The UCSF Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine offers a one-year, full-time fellowship to support research focused on fetal diagnosis and fetal molecular therapies. This opportunity is ideal for physician/scientists in Surgery or Obstetrics/Gynecology.
Eligibility
The fellowship is open to General Surgery Residents (PGY2+) & Obstetrics/Gynecology Fellows (PGY5+). Exceptional postdoctoral candidates from other fields, including Bioinformatics, will be considered.
Duration
One-year fellowship, potentially renewable for a second year.
Clinical responsibilities
None required, but some clinical opportunities may be available if desired.
Compensation
The individual will be appointed as a research fellow through the Department of (Surgery/OBGYN). This is a fully funded position with benefits. Salary will be commensurate with training and experience.
Application
To apply, please email the following material to Valerie Dougherty (dougherv@ucsf.edu), Program Manager for the Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine.
- Curriculum Vitae
- Personal Statement: 1-2 pages regarding your background, research interests as they relate to fetal diagnosis and therapy, and career aspirations
- Contact information for three professional references
Deadline
OCTOBER 1, 2021
Start date
July 1, 2022
Research opportunities
Projects undertaken during the fellowship will depend on the interests and experience of the fellow and may range from basic to translational to clinical research. The main areas of investigation are prenatal diagnosis, bioinformatics, and the development and implementation of new fetal molecular therapies (such as stem cell or gene therapy).
The Center for Maternal-Fetal Precision Medicine pursues an ambitious agenda to transform the field of maternal-fetal medicine. Research activities of the Center are organized around genetics, fetal immunology, and molecular therapies. We aim to:
Genetics
- Develop accurate and rapid prenatal diagnosis strategies to determine genetic causes of fetal abnormalities
- Determine the efficacy of exome sequencing and other molecular tests to find underlying genetic causes of non-immune hydrops fetalis
- Identify disorders for which fetal therapeutic strategies show promise
Fetal immunology
- Investigate the immune basis of preterm labor and various congenital anomalies
- Identify opportunities to intervene during fetal development to improve the prognosis for a fetus
Molecular therapies
Develop molecular therapies to treat genetic disorders in the fetal environment, including:
- Enzyme replacement therapy
- Stem cell transplantation
- Genetic therapies, including antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), gene replacement, and CRISPR-based approaches
Mentors & Collaborators
The fellow will work with a multi-disciplinary group of scientists and clinicians.
Center Faculty
- Tippi MacKenzie, MD – Pediatric and Fetal Surgery
- Mary Norton, MD – Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences
- Stephan Sanders, BMBS, PhD – Psychiatry and Bioinformatics
- Barbara Koenig, PhD – UCSF Bioethics Program
- Teresa Sparks, MD, MAS – Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences
Collaborators
- Bruce Conklin, MD – Gladstone Institutes
- Renata Gallagher, MD, PhD – Pediatrics
- Paul Harmatz, MD – Pediatric Rare Disease
- Amar Nijagal, MD – Surgery
- Elliott Vichinsky, MD – Pediatrics
Highlights
- Vibrant training program with MD and PhD scientists working together to solve clinically relevant problems
- Ample opportunities for professional development by participating in formal and informal lectures, symposia, and journal clubs
- Multidisciplinary training in the collaborative environment at UCSF
- Training in clinical research, including practical and regulatory aspects of starting and running clinical trials
- Exposure to cutting-edge fetal diagnostics and therapies