CDC Parasitic Diseases Neglected Tropical Disease Diagnostics Fellowship

Overview

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

CDC Office and Location: A research opportunity is currently available within the Laboratory Science and Diagnostics Branch (LSDB), Division of Parasitic Diseases and Malaria (DPDM) of the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases Infectious Diseases (NCEZID) at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) located in Atlanta, Georgia.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is one of the major operation components of the Department of Health and Human Services. CDC works to protect America from health, safety and security threats, both foreign and in the U.S. Whether diseases start at home or abroad, are chronic or acute, curable or preventable, human error or deliberate attack, CDC fights disease and supports communities and citizens to do the same. LSDB supports control and elimination programs for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) by developing and validating new laboratory tests for surveillance.

Research Project: Onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis are two key NTDs that would benefit from improved surveillance tests. Many NTD surveillance tests focus on testing for antibodies, which give an early indication of pathogen exposure or infection. In addition, serological tests are potentially easy to integrate with other disease programs. Because of this, we anticipate the candidate will focus on validation of serological tests for onchocerciasis and lymphatic filariasis using the multiplex bead serological assay.  This project will generate data to help support global programs and allow LSDB labs to comply with the CDC Quality Manual for Microbiological Laboratories (QMML). There is also potential for travel.

Learning Objectives: The candidate will train on a variety of immunological assays, focusing on multiplex bead serological assays, enzyme-linked immunoassays (ELISA) and rapid diagnostic tests; have the potential to be trained on molecular assays such as PCR; learn the foundations of laboratory quality management systems and specifically comply with the CDC Quality Manual for Microbiological Laboratories (QMML); train on how to conduct analyses of serological data; learn how to organize, manage and present data – this may be internal to CDC at team and branch meetings, and a highly successful outcome can be presented at a national or international meeting; and finally, learn to follow all standard operating procedures and safety measures for the laboratory.

Mentor(s): The mentor for this opportunity is Diana Martin (hzx3@cdc.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research please contact the mentor(s).

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: 2024. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of CDC and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is full time.

Participant Stipend: Stipend rates may vary based on numerous factors, including opportunity, location, education, and experience. If you are interviewed, you can inquire about the exact stipend rate at that time and if selected, your appointment offer will include the monthly stipend rate.

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation.

ORISE Information: This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE), was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and CDC. Participants do not become employees of CDC, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Health insurance can be obtained through ORISE.

The successful applicant(s) will be required to comply with Environmental, Safety and Health (ES&H) requirements of the hosting facility, including but not limited to, COVID-19 requirements (e.g. facial covering, physical distancing, testing, vaccination).

Questions: Please visit our Program Website. After reading, if you have additional questions about the application process please email ORISE.CDC.NCEZID@orau.org and include the reference code for this opportunity.
Qualifications
The qualified candidate should have received a master’s degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years.

Preferred skills:

Experience in a laboratory with basic proficiency in fundamental laboratory practices such as pipetting and laboratory safety (preferred)
Basic understanding of microbiology or immunology (preferred)
Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint (preferred)
Experience working under a laboratory quality management system (desirable)