Team

Dr. Annemarie Lang, PhD

Principal Investigator & Assistant Professor 

I earned my veterinary degree and doctoral degree (Dr. med. vet./DVM) at Freie Universität Berlin and completed a PhD with a specialization in Regenerative Therapies and Biomedical Sciences, followed by postdoctoral training at Charité-Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Germany.  

As a Marie Curie Postdoctoral Fellow with Joel D. Boerckel, PhD at the University of Pennsylvania, I investigated local oxygenation within the fracture gap and discovered that bone fractures initiate localized erythropoiesis, which regulates oxygen levels and drives subsequent repair. These discoveries now form the foundation of my research program. I concluded my postdoctoral training in the lab of Prof. Michael Gelinsky at the Carl Gustav Carus Medical Hospital, Technical University Dresden. 

In January 2025, I joined the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Michigan as a tenure-track Assistant Professor, contributing to the Engineering Cell Programmable Biomaterials for Regenerative Medicine Scientific Research Initiative.

Current Professional Engagements:

• Communication Chair of the ORS Preclinical Model Section

• Vice President of the European Society for Alternatives to Animal Testing 

• Outgoing Young Researcher Coordinator, European COST Action IMPROVE

• Editor-in-Chief Laboratory Animals (SAGE Journals)

• Associate Editor Connective Tissue Research (Taylor & Francis Online)

• Board Member of MuSkITYR

Email: annelang@med.umich.edu

Follow me on LinkedIn or Bluesky or X —check out my ORCID profile

Prakaimuk Saraithong (Kim) MS, Ph.D.

Research Lab Specialist 

Kim received a US scholarship to join the international research projects and continued her Ph.D. as a research fellow at the New York University (NYU). She was appointed a postdoctoral associate in the NYU Bluestone Center for Clinical Research investigating the relationship between  oral cancer and pain. Following to the second postdoctoral at the University of Michigan (UM) School of Dentistry, she applied breakthrough molecular techniques to gene regulation in oral spirochetes. Training abroad includes genotyping bacteria in Sweden.  Having worked at UM for 8 years as a research lab specialist and lab manager, she performed  state-of-the-art genetic approaches e.g. RNA-seq and 2D, 3D cell culture in organoids and stem cells. She has published work across diverse fields, including microorganisms, insect behavior, stem cells and tissue engineering. As an advert supporter of lifelong learning, Kim enjoys interacting with our students as well as her co-workers toward  accomplishing a mutual goal. In March 2025, she joined Dr. Lang’s lab to be a master in flow cytometry, single cell sequencing and cutting-edge  in vitro cell culture models. 

In her spare time, she enjoys traveling, gardening, taking care of her ducks and koi fishes. 

Tina Xiaohua Gao, MD

Research Lab Specialist 

Tina is a highly experienced Research Lab Specialist Inter with a broad scientific background spanning Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Immunology, Cancer Research, and wound healing. Over the course of her career, she has contributed to research at several esteemed institutions, including 18 years at Henry Ford Health System, 2 years at Wayne State University, and the past 6 years at the University of Michigan. Tina earned her MD from Shandong University School of Medicine and completed a residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Women and Children’s Hospital in China. During her clinical training, more than half of her surgical caseload focused on conditions related to the female reproductive system and pregnancy. This extensive surgical experience has been instrumental in her research work. Prior to joining Dr. Lang's lab, she conducted a wide range of complex procedures, including lung transplantation, abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysm models, hindlimb ischemia, spinal cord hemi-section, wound healing studies, and orthotopic xenografts. Her research over the past two decades has focused extensively on the molecular mechanisms of cancer. In her current role in Dr. Lang’s lab, she is responsible for performing various mouse fracture and osteotomy models.  

Beyond the lab, Tina is a former competitive speed skater and remains passionate about fitness and the outdoors. She and her family enjoy spending time outside and listening to music together.

Christophe Merceron, PhD

Postdoctoral Researcher/Research Lab Specialist Senior

Christophe obtained his Ph.D. from Nantes University, France, under the supervision of Dr. Jerome Guicheux Ph.D. He specialized in cell and molecular biology applied to stem cell differentiation and cartilage tissue engineering. As a research assistant and temporary lecturer, he developed in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo osteoarthritic models to assess the effect of nutritional compounds.  He was awarded a Marie Curie postdoctoral fellowship and joined Dr. Ernestina Schipani M.D., Ph.D. initially at Indiana University Purdue University Indiana (IUPUI) and then at the University of Michigan. He investigated the role of the hypoxia inducible factor pathway in skeletal development (with a specific focus on growth plate and intervertebral disc) and in bone mass accrual and homeostasis. During his career, Christophe has developed expertise in fields such as biological image analysis and quantification and gained knowledge in bone phenotype analysis. After a few years in the medical information and pharmacovigilance industry, Christophe joined Dr. Lang’s lab in May 2025. He will focus on the role of cellular oxygen in the bone and cartilage repair processes.

Outside of the lab, Christophe enjoys spending time with his family, the great outdoors, landscape and wildlife photography, and as a French native, cooking.

Jinha Kwon, PhD

Postdoctoral Research Fellow 

Jinha joins the Lang Laboratory as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, bringing expertise in musculoskeletal research and biomaterials development and characterization. His doctoral work focused on nanoscale bone tissue characterization using advanced atomic force microscopy, while his postdoctoral training at Cornell University involved developing photothermal nanoparticles for therapeutic applications. Jinha earned his Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering with a dual M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from The Ohio State University, followed by postdoctoral training at Cornell University. In the Lang Lab, he will focus on developing drug delivery systems and programmable biomaterials, establishing methods for assessing oxygen  levels in musculoskeletal tissue, investigating erythroid progenitors both in vitro and in vivo, and testing AFM approaches for fracture repair scenarios.

Outside of the lab, Jinha enjoys spending time with his wife Oki and their two kids, five-year-old Hayden and three-year-old Hailey. He also practices Kendo, the Japanese martial art.

Sophia Fisher

Undergraduate Student 

Sophia is an incoming senior undergraduate student majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience on the pre-medical track. Originally from Muskegon, Michigan, she has developed a deep appreciation for Ann Arbor during her time at the University of Michigan. Her interest in orthopedic surgery began while working as a medical assistant in an orthopedic office, where she gained firsthand experience with patient care and clinical procedures. She is now eager to expand on that foundation by exploring orthopedics from a scientific perspective through her work in the Lang Laboratory. 

Outside of academics, Sophia enjoys running, weightlifting, and playing pickleball—activities that have further fueled her passion for musculoskeletal health.

Andreanna Ulery

Undergraduate Student - MSOAR Program

Andreanna is an incoming junior undergraduate student at the University of Michigan majoring in Biopsychology, Cognition and Neuroscience and minoring in History of Medicine and Health on the pre-med track. Her interest in the field of orthopedic surgery stems from her personal experience of having undergone an ACL reconstruction and her previous work in the Orthopedic Rehabilitation and Biomechanics Laboratory (ORB) in the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology. She is excited to learn more about the research techniques used in Orthopedic Research and is privileged to be joining the Lang Lab as a Michigan Orthopedic Summer Access to Research Program (MSOAR) Scholar. 

In her free time, Andreanna enjoys running, reading, listening to music, and spending time with friends and family!