Job Summary

Geisinger Medical Center is an academic medical center in central Pennsylvania. The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery maintains a busy open-heart surgery program that is expanding and building a research enterprise. Recently, Carlo Bartoli, MD, PhD joined the faculty and has relocated his internationally-recognized translational biophysics laboratory to Geisinger Medical Center (link below). The laboratory is independently funded with support from the NIH, congenital cardiology foundations, industry partners, and Geisinger Medical Center. Ongoing projects examine artificial circulation in the fetus to the adult and include ventricular assist device (VAD) design and development, mechanisms of VAD-associated bleeding and thrombosis, novel VAD therapies, and abnormal angiogenesis in children with single ventricle disease. Advancing the field of cardiovascular medicine and training the next generation of leaders in biomedicine are major goals of the laboratory.

Job Duties

Our cardiovascular research laboratory will hire a Postdoctoral Fellow with a two-three year commitment.  The position begins Fall of 2021.  Please send a cover letter and curriculum vitae.

Project Background: Heart failure is a major public health concern. Recently, implantable ventricular assist devices (VADs) have become a standard therapy in patients with life-threatening heart failure. However, altered blood flow patterns with a VAD affect the blood clotting system and predispose VAD patients to dangerous episodes of bleeding and clotting.  Significant evidence from our laboratory over the past decade suggest multiple associations between blood trauma and adverse patient events.  Our research focuses on the biophysical mechanisms of blood trauma and the effects on peripheral angiogenesis, bleeding, clotting, infection, and stroke.

Responsibilities: A Postdoctoral Fellow will participate in multiple projects that include a variety of cell culture, molecular biology, and histological assays.  Responsibilities will include administrative oversight of projects, planning and conducting ex vivo and in vitro experiments, immunoblotting, cell culture, histologic staining, microscopy, data organization and analysis, writing, data presentation, and mentorship of other laboratory members. Additional responsibilities include:

• Conducts research related to specific project or initiative.
• Gathers, summarizes, records and interprets data obtained from research projects and initiatives.
• Plans subsequent work with review and approval of principal scientist and investigator.
• Develops research protocols.
• May instruct others in area of expertise.
• May present research results at internal and external scientific venues.
• Interprets and follow policies and guidelines to define procedures and meet goals and deadlines.

Mentorship and Career Development: We are interested in identifying an individual with a strong track-record in translational bio-medical research that can function at a high scientific level mostly independently as well as in collaboration with Dr. Bartoli, our Staff Scientist, and the rest of the laboratory team.  The individual will work closely with members of our laboratory.  

Our laboratory is a dynamic environment where lab members have access to a variety of research resources at an academic institution. The setting is ideal for motivated individuals who desire an active role in biomedical research with simultaneous exposure to clinical medicine.

Importantly, intellectual plus technical contributions will lead to co-authorship on peer-reviewed publications.  Lab members are encouraged to take a leadership roles on projects in order to earn first-authorship, present their work at conferences, and/or prepare research grant. 

Work is typically performed in an office environment. Accountable for satisfying all job specific obligations and complying with all organization policies and procedures. The specific statements in this profile are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements considered necessary to successfully perform the job.

Position Details

Requirements: A doctoral level scientific degree is required.  Biology, computational biology, bioengineering, biophysics, molecular and cellular biology, hematology, systems physiology, and/or biostatistics are preferred. Prior experience with animal models and standard laboratory molecular biology skills that include cell culture, immunoblotting, ELISA, platelet aggregometry, histology, and/or microscopy are mandatory.  Individuals must be hard working, reliable, and have strong organizational skills, good communication and writing skills, and enthusiasm for scientific investigation. 

Education

Doctoral Degree- (Required)

Experience

Certification(s) and License(s)

OUR PURPOSE & VALUES: Everything we do is about caring for our patients, our members, our students, our Geisinger family and our communities. KINDNESS: We strive to treat everyone as we would hope to be treated ourselves. EXCELLENCE: We treasure colleagues who humbly strive for excellence. LEARNING: We share our knowledge with the best and brightest to better prepare the caregivers for tomorrow. INNOVATION: We constantly seek new and better ways to care for our patients, our members, our community, and the nation. SAFETY: We provide a safe environment for our patients and members and the Geisinger family We offer healthcare benefits for full time and part time positions from day one, including vision, dental and domestic partners. Perhaps just as important, from senior management on down, we encourage an atmosphere of collaboration, cooperation and collegiality. We know that a diverse workforce with unique experiences and backgrounds makes our team stronger. Our patients, members and community come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and it takes a diverse workforce to make better health easier for all. We are proud to be an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran.

We are an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer Women and Minorities are Encouraged to Apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability or their protected veteran status.