The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) is offering a post-doctoral fellowship with the Brain Trauma Neuroprotection (BTN) branch in the Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience. BTN studies a spectrum of traumatic brain injury (TBI) using both translational pre-clinical models and clinical samples. Our multidisciplinary team conducts biomedical experiments to investigate and develop drug and device therapeutic solutions for the Warfighter as well as discovery, validation, and measurement of biomarkers that signify severity, progression, or treatment efficacy of TBI. With the resources and expertise of WRAIR, post-doctoral researchers will be well positioned to excel in an environment committed to military medicine. 

Fellows work closely with a highly collaborative team of scientists with expertise in TBI, trauma, biomedical engineering, biochemistry, pharmacology, and neurotherapeutic testing. Under the guidance of a mentor, you will gain hands-on experience to complement your education and support your academic and professional goals. You will participate in research efforts that aim to test and develop various biomaterial technology for mitigation of traumatic brain injury pathology.  These skills and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:

• Small animal monitoring/handling, aseptic technique, surgical procedures, behavioral testing, sample collection, drug administration, imaging (IVIS, MRI), etc.

• Planning, testing, optimizing, and performing laboratory assays and experiments including sample preparation, western blot, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry, among others. 

• Collection, analysis, and interpretation of data including statistical testing and ability to adapt experimental techniques accordingly.

• Dissemination of experimental results internally and externally through presentation (meetings, conferences, tours) and writing (peer-review journal articles, abstracts)

• Use of Microsoft office programs (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), statistical programs (GraphPad Prism, SPSS), and specialized software (ImageJ, LabChart).

• Planning and coordination within an independent and team environment to maintain project progress and meet milestone/objectives within a quickly evolving environment. 

• Oversight of projects and ability to think critically on high-level to review literature, design projects, conceive and discuss potential solutions to meet BTN goals. 

The qualified candidate will have a Ph.D. in a biomedical research field within 5 years of the appointment start date. Highly competitive candidates will have experience and/or skills within the neuroscience field including in vivo and ex vivo experimentation, testing/optimization of biomaterials (i.e hydrogels), analytical/computational methods, written and oral communication. 

key words

Biomaterial; hydrogel; drug delivery; brain; cerebral edema; neuroinflammation; intracranial pressure; hemorrhage; neuroprotection

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents and non-U.S. citizens

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral and Senior applicants