Postdoctoral Fellow

Job ID: 236669
Location: Augusta University
Full/Part Time: Full Time
Regular/Temporary:

*



About Us
Augusta University is Georgia's innovation center for education and health care, training the next generation of innovators, leaders, and healthcare providers in classrooms and clinics on four campuses in Augusta and locations across the state. More than 9,000 students choose Augusta for educational opportunities at the center of Georgia's cybersecurity hub and experiential learning that blends arts and application, humanities, and the health sciences. Augusta is home to Georgia's only public academic health center, where groundbreaking research is creating a healthier, more prosperous Georgia, and world-class clinicians are bringing the medicine of tomorrow to patient care today.

College/Department Information
Researching Heart Attack, Heart Failure, Stroke, Hypertension, Diabetes... With the increasing frequency of obesity and diabetes, especially in Georgia, cardiovascular disease is reaching epidemic proportions. The Vascular Biology Center at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University knows the demand is high for new and better treatments. Our internationally recognized team of research experts have one goal - to make breakthroughs in the prevention and treatment of disease so that we all may live longer, healthier lives.

Job Summary
Job Posting RefreshedWe invite applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow to work with the Georgia Prevention Institute/Georgia Cancer Center/Medical College of Georgia on the American Heart Association Strategically Focused Research Network projects in disparities in cardio-oncology. The project requires a Postdoc to learn details regarding the field of cardio-oncology through the assigned curriculum and participate in cardio-oncology education. Learning by doing would involve working at the CDC (Atlanta) for 40% of the time to analyze the NHANES-Medicare-NDC merged data. Other specific tasks listed below may be completed on site or remotely.
The Postdoctoral Fellow will be mentored and supported in future career goals and will have access to an interdisciplinary mentoring team with expertise on the cancer, cardiovascular disease, epidemiology, health iniquities, and big data dimensions of data science, as well as to a group of stakeholders working towards epidemiological research in cardio-oncology. This community is committed to innovate to make the informal connections and research conversations that are part of the process of mentoring work continue smoothly in the new paradigm of virtual programing and communication. Study Details: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) and cancer often occur in the same patients, in part because of the shared risk factors such as obesity. As compared with European Americans (EAs), the prevalence of obesity is higher in African Americans (AAs) who in turn suffer from a higher burden of CVD and cancer-related mortality. The mechanisms whereby risk factors such as obesity change the natural history of cancer development in AAs with CVD remain to be determined. Identifying these mechanisms will facilitate prevention, screening and perhaps therapeutic approaches. Socioeconomic disparities due to systemic racism, chronic psychosocial stress and lack of access to affordable, high-quality food and healthcare may promote obesity. The resulting proinflammatory milieu is a significant risk factor for CVD and cancer, thus contributing to the higher burden of CVD and cancer in AAs. Additionally, biological factors that regulate systemic inflammation may be contributory. Mutations in ACKR1, otherwise known as the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC), confer protection against malaria and ~70% of AA express a mutation in this receptor resulting in loss of its expression on red blood cells. This loss of DARC expression, a chemokine receptor that sequesters chemokines and diminishes chemokine receptor activation, may contribute to the enhanced inflammation in AAs. AAs exhibit more pronounced inflammation than EAs, even when normalized to body mass index. Data from the Jackson Heart study have shown that DARC null status was associated with worse CVD outcomes in AAs. Moreover, our group data in a murine model indicates that global DARC gene deletion augments obesity-related metabolic disease and inflammation. We hypothesize that obesity and socioeconomic disparities, coupled with the loss of DARC, lead to augmented inflammation, thus predisposing AAs with CVD to cancer development. This hypothesis will be tested in longitudinal population studies that enroll large numbers of AAs.

Responsibilities
The duties include, but are not limited to:

• Perform the analysis on NHANES Medicare registry, which requires travel
• Analysis of cardio-oncology projects that are linked to SFRN projects
• Attend all AHA SFRN meetings and post-doctoral curriculum assigned for post-docs across 4 campuses
• Complete 2 first-author abstracts and 1 first-author manuscript is a requirement by the end of first year.
• Assist in development of local cardio-oncology registry
• Miscellaneous that include lab related tasks such as manuscript submission and peer review.
• Perform all other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications
MD, PhD, or MD/PhD or equivalent degree from an accredited college or university. Either remote work from Atlanta or commuting to Atlanta to work at the CDC would be required. The candidate should not have more than 1 years of formal post-doctoral experience.

Preferred Qualifications
The Postdoctoral Fellow is expected to have published at least 1 first authors manuscript where they were the primary analyst; Ideal candidates would have experience in health services research including cleaning and analysis of electronic medical records-based dataset, Medicare data, NHANES data. Experience in genetic epidemiology. Knowledge of R and Python. Experience with machine learning methodologies; Required expertise in data science, epidemiology, biostatistics, medical economics, or those who have substantive training or expertise in analytical methodology that includes cross-sectional, longitudinal, and mixed modeling.

Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities
Knowledge of SAS or STATA
Ability to maintain confidentiality
Ability to complete work and to meet deadlines
Ability to work independently with only general supervision
Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills
Detail-oriented with strong prioritization and organizational skills
Proficient in Microsoft Office and other computer software/databases or willingness to learn

Shift/Salary/Benefits

Shift: Days; Monday - Friday (Work outside of normal business hours may be required)

Salary: $36,197/annually - $55,000/annually

Salary to be commensurate with qualifications of selected candidate within the established range (generally minimum-midpoint) of the position

Recruitment Period: Until Filled

Augusta University offers a variety of benefits to full-time benefits-eligible employees and some of our half-time (or more) employees.

Benefits that may be elected could include health insurance, dental insurance, life insurance, Teachers Retirement System (or Optional Retirement Plan), as well as earned vacation time, sick leave, and 13 paid holidays.

Also, our full-time employees who have been employed with us successfully for more than 6 months can be considered for the Tuition Assistance Program. Consider applying with us today!

Conditions of Employment
All candidates are required to successfully pass a Background Check review prior to starting with Augusta University.

All employees are responsible for ensuring the confidentiality, availability, and integrity of sensitive [patient, student, employee, financial, business, etc.] information by exercising sound judgment and adhering to cybersecurity and privacy policies during the course of their employment and beyond.

Other Information
This position is also responsible for promoting a customer-friendly environment and providing superior service to our patients, students, faculty, and employees. "Augusta University is a patient-and family-centered care institution, where employees partner every day with patients and families for success." Augusta University is a tobacco-free environment, and the use of any tobacco products on any part of the campus, both inside and outside, is strictly prohibited.

Equal Employment Opportunity
Augusta University is proud to be an equal opportunity employer welcoming applicants from underrepresented groups, including individuals with disabilities and veterans.

How To Apply
Consider applying with us today! https://www.augusta.edu/hr/jobs/Select University Faculty & Staff > External Applicants if you are a candidate from outside the universitySelect University Faculty & Staff > Internal Applicants if you are a current university employee If you need further assistance, please contact us at 706-721-9365

To apply, visit https://careers.hprod.onehcm.usg.edu/psp/careers/CAREERS/HRMS/c/HRS_HRAM_FL.HRS_CG_SEARCH_FL.GBL?Page=HRS_APP_JBPST_FL&Action=U&FOCUS=Applicant&SiteId=12000&JobOpeningId=236669&PostingSeq=1

jeid-d0d7916be0df224bbdbe9d9cbc0e1dc3