CDC Internship in HIV Treatment and Prevention

Organization
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Reference Code
CDC-NCHHSTP-2022-0095
How to Apply

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A complete application consists of:
  • An application
  • 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
6/11/2022 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone
Description

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

CDC Office and Location: A research opportunity is currently available in the Division of HIV Prevention (DHP) of the National Center for HIV, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention (NCHHSTP), at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia. 

Research Project: The purpose of the project “Macaque models of HIV treatment and prevention” is to identify in animal models novel long-acting HIV treatment and prevention modalities that can i) maximize virus suppression in persons living with HIV or ii) prevent infection when used for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in uninfected individuals. The selected participant will be researching alongside a mentor within the HIV Laboratory branch at the Division of HIV Prevention at CDC. The Laboratory Branch has unique expertise in drug pharmacokinetics and macaque models of virus suppression and PrEP. The research assignment requires the use of molecular assays to detect and characterize RNA and DNA sequences in animals infected with simian HIV (SHIV). Specific activities include:

  • Perform a variety of molecular and serologic diagnostic assays to monitor infection with SHIV in macaques
  • Prepare antiretroviral drug cocktails and SHIV stocks for in vivo studies in macaques
  • Process blood, mucosal fluids, and tissues using established procedures and make adjustments as needed. Assist in the isolation of cell subpopulations from tissues for antiretroviral drug measurements
  • Perform molecular biology techniques including cloning and sequence analysis to characterize viruses from infected animals, and assess antiretroviral drug resistance profiles and evolution of viral genomes
  • Propagate and characterize new virus stocks in vitro including their infectious titer and phenotypic susceptibility to antiretroviral drugs
  • Develop and apply new PCR assays and make adjustments to improve assay performance

Learning Objectives

  • Learn the latest developments of HIV prevention and treatment
  • Acquire knowledge on animal models of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention
  • Acquire knowledge on preclinical testing of novel HIV prevention modalities including on demand and long-acting HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis
  • Perform molecular and serologic assays to monitor HIV or SIV infection status
  • Acquire knowledge on antiretroviral drugs and drug pharmacology

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Gerardo Garcia-Lerma (jng5@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

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

Appointment Length: The 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 Participation: The appointment is full-time.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience.

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR) only.

ORISE Information: This 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.NCHHSTP@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.

Qualifications

The qualified candidate should have received a bachelor's degree in one of the relevant fields, or be currently pursuing the degree with completion by the end of June 2022. Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred skills:
  • Experience in the use of molecular and serological diagnostic assays to monitor HIV or SIV infection
  • Some experience in processing biological specimens and in sequence analysis
  • Knowledge regarding antiretroviral drugs, drug resistance, and animal models of infection with simian HIV
Eligibility Requirements
  • Citizenship: LPR or U.S. Citizen
  • Degree: Bachelor's Degree received within the last 60 months or anticipated to be received by 6/30/2022 11:59:00 PM.
  • Discipline(s):
    • Life Health and Medical Sciences (7 )
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