CDC Laboratory Research for Molecular Surveillance of Malaria Control Fellowship

Organization
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Reference Code
CDC-CGH-2022-0172
How to Apply

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A complete application consists of:

  • An application
  • Transcripts – Click here for detailed information about acceptable transcripts
  • A current resume/CV, including academic history, employment history, relevant experiences, and publication list
  • One educational or professional recommendation. Your application will be considered incomplete, and will not be reviewed until one recommendation is submitted.

All documents must be in English or include an official English translation.

Application Deadline
6/22/2022 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

CDC Office and Location: A fellowship is available with the Center for Global Health (CGH) in the Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria (DPDM) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) located in Atlanta, Georgia. 

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the major operation components of the Department of Health and Human Services. CDC works to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same.

Research Project: The name of this project is "PMI-supported Antimalarial Resistance Monitoring in Africa (PARMA)." The goal of this project is to develop molecular surveillance techniques and implement them in partner laboratories for characterizing and tracking drug-resistant malaria parasites. The selected participant will contribute research to this project, which supports the development of effective treatment strategies in support of malaria control and elimination efforts globally through the automation and standardization of procedures relating to malaria molecular surveillance.

Learning Objectives: Under the guidance of a mentor, the selected participant will be involved in the following training activities:

Training Focus 1: The research participant will learn genetic techniques for the surveillance of antimalarial drug efficacy. The fellow will be trained in sample processing for molecular correction for recurrent infections and molecular surveillance, including DNA isolation, DNA quality assurance, PCR amplification of target genes, capillary electrophoresis and microsatellite analysis.

Training Focus 2: The participant will learn to train visitors from partner African countries on the molecular techniques developed relating to molecular correction methods and malaria parasite genotyping. The participant will learn to train visitors from partner laboratories on data analysis for molecular markers of drug resistance.

Training Focus 3: The participant will receive training on the implementation of quality management systems (QMS) for malaria molecular assays to aid in establishing an internal quality control program. The participant will learn to standardize commonly used molecular tests in order to optimize the SOPs for high quality data. The participant will learn to create standard controls for molecular diagnosis and genotyping malaria parasites.

Mentor(s)The mentor for this opportunity is Cecilia Nelson (conelson@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: June 1, 2022.  Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment LengthThe appointment will initially be for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of CDC and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of ParticipationThe appointment is full-time.

Participant StipendThe participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience.

Citizenship RequirementsThis opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation.

ORISE InformationThis program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and CDC. Participants do not become employees of CDC, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

The successful applicant(s) will be required to comply with Environmental, Safety and Health (ES&H) requirements of the hosting facility, including but not limited to, COVID-19 requirements (e.g. facial covering, physical distancing, testing, vaccination).

Questions: Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process please email ORISE.CDC.CGH@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate be currently pursuing or should have received a master's degree in one of the relevant fields (e.g. Biology, Molecular Biology, Public Health). Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred Skills:

  • Interest in molecular biologic laboratory techniques
  • Ability to work independently and also as part of a team
Eligibility Requirements
  • Degree: Master's Degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.
  • Discipline(s):
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences (48 )
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