DLS Post doctoral Research
Fellowship Program
The goal
of DLS Fellowship program is to prepare scientists for careers in
environmental health laboratory sciences. This Postdoctoral Research
Fellowship Program will recruit and train qualified candidates to support
public health initiatives, and provide opportunities for doctoral level
scientists to conduct high priority research in analytical chemistry in
environmental health laboratories.
A goal of
the fellowship is to accomplish CDC's prevention strategy goal of
"strengthening local, state, and federal public health infrastructures
to support surveillance and implement prevention and control programs."
This is a 2-year
program designed for doctoral level (Ph.D. or other appropriate doctoral
level degree) scientists with an emphasis on research or development in
environmental health laboratory sciences. Fellowships will be awarded to
conduct applied research or development in areas relevant to public health
including but not limited to:
- Development,
improvement, and application of analytical methods for measuring organic
and inorganic toxicants, and their metabolites in physiologic samples
collected from humans.
- Development,
improvement, and application of methods in molecular biology and
biomarker analysis to support studies of special populations and
subgroups which are susceptible to injury from environmental toxicants.
- Development,
improvement, and application of methods for screening for inborn errors
of metabolism, nutritional status, or exposure to tobacco smoke.
- Development and
improvement of computer systems for tracking specimens, preparation of
reports, data transmission, and laboratory-based disease surveillance.
- Development of
innovative and sustainable analytical methods suitable for use by local
and state environmental health programs, in field settings, and for
monitoring applications.
All fellows will
participate in a 1-week orientation session at CDC/Atlanta to gain an
overall understanding of the public health laboratory system and its
relation to environmental health surveillance and disease prevention,
research, and control. Following this orientation, fellows will be assigned
for 1 year to one or more of the specialty laboratories of the DLS, where
they will work side by side with an assigned mentor and other DLS scientists
on "real-world" analytical problems and/or research related to the
environmental health laboratory mission. During this period they will have
opportunities to observe, ask questions, participate in decisions, learn
about quality assurance, quality control, laboratory certification, and
other issues affecting the modern environmental health laboratory.
During the second year of
the fellowship assignment, fellows will be placed within state or local
public health (host) laboratories. Each fellow will be assigned an official
public health laboratory mentor at the host laboratory. The mentor will
provide guidance and supervision for the duration of the fellowship. The
fellow will participate in research, laboratory management and resolution of
specific laboratory related problems, and/or receive advanced environmental
health laboratory- related training. This training will be coordinated with
the DLS based training and will be customized for each fellow based upon
environmental health areas of interest, high priority laboratory personnel
needs, and host laboratory capabilities. As appropriate and available,
fellows will receive individual training in epidemiology, public health
policy, management and other relevant areas. A specific objective-based
curriculum will be developed for each fellow focusing on one or two areas
such as analytical methods for organic toxicology and assessment of human
exposure to PCBs, dioxins, furans, persistent and nonpersistent pesticides,
VOCs; analytical methods for inorganic toxicology and assessment of human
exposure to toxic heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic,
uranium, thorium, etc.; methods for biomarkers of organ system injury from
environmental toxicants; techniques in molecular biology including DNA
analysis; methods for determining inborn errors of metabolism, nutritional
status and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke; laboratory computer and
systems support; and other diagnostic testing methods and instrumentation.
Fellows may be assigned
initially to the state or local public health (host) laboratories to work
with the staff to identify training priorities. This period would be
followed by a specific period of training in one or more of the specialty
laboratories of the DLS, where they will work side by side with an assigned
mentor and other DLS scientists to solve problems or carry out research
required by the host public health laboratory. After the DLS training,
fellows would return to the host public health laboratory to complete the
project and remain there for the duration of the fellowship.
Additional fellowship
curriculum requirements may include: 1. participation in a field
investigation or special laboratory assignment to assist in the
investigation of a suspected toxicant exposure or disease outbreak; 2.
participation in "research in progress" and other seminar series;
3. presentation of research results at local or national meetings; 4.
publication of research results in peer-reviewed journals; and/or 5.
participation in appropriate management training courses. Additionally,
fellows may be provided brief rotations with other state or federal agencies
relating to environmental health (e.g.: ATSDR, EPA, NIEHS, FDA).
At the conclusion of
the 2 years each fellow will return to DLS to evaluate the program,
describe applications of information and technologies in the state or
local public health laboratory and discuss areas for continued interaction
between DLS and the public health laboratories.
Fellows are expected to
conduct research according to the highest scientific and ethical standards,
in compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, and policies regarding
protection of human research subjects, humane care and use of laboratory
animals, and laboratory safety.
Publications
All published reports,
papers, journal articles, and professional presentations that rely on the
research conducted during this fellowship will carry an acknowledgement such
as, "This research was supported in part by an appointment to the
Environmental Health Fellowship Program administered by the Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Association of Public Health
Laboratories (APHL)."
Eligibility
Applicants must have
received a Ph.D. or other appropriate doctoral degree or have completed all
requirements for such a degree before date of program initiation. Applicants
must be U.S. citizens or maintain permanent residency status. Applicants
must be able to participate in the orientation session at CDC/Atlanta and
start appointment at CDC or the host laboratory by program timeline.
Stipends/Benefits
The annual stipend is
$29,500 which may be augmented by the host public health laboratory.
Dependency allowances are not authorized from PHS grant funds. Single
medical insurance coverage is provided. Funds to travel to the host
public health laboratory are provided. Funding for relocation is not
provided. Each fellow will receive the customary leave and holidays of the
host laboratory.
Application
All applicants are
required to submit one single-sided original and one copy of application
materials to the EHLS Fellowship Program Director at APHL Headquarters.
Supporting documents required for a complete fellowship application include
official transcripts of applicant's undergraduate and/or graduate records, a
resume, and three completed reference forms. The deadline for receipt of
application is found in the Schedule and Deadlines.
Host
laboratories
Host
laboratories are state, local or federal (CDC) public health laboratories
available and capable of hosting a training and/or research fellow. The host
laboratory and staff must demonstrate ability to provide training and/or
research opportunities for the appropriate duration as described in the
fellowship program. Host laboratories will be chosen through an application
process and be matched with appropriate fellows.
Mentors
Mentors are
highly experienced public health laboratorians. Each mentor works at the
host laboratory and is responsible for the guidance and academic, technical,
and ethical development of the fellow as required in the program. The mentor
informs, instructs, and provides an example for each fellow. Mentors are
also chosen through an application process.
Evaluation/Selection
The
Evaluation/Selection Committee reviews all applications and selects them
on a bases of:
- education and
experience
- plans for
participation in the fellowship program
- letters of
recommendation
- career goals
- match of applicants'
interests with fellowship openings.
The most qualified
applicants will be interviewed by the Selection Committee at CDC in Atlanta.
Applicants are informed by telephone and letter regarding participation in
these interview sessions. Transportation and 1 day's lodging for interview
sessions are provided to each interviewee. The Selection Committee selects
finalists and alternates following the interview sessions.
Fellow selections are
non-discriminatory with respect to race, color, creed, age, sex, national
origin.
Assignment
Fellows are given the
opportunity to prioritize their preferences for host laboratory placement
but are not eligible for assignment at a host laboratory of current/recent
employment. The Selection Committee cannot guarantee that each fellow will
be assigned to his or her top priority laboratory of choice. How
to Apply
- Application kits are
available from:
DLS Fellowship Program
APHL
1211 Connecticut Avenue., N.W.
Suite 608
Washington, DC 20036
Telephone: (202) 822-5227
Fax: (202) 887-5098
A complete application
consists of the following items:
For Post-Doctoral
Research Fellowship:
- DLS Post-Doctoral
Research Fellowship Application Form
- Three Letters of
Recommendation (completed forms and letters)
- Areas of research
interest
- Resume
- Official transcripts
of undergraduate/graduate work
- Two-page narrative of
reasons for participation in program and how this training will be used
in future work
A complete application
must be submitted to qualify for consideration.
About APHL
The Association
of Public Health Laboratories is a professional association that links local,
state and national health leaders to promote the highest quality laboratory
practices.
-
APHL's mission is "to improve and promote the contributions of
public health
laboratories in support of the public health objectives of disease prevention and health
promotion; and to promote policies, programs, and practices which contribute to
improvement in the quality of health and environmental laboratory services."
To fulfill this mission, APHL, in cooperation with
CDC, administers the National Laboratory Training Network; develops
conferences which encourage laboratory scientists to discuss and debate critical and
urgent laboratory issues; collaborate with public and private organizations to advance
analytical testing standards; works with federal and state health leaders to enhance
electronic exchange of important health information; publishes conference proceedings,
training manuals, videotapes, and consensus reports; and provides ongoing international
public health laboratory development initiatives.
About NCEH/CDC
The National Center for Environmental
Health (NCEH) is one of 11 Centers, Institute, and Offices
(CIOs) that make up CDC. NCEH's mission is "to
provide national leadership, through science and service, to promote health and quality of
life by preventing and controlling disease, birth defects, disability, and death resulting
from interactions between people and their environment." NCEH accomplishes its mission by:
- Providing national leadership in prevention programs
- Conducting public health surveillance
- Appling research
- Communicating with the scientific
and health communities and
the public.
- Disseminating standards, guidelines, and recommendations.
- Assisting state and local health agencies to increase their capacity for
preventing disability and environmental disease
About DLS
The Division
of Laboratory Sciences (DLS) is one of three Divisions in NCEH.
DLS's mission is "to prevent environmental disease by developing and applying
laboratory technology and to assist disease prevention programs that need special or
unusual laboratory expertise."
About PHPPO
The mission of the Public Health Practice Program Office
(PHPPO) is
"to strengthen the public health system by developing human resources, improving
the organizations effectiveness of local and state health agencies, conducting research in
public health practice, and enhancing CDC's ability to communicate health
information.
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