The VDTRC is hiring! The following positions are open and ideal for motivated individuals of any level who want to prepare for their next training or academic position. Where possible, additional projects can be created for exceptional candidates. Individuals interested to join the VDTRC should email their CV/resume and most recent educational transcripts to: VCICrecruit@gmail.com
Post-Doctoral Research Fellow (2 positions open)
Two post-doctoral scholar positions are available at the Vanderbilt Dermatology Translational Research Clinic (VDTRC.org) and the Vanderbilt University School of Engineering to launch translational research careers. We invite motivated candidates to apply their backgrounds in engineering, physics, and/or computer science to medical problems facing oncology patients. The goal is to develop, commercialize, and deploy technologies in our ongoing multicenter trials to track disease progression and response to treatment following stem cell / bone marrow transplantation. Specific projects are:
1. Skin mechanics. The scholar will develop and validate a novel handheld clinical device to mechanically measure cutaneous sclerosis. This project will involve signal processing of mechanical vibrations, validation with ultrasound tissue phantoms, and clinical measurement. Our prior results: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41409-018-0346-7
2. Analysis of rash images from smartphone and hyperspectral cameras. The scholar will analyze existing 2D and 3D skin images and advise prospective collection from collaborating centers. Technical approaches may include image registration algorithms, traditional image processing, crowd sourcing, and artificial intelligence such as clustering algorithms and deep learning for segmentation and colorimetric analyses. Our prior results: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41409-018-0211-8
Selected candidates will take the lead on the funded project and also will be encouraged to formulate their own research ideas. They will be provided infrastructure and mentoring for independent funding. Scholars will interact with a broad range of collaborating experts in clinical medicine and technology as well as several innovative partners in industry. Trainees in this well-funded program will enjoy competitive benefits including NIH rate salary.
Clinical Study Coordinator / Research Assistant (2 positions open)
This position is ideal for an individual seeking to build up their research experience and publication record in preparation for graduate and professional schools, including MD/PhD programs and dermatology residency. Prior alumni have matched into top competitive positions.
The Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) in Nashville, Tennessee is seeking a motivated, meticulous, and patient-oriented clinical / translational research coordinator to help advance skin imaging projects related to ongoing multicenter clinical trials in the stem cell transplant population. Interest and experience in either quantitative technical work or medical photography are highly desirable for candidates. The new team member will coordinate clinical aspects of innovative projects bringing together experts from the Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center (Madan Jagasia), Dermatology (Eric Tkaczyk), Computer Science (Benoit Dawant) and the Biophotonics Center within Biomedical Engineering (Anita Mahadevan-Jansen). This environment brings together clinicians, basic scientists, engineers and statisticians in close collaboration due to its interdisciplinary research and close physical proximity of the School of Medicine to the School of Engineering (100-200 yards). Interested individuals should email their CV/resume and most recent educational transcripts to: VCICrecruit@gmail.com