Genomic Science and Health Equity Postdoctoral Fellowship

Elevating equity of voices for diverse patients with hereditary rare diseases

Program Description:

A postdoctoral fellowship in genomic science and health equity, cosponsored by the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI) and the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE), is open for applications.

The fellowship program is designed to prepare fellows to use genetic, genomic and pharmacogenomic approaches to advance minority health and health equity and train them in the research methodology and medical product development processes that facilitate the delivery of drugs, biologics and devices from bench to bedside.

The fellow will gain unique experiences by working closely with mentors at both FDA and NIH, including the opportunity to advance their knowledge of health disparity and regulatory sciences.

Project Description:

More than 30 million Americans — nearly 1 in 10 — have a rare disease. And there is a disproportionate burden for racial and ethnic minority patients who have a hereditary rare disease. Fellows who are interested in mixed methods studies at the intersection of health equity and rare disease research are encouraged to apply.

The fellow selected for this position will pursue research broadly related to:

• Leveraging qualitative and quantitative methodology to understand and elevate the voices of diverse patients living with hereditary rare diseases.
• Incorporating the diverse family, caregiver and patient perspective to increase comprehensive understanding of the patient’s journey.
• Increasing the understanding of barriers to clinical trials, including economic factors, for diverse patients who have a hereditary rare disease.
• Integrating diverse family, patient and caregiver voices, perspectives and unmet needs into regulatory decision making.

Laura Koehly, Ph.D. (NHGRI), and Kathleen Miller, Ph.D. (FDA), will co-mentor the fellow selected for this position.

Qualifications:

Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Have or obtain a Ph.D., M.D., Pharm.D. or D.V.M. in medicine, human genetics, genomics, computational biology, cell or molecular biology, epidemiology, biostatistics, public health, social and behavioral science, or closely related areas.
• Have fewer than five years of relevant research experience since receipt of most recent doctoral degree.
• Have some knowledge of statistics and qualitative research methods, excellent communication skills and fluency in both spoken and written English.
• Be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident.