada Council for the Arts (CCA)	New Media and Audio Artists: Research and Production Grant (1 of 2 Co-Applicants)	Morphogenesis: Collaborative art-science laboratory residency and evolutionary science project culminating in immersive digital art exhibition
2015-2016	100,000	Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)	Operating Grant; Bridge funding: New Investigator, Musculoskeletal, Skin, and Oral Health (Principal of 2 Co-Applicants)	Zonal articular cartilage tissue engineering
2015	1,259,321	Canada Foundation for Innovation (CFI)	John R. Evans Leaders Fund (1 of 2 Co-Applicants)	High-throughput molecular imaging platform
2014	61,736	Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)	Research Tools and Instruments (RTI) (1 of 3 Co-Applicants)	X-ray tube replacement for micro-CT imaging of musculoskeletal development and adaptation
2014-2019	300,000	Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR)—RPP SK	New Investigator Salary Award (Sole Investigator)	Deciphering the functional role of proteoglycans in the etiology of osteoarthritis
2013-2018	205,000	Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council (NSERC)	Discovery Grant (Sole Investigator)	Evolution of skeletal cell transcriptomes
2013-2014	25,000	Royal University Hospital Foundation (RUHF)	RUHF Research Grant (Principal of 5 Co-applicants)	Improved imaging for osteoarthritis
2013-2016	750,000	Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF)	Health Research Group (Phase 3)—(1 of 10 Co-Applicants)	Tissue Engineering Research Group
2012-2015	120,000	Saskatchewan Health Research Foundation (SHRF)	Establishment Grant (Sole Investigator)	Temporal regulation of skeletal cell differentiation by proteoglycan-dependent growth factor signalling
2012-2015	110,000	University of Saskatchewan (Provost, College of Medicine, Dept. of Anatomy & Cell Biology)	Start-up	Temporal regulation of skeletal cell differentiation by proteoglycan-dependent growth factor signalling

• Desvignes T, P Batzel, J Sydes, BF Eames, and JH Postlethwait (2019).  miRNA analysis with Prost! reveals evolutionary conservation of organ-enriched expression and post-transcriptional modifications in three-spined stickleback and zebrafish.  Scientific Reports 9(1):3913.  PMID: 30850632 (2019 IF 4.0)
• Atake OJ, DML Cooper, and BF Eames (2019). Bone-like features in skate suggest a novel elasmobranch synapomorphy and deep homology of trabecular mineralization patterns.  Acta Biomaterialia 84:424-36.  PMID: 30500446. (2019 IF 7.2)
• You F, XB Chen, DML Cooper, T Chang, and BF Eames (2018).  Homogeneous hydroxyapatite/alginate composite hydrogel promotes calcified cartilage matrix deposition with potential for three-dimensional bioprinting.  Biofabrication 11(1):015015. PMID: 30524110 (2018 IF 7.2)
• Grecco Machado, R, and BF Eames (2017).  Using zebrafish to test the genetic basis of human craniofacial diseases (invited manuscript).  Journal of Dental Research 96(11): 1192-9. PMID: 28767277. (2017 IF: 5.3)
• You, F, BF Eames, and XB Chen (2017).  Application of extrusion-based hydrogel bioprinting for cartilage tissue engineering (invited manuscript).  International Journal of Molecular Sciences 18(7): E1597.  PMID: 28737701. (2017 IF: 5.3)
• Olubamiji, AD, N Zhu, T Chang, C Nwankwo, Z Izadifar, A Honaramooz, D (XB) Chen, and BF Eames (2017).  Traditional invasive and synchrotron-based non-invasive assessments of 3D-printed hybrid cartilage constructs in situ.  Tissue Engineering Part C Methods 23(3): 156-68.  PMID: 28106517. (2017 IF: 3.5)
• You, F, X Wu, N Zhu, M Lei, BF Eames, and XB Chen (2016).  3D printing of porous cell-laden hydrogel constructs for potential applications in cartilage tissue engineering.  ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering 2(7): 1200-10. (2016 IF: 3.2)
• Atake OJ, DML Cooper, and BF Eames (2018). Bone-like features in skate suggest a novel elasmobranch synapomorphy and deep homology of trabecular mineralization patterns.  Acta Biomaterialia (in press)
• Grecco Machado, R, and BF Eames (2017).  Using zebrafish to test the genetic basis of human craniofacial diseases (invited manuscript).  J Dental Research 96(11): 1192-9. PMID: 28767277. (2016 IF: 4.6)
• You, F, BF Eames, XB Chen (2017).  Application of extrusion-based hydrogel bioprinting for cartilage tissue engineering (invited manuscript).  International Journal of Molecular Sciences 18(7): E1597.  PMID: 28737701. (2016 IF: 4.0)
• Olubamiji, AD, N Zhu, T Chang, C Nwankwo, Z Izadifar, A Honaramooz, D (XB) Chen, BF Eames (2017).  Traditional invasive and synchrotron-based non-invasive assessments of 3D-printed hybrid cartilage constructs in situ.  Tissue Engineering Part C Methods  23(3): 156-68.  PMID: 28106517. (2016 IF: 3.9)
• You, F, X Wu, N Zhu, M Lei, BF Eames, XB Chen (2016).  3D printing of porous cell-laden hydrogel constructs for potential applications in cartilage tissue engineering.  ACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering 2(7): 1200-10.
• Ding, HL, JE Hooper, P Batzel, BF Eames, JH Postlethwait, KB Artinger, DE Clouthier (2016).  MicroRNA profiling during craniofacial development: Potential roles for Mir23b and Mir133b.  Frontiers of Physiology 7: 281.  PMID: 27471470. (2016 IF: 3.9)
• Olubamiji AD, Z Izadifar, J Si, DML Cooper, BF Eames, DXB Chen (2016).  Modulating mechanical behavior of 3D-printed cartilage-mimetic PCL scaffolds: Influence of molecular weight and pore geometery.  Biofabrication 8(2): 025020.  PMID: 27328736. (2016 IF: 4.7)
• Brown, DS, and BF Eames (2016).  Emerging tools to study proteoglycan function during skeletal development (invited manuscript).  Methods in Cell Biology 134: 485-530.  PMID: 27312503. (2016 IF: 1.2)
• Hanwell, D, SA Hutchinson, C Collymore, AE Bruce, R Louis, A Ghalami, WT Allison, M Ekker, BF Eames, S Childs, DM Kurrasch, R Gerlai, T Thiele, I Scott, B Ciruna, JJ Dowling, S McFarlane, P Huang, XY Wen, MA Akimenko, AJ Waskiewicz, P Drapeau, LA Babiuk, D Dragon, A Smida, AG Buret, E O’Grady, J Wilson, L Sowden-Plunkett, V Tropepe (2016).  Restrictions on the importation of zebrafish into Canada associated with spring viremia of carp virus.  Zebrafish.  PMID: 27248438.
• Olubamiji AD, Z Izadifar, J Si, DML Cooper, BF Eames, DXB Chen (2016).  Modulating mechanical behavior of 3D-printed cartilage-mimetic PCL scaffolds: Influence of molecular weight and pore geometery.  Biofabrication.
• Brown, DS, and BF Eames (2016).  Emerging tools to study proteoglycan function during skeletal development.  Methods in Cell Biology 134: 485-530.  PMID: 27312503
• Olubamiji AD, Z Izadifar, N Zhu, T Chang, DXB Chen, BF Eames (2016). Using synchrotron radiation inline phase-contrast imaging computed tomography to visualize three-dimensional printed hybrid constructs for cartilage tissue engineering. Journal of Synchrotron Radiation 23(3): 802-12.  PMID: 27140161
• Hackett MJ, GN George, IJ Pickering, BF Eames (2016).  Chemical biology in the embryo: In situ imaging of sulfur biochemistry in normal and proteoglycan-deficient cartilage matrix.  Biochemistry 55(17): 2441-51.  [featured article “ACS Editors’ Choice”] PMID: 26985789.
• Izadifar, Z, T Chang, WM Kulyk, X Chen, BF Eames (2016).  Analyzing biological performance of 3D-printed, cell-impregnated hybrid constructs for cartilage tissue engineering.  Tissue Engineering Part C Methods 22(3): 173-88.  [Cover image]  PMID: 26592915.
• Edmunds, RC, B Su, JP Balhoff, BF Eames, WM Dahdul, H Lapp, JG Lundberg, TJ Vision, RA Dunham, PM Mabee, M Westerfield (2016).  Phenoscape: Identifying candidate genes for evolutionary phenotypes.  Molecular Biology and Evolution 33(1): 13-24. PMID: 26500251.
• Gomez-Picos, P, and BF Eames (2015). On the evolutionary relationship between chondrocytes and osteoblasts.  Frontiers of Genetics 6: article 297; 1-15.  PMID: 26442113.
• Yu, J, AH Jheon, EL Ealba, BF Eames, KD Butcher, SS Mak, R Ladher, T Alliston, RA Schneider (2014).  Evolution of a developmental mechanism: Species-specific regulation of the cell cycle and the timing of events during craniofacial osteogenesis.  Developmental Biology 385(2): 380-95.  PMCID: 3953612
• BF Eames, A DeLaurier, B Ullmann, TR Huycke, JT Nichols, J Dowd, M McFadden, MM Sasaki, and CB Kimmel (2013). FishFace: interactive atlas of zebrafish craniofacial development at cellular resolution. BMC Developmental Biology 13(1):23.  PMCID: 3698193
• Huycke, T, BF Eames, and CB Kimmel (2012).  Hedgehog-dependent proliferation drives modular growth during morphogenesis of a dermal bone. Development 139: 2371-2380.  PMCID:3367445 [featured article]
• Eames, BF, A Amores, YL Yan, and JH Postlethwait (2012).  Evolution of the osteoblast: skeletogenesis in gar and zebrafish.  BMC Evolutionary Biology 12:27.  PMCID: 3314580
• Eames, BF, YL Yan, ME Swartz, DS Levic, EM Knapik, JH Postlethwait, and CB Kimmel (2011).  Mutations in fam20b and xylosyltransferase1 reveal that cartilage matrix controls timing of endochondral ossification through inhibition of chondrocyte maturation.  PLoS Genetics 7(8): e1002246.  PMCID: 3161922
• Solem, RC, BF Eames, M Tokita, and RA Schneider (2011).  Mesenchymal and mechanical mechanisms of secondary cartilage induction. Developmental Biology 356(1): 28-39.  PMCID: 3130809
• DeLaurier, A, BF Eames, B Blanco-Sanchez, G Peng, X He, ME Swartz, B Ullmann, M Westerfield, and CB Kimmel (2010).  Zebrafish sp7-EGFP: a transgenic for studying otic vesicle formation, skeletogenesis, and bone regeneration.  Genesis 48(8): 505-11.  PMCID: 2926247
• Eames, BF*, A Singer*, GA Smith*, ZA Wood, YL Yan, X He, J Polizzi, JM Catchen, A Rodriguez-Mari, T Linbo, DW Raible, JH Postlethwait (2010). Uxs1 is required for proper morphogenesis and histogenesis of the craniofacial skeleton.  Developmental Biology 341(2): 400-15.  PMCID: 2888048
• Zhang, G, BF Eames, and MJ Cohn (2009). Evolution of vertebrate cartilage development. In: Current Topics in Developmental Biology, Vol. 86, William R. Jeffrey, editor, pp 15-42.  Burlington: Academic Press.  PMID: 19361688
• Eames, BF, and RA Schneider (2008).  The genesis of cartilage size and shape during development and evolution.  Development 135: 3947-58.  PMCID: 2836324
• Merrill, AE, BF Eames, SJ Weston, T Heath, and RA Schneider (2008).  Mesenchyme-dependent BMP signaling directs the timing of mandibular osteogenesis.  Development 135(7): 1223-34. [Selected by Faculty of 1000 as a "Must Read" F1000 Factor 6.0].  PMCID: 2844338
• Eames, BF, NC Allen, J Young, AJ Kaplan, JA Helms, and RA Schneider (2007).  Skeletogenesis in the swell shark Cephaloscyllium ventriosum.  J Anatomy 210(5): 542-54. [Cover image]  PMCID: 2375745
• Miller, MR, TS Atwood, BF Eames, JK Eberhart, YL Yan, JH Postlethwait, and EA Johnson (2007).  RAD marker microarrays enable rapid mapping of zebrafish mutations.  Genome Biology 8(6): R105.  PMCID: 2394753
• Eames, BF, and RA Schneider (2005).  Quail-duck chimeras reveal spatiotemporal plasticity in molecular and histogenic programs of cranial feather development.  Development 132(7): 1499-1509.  [Featured article, "Creating Birds of a Feather" in Science STKE, 22 March 2005 (276:108); Selected by Faculty of 1000 as a "Must Read" F1000 Factor 6.0].  PMCID: 2835538
• Miclau T, RA Schneider, BF Eames, and JA Helms (2005).  Common molecular mechanisms regulating fetal bone formation and adult fracture repair.  In: Bone Regeneration and Repair: Biology and Clinical Applications.  J. R. Lieberman and G. E. Friedlaender. Totowa, NJ, Humana Press, Inc.: 45-55.
• Eames, BF, PT Sharpe, and JA Helms (2004).  Hierarchy revealed in the specification of three skeletal fates by Sox9 and Runx2.  Developmental Biology 274(1): 188-200.  PMID: 15355797
• Eames, BF, and JA Helms (2004).  Conserved molecular program regulating cranial and appendicular skeletogenesis.  Developmental Dynamics 231(1): 4-13.  PMID: 15305282
• Eames, BF, LF de la Fuente, and JA Helms (2003).  Molecular ontogeny of the skeleton.  Birth Defects Research (Part C) 69:93-101.  PMID: 12955855
• Eames, B, DA Benaron, DK Stevenson, and CH Contag (1999).  Construction and in vivo testing of a red-emitting firefly luciferase.  In: Reporters, Dyes, and Instrumentation.  CH Contag, D Bornhop, and E Sevick-Muraca (eds).  pp36-39
• Contag, CH, SD Spilman, PR Contag, M Oshiro, B Eames, P Dennery, DK Stevenson, and DA Benaron (1997).  Visualizing gene expression in living mammals using a bioluminescent reporter.  Photochemistry and Photobiology  66(4): 523-31.  PMID: 9337626