*Job Function: Research Fellow in Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology*
Entry Level: N/A
Setting: College/University/Medical City Campus
Location: Center for Pharmacometrics and Systems Pharmacology, Department
of Pharmaceutics, University of Florida, Orlando (Lake Nona), Florida,
United States
Job Type: Full-Time
Minimum Education: Ph.D. or equivalent in a life science discipline or
M.D./Pharm.D.
*Fellowship Description*
The Center for Pharmacometrics and System Pharmacology (CPSP) at the
University of Florida (UF) in Orlando (Lake Nona) was established in July
2011. The mission of the CPSP is to develop new quantitative tools and
mechanistic approaches to evaluate the efficacy and safety of medicines.
The CPSP has several 2-3 year industry-funded fellowships available for
scientists or clinicians who intend to further their training for a career
in drug development, academia or regulatory science.
Postdoctoral research associates will engage in a combination of duties
that will include research projects, graduate student mentoring, grant
writing and classroom teaching experiences. Fellows will also gain
experience outside the University of Florida through industry or FDA
internships or off-site participation in research with our Orlando partners
including the Sanford Burnham Medical Research Institute (SBMRI), Nemours
Children Hospital and SBMRI-Florida Hospital Translational Research
Institute. It is expected that fellows attend and present at professional
meetings, participate in workshops and seminars and prepare at least 3-4
peer-reviewed publications. In addition to the scientific and clinical
duties, fellows are given the opportunity to grow their “soft skills”, such
as oral communication, presentation skills and working on
multi-disciplinary teams.
*We are seeking applicants for two broad fellowship areas:*
1. A clinically-oriented fellowship, in which the successful applicant will
have access to clinical trial data in order to learn how to apply and
become proficient in using population-based PK/PD modeling and computer
simulation approaches to solve drug development and regulatory problems.
Depending on the availability of projects and interests of the applicant,
he or she will also learn how to effectively use disease progression models
and physiologically based PK/PD models to design clinical trials,
understand the pharmacological mechanisms of drug action, explore covariate
effects on PK and PD and determine the influence of genetic factors on drug
dosing. The fellow will have the opportunity to participate in systems
pharmacology research under the direction of a CPSP faculty to identify the
mechanistic basis of drug adverse drug events arising out of drug
development programs, FDA safety alerts or clinical practice.
2. A preclinical-oriented fellowship, in which the successful applicant
will obtain skills and proficiencies in conducting mechanism-based PK and
PD studies using a combination of computational, cell-based and xenograft
disease models to study the transport of drugs at the blood brain barrier
and across other biological membranes. The research will add new knowledge
to the development of new molecularly targeted therapies for brain tumors
where survival of patients is only 5%. Fellows will perform drug analysis
using HPLC and LC/MS/MS, conduct tissue culture experiments and perform
animal surgery. Additional training will be offered in molecular biology
(qRT-PCR and Western Blot) and the use sparse sample and data-rich PK
software for analysis of laboratory and animal study results.
*Center for Pharmacometrics and System Pharmacology (CPSP) Overview*
The CPSP is located at University of Florida Academic & Research Center in
the Lake Nona Medical City about 5 miles southeast of the Orlando
International Airport. The CPSP provides an academic home to a
multidisciplinary and integrative, quantitative clinical pharmacology
program in drug development and regulatory science. Lake Nona Medical City
is a landmark for Orlando and a premier location for medical care, research
and education. It is anchored by University of Central Florida Medical
School, the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, the newest VA
Medical Center in the country, the recently-opened Nemours Children's
Hospital, the MD Anderson Orlando Cancer Research Institute, and University
of Florida Academic & Research Center. In addition to the pharmaceutical
industry and the FDA, CPSP will also provide the opportunity for
hard-working and self-motivated candidates to work collaboratively with a
multidisciplinary group of scientists from other institutes and hospitals
in the Orlando area.
*Job Qualifications*
The postdoctoral research associate positions require a doctoral (Ph.D.,
M.D., Pharm.D. or equivalent) degree in the pharmaceutical sciences,
engineering, statistics, mathematics or medicine, or a related life science
field. Experience related to the fellowship positions described above is
preferred. Candidates will also be assessed for their communication
skills, track record of publications, demonstrated passion, motivation and
ability to work as part of a team.
*To Apply*
Please send curriculum vitae and contact information for three references
to Dr. Lawrence J. Lesko, [email protected], 6550 Sanger Road Orlando, FL
32827.
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*Mirjam Trame, **Pharm.D. (USA), Ph.D.*
Center for Pharmacometrics & Systems Pharmacology
Department of Pharmaceutics
University of Florida
6550 Sanger Road, Office 471
Orlando, FL 32827
Email: [email protected]