HST: Harvard-MIT Division of Health Sciences & Technology
December 12, 2008 This Week in HST Volume 9, Number 14 

 

HST Community Notices

Course Information

Lectures & Seminars

 

 

Student Opportunities

Professional Opportunities

Career Programs

HST Community Notices

TGIF ON FRIDAY

Friday, December 12, 2008.
5:00 -7:00 pm
MIT E25-119

The last in this semester's series of wildly popular TGIFs is coming up! Come join your classmates, be merry, and celebrate the end of the semester with all of the fun, excitement, and free goodies that HST has to offer. Take a break from the lab, chill out before finals, and be sure to congratulate your comrades on finishing anatomy -- some of them will (we hope!) be dragging themselves over from the famous post-last-class-toast..

This event is brought to you by your HST Joint Student Council.

 

SUSTAINUS CITIZEN SCIENCE PAPER COMPETITION

Students are invited to submit original scientific research or position papers to the Citizen Science Technical Board (science and technology program of SustainUS) for the 2009 Citizen Science paper competition. Winners will, in addition to publication, have the chance to present their work at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development's 17th Session at UN Headquarters in New York from May 4-15, 2009. 

Papers should be written for a non-scientific audience on natural or social science topics related to the economic, social, technological or environmental dimensions of sustainable development . This year's thematic issues are: Agriculture, Rural Development, Land, Drought, Desertification and Africa. Papers need not describe original research, though original research is welcome and encouraged. 

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until February 1, 2009. Please direct all paper submissions and questions to CitizenScience@SustainUS.org. For more information, competition entry rules, and winning papers from prior years, please visit www.sustainus.org/citizenscience.  

MIT PRE-REGISTRATION FOR IAP AND SPRING TERM

Pre-registration for IAP and Spring Term is now open on WebSIS at
http://student.mit.edu/cgi-docs/student.html.

For MDs, a computer configured for pre-registration is available in the back room of the HST office suite at the MEC (next to the bookcase). You can also pre-register from an MIT computer or your personal computer. It is important that ALL MD students pre-register (and register) at MIT not only to maintain the privileges of being "dual citizens" at HMS and MIT, but also to ensure the accuracy of HST academic records which are driven primarily from the MIT system.

IAP: pre-register for non-lotteried credit subjects by Friday, January 2, to appear on class lists. Continue to update your pre-registration to reflect any adds and drops until 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 15, when pre-registration closes.

Spring Term: pre-register for Spring as completely as possible by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, December 30. After you have submitted your pre-registration you may go back in and make changes to your subject selections. $40 late fee for students who do not initiate Spring pre-registration by December 30; $75 fine for students who fail to pre-register for Spring by 5 p.m. on Thursday, January 15.

Review Emergency and Address Information: when pre-registering please review and update your emergency and address information on WebSIS.

GSC ATHLETIC & PERFORMANCE ACTIVITIES GRANT

Athletic/Performance-Activities Grants support graduate students who pursue a non-research/non-academic activity at competitive levels. The grant covers expenses such as registration, accommodation, travel and equipment shipment.

Applications are now being accepted for events between January 1 and February 28, 2009; notifications are sent on December 18. For application and complete information, see
http://gsc.mit.edu/index.php/funding/funding-activities.



Course Information


CLINICAL EXPERIENCE OPPORTUNITY, MEETS HST.203 REQUIREMENT

HST.211 (IAP- January): Tues/Thurs. -- 9-12 AND 1-5
HST.212 (Spring): Mon. -- 3:15-5:45 in class. plus individual arranged mentor rotations
Prereq: Pathology (HST.030 or HST.034)

HST.211/HST.212 is a clinical experience sequence designed and required for students in the Biomedical Enterprise Program; the courses are co-taught by Dr. Rox Anderson, HST-HMS Professor of Dermatology/Director of the Wellman Center and Dr. Warren Zapol, Professor of Anesthesia at MGH. This academic year, the courses will be open to up to 6 HST PhD students and may count towards the HST.203 MEMP clinical experience.

211 and 212 provide students with an understanding of the strategy, rules, design and conduct of human studies and clinical trials. Explore how, where, when and why medical practice and biomedical enterprise intersect. Interact with academic physicians engaged in development of technology, perform clinical autopsies on failed biomedical enterprises, and develop the knowledge base needed for elective clinical experiences.

If you are interested in this course, please contact Academic Programs Administrator Traci Anderson right away to begin the process of getting clinical clearances before IAP. Please note, if you register for the IAP section, you must also plan to take the spring section, as they are taught as a block.

 

MORE HST IAP ACTIVITIES

Can We Innovate Our Way Out of the Healthcare Crisis?

Thursday, January 15, 2009
1:00 - 3:00 pm (lunch provided) No limit but advance sign up required (see contact below)
MIT E25-401 Signup by: 08-Jan-2009

The current financial crisis highlights the importance of innovation in healthcare to reduce cost while improving quality. Development of medical homes, personal health records, electronic patient records, mobile health, and other innovative technologies requires leaders who can think and act like entrepreneurs. HST affiiliated faculty member Dr. Steven Locke and the faculty of HST.921, Information Technology in the Healthcare System of the Future, will present and discuss all aspects of the course -- including the mix of lectures by world leaders in medical informatics, skills-based tutorial sessions and faculty-mentored work on industry-sponsored projects.
We will conduct an experiential workshop in which student teams will collaborate in the impromptu design of a device, and we will test the product and award a prize to the winning team.

There is no space limit for the program but advance registration is required; to sign up, contact Traci Anderson. For more information, see http://web.mit.edu/hst.921/www/.

Introduction to Research in Orthopedics and the Center for Advanced Orthopedic Sciences

Thursday, January 22, 2009 RSVP requested - not required
2:00 - 3:30 pm No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
MIT E25-401

This informal seminar on research in the field of Orthopedics and the work currently being done at CAOS at BIDMC will be conducted by HST MD student Dan Buckland. Potential topics: back pain in astronauts, biomechanics of baseball, why your knee hurts, bone breaking for science, osteoclasts’ role in disease models, spine biomechanics experimentally and computationally, imaging, and others. Undergrads looking for UROPs, grads looking for projects, faculty looking for collaborators, and anyone else interested in the field are all invited to attend. Please let Dan know if you are interested in attending.

 

HST.937J/ESD.173J/SP.792J X PRIZE WORKSHOP: GRAND CHALLENGES IN HEALTHCARE -- BIONICS

Spring 2009
Time: MW 2:30-4:00
Location: 1-150, G (3-0-6)

The spring X PRIZE Workshop is all about generating revolutionary breakthroughs in the life sciences, and this year's teams will focus on the massive breakthroughs that can be achieved in the field of bionics. We will examine the intersection of incentives and innovation, drawing on economic models, historic examples, and analytic tools to help develop new prize concepts for sparking the kinds of change that will change the way the world thinks about augmented human performance, brain-machine interfaces, and revolutionary new prosthetics technologies.

The course will be highly action-oriented, with a mixture of lectures, interactive activities, and panel discussions with industry leaders. Interdisciplinary teams of 3-5 students will further explore the Grand Challenge theme of Bionics and develop a fully-formed prize concept to present to members of the X PRIZE Board. Backgrounds in engineering, science, business and medicine all welcomed.

Enrollment is limited, so apply today, at http://web.mit.edu/xprize . For more information, e-mail xprize@mit.edu.

 

IAP BETTER TEACHING @ MIT SERIES

Spend an hour and pick up some tips and tricks for better teaching! The series, sponsored by the MIT Teaching and Learning Lab, runs from January 26th-30th, and kicks off with a panel discussion (on Monday, January 26 at noon in MIT 4-270) with some of MIT's top teachers.

For more information, visit http://web.mit.edu/tll/programs-services/better-teaching/schedule-iap-current.html

 

15.289 COMMUNICATION SKILLS FOR ACADEMICS

Spring 2009
Time: T, 3-5
Location: E51-393
Prerequisites: Permission of instructor (Lori Breslow, lrb@mit.edu)
Units: 3-0-3

This seminar focuses on the communication skills needed for a successful career in academia, including:
•  Writing for journals and conference proceedings
•  Preparing and delivering conference papers and job talks
•  Teaching
•  Reviewing for academic journals and conferences

You must be in your second year or later to take this course.  Your own research project can be used as the basis of the major assignments.  Doctoral students from disciplines other than management are welcome.

 

5.95J TEACHING COLLEGE-LEVEL SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING

Spring 2009
Time: T, 9-11
Location: 4-265
Prerequisites: None
Units: 2-0-2
Grading: P/D/F

Course instructor: Sanjoy Mahajan sanjoy@mit.edu

This course is designed for graduate students interested in an academic career (as well as anyone else interested in teaching).  Readings and discussions include: teaching equations for understanding, designing exam and homework questions, incorporating histories of science, creating absorbing lectures, teaching for transfer, the evils of PowerPoint, and planning. For more information, visit http://mit.edu/5.95/ .

IAP COURSE: HST.718, ANATOMY OF SPEECH AND HEARING

This course, required for students in SHBT, also has spaces for up to six non-speech and hearing students. The course is based on anatomical dissection of the head and neck in human cadavers at HMS with an emphasis on structures that are important in speech and hearing, and also covers some basic brain anatomy and neuroscience.

The course meets Mondays through Fridays during IAP, 9:30 am - 1:00pm. For more information, contact course director Barbara Fullerton.


IAP MINI-MBA FOR MDs

Wed 1/7, Mon 1/12, Wed 1/14, Wed 1/21
4:45 PM - 7:15 PM
HMS Quad: MEC 227

Course Directors: Jeff Behrens, Sarah Henrickson

How do businesses work? What should doctors know about companies and working with industry? What are some of the key lessons of business school? The goal of this mini-course is to provide a focused, practical and grounded overview of business for MD and other HST students who expect to interact with industry/business in some fashion during their careers: by consulting to, working for, investing in or starting companies.

Each session will require approximately1 hour of reading/case preparation; no additional work will be required beyond course attendance and participation. This mini-course will consist of a combination of lectures, case studies, guest speakers, and discussion. There is a materials fee of $15 plus (optional) $20 for post-class pizza/discussion. To sign up please send email to Jeff@adviza.com with your full name; please plan to attend all sessions.




HST.505, LABORATORY FOR MOLECULAR AND CELLULAR SCIENCES

Dates: Jan 5th-23rd (IAP)
Time: M-F, 9-5
Location: E25-548 (HST Teaching Laboratory)
Prerequisites: Permission of the instructor (Dr. Jagesh Shah, jagesh_shah@hms.harvard.edu)

This lab-oriented course teaches the basics of cell culture, molecular biology and cellular engineering and microfluidic approaches. Techniques are taught within an experiment-oriented syllabus. Offered during IAP, this lab course is oriented towards graduate students who have little experience in biological methods and are looking for an intensive hands-on approach. Grant-writing workshops and journal articles discussions provide critical experience to transitioning into biomedical research. Undergraduates will be considered based on their experience and course enrollment.

 

 


 

 

 

 

 




Lectures & Seminars


UPCOMING SEMINARS IN AUDITORY PHYSIOLOGY

Friday, December 12, 2008, 2:00 pm
2:00 pm
3rd Floor: Sloane Teaching Room, MEEI
243 Charles Street, Boston

Nigel Cooper, PhD, of the School of Life Sciences at Keele University, Keele, UK, speaks on Macro-and micro-mechanical motion of the mammalian cochlear partition. Dr. Christopher Shera is host.

Friday, December 19, 2008, 2:00 pm
2:00 pm
3rd Floor: Sloane Teaching Room, MEEI
243 Charles Street, Boston

Zhiqiang Chen, PhD, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow in the HMS Department of Otology and Laryngology and the MEEI Department of Otolaryngology, delivers a talk on AMPA receptor trafficking and cochlear excitotoxicity.

 

BRAINMAP SEMINAR

Wednesday December 17, 2008
12:00 pm
Seminar room 2204
149 13th St., Charlestown Navy Yard

Yoshio Okada, Ph.D., Professor of Neurology and Neurosciences and Director of the Biomedical Research and Integrative Neuro- (BRaIN) Imaging Center at the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, will speak on MEG as a Modality in Neuroimaging: Physiological Bases of MEG and EEG.








Student Opportunities

 

NSBRI SUMMER INTERNSHIPS

National Space Biomedical Research Institute’s (NSBRI) Summer Internship Program provides an introduction to health concerns associated with long stays in space. The 10-15 week program offers the opportunity to work under the guidance of scientists and physicians at NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Applications are due January 31, 2009, and include a CV, letter of interest, and two letters of reference. Applicants must be U.S. citizens. For more information, see http://www.nsbri.org/Education/SummerInternship.html.

 

RESEARCH PROJECTS IN NATURAL LANGUAGE PROCESSING FOR CLINICAL BIOINFORMATICS

Dr. Kenneth Mandl at HST and Dr. Alexander Turchin at HMS are collaborating to design software tools to extract information from narrative medical documents in the electronic health record for use in clinical research. Their work leverages the resources of a multi-million patient database at Partners HealthCare to use these novel computational technologies to study how to improve quality of care in diabetes and hypertension..

Projects for a graduate student, to start either during IAP or in the spring semester, include non-pharmacologic interventions for treatment of diabetes, patients' compliance, and discrepancies within electronic prescriptions. The student's primary responsibilities would include design, implementation and validation of the software tools for extraction of information from text. Participation in the analysis of patient data and writing of manuscripts is possible depending on the student's interest and time commitment. A working knowledge of Perl is required.

Please send inquiries to Dr. Alexander Turchin at aturchin@partners.org.

 

MIT LEGATUM FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM

The Legatum Center administers a competitive fellowship program for MIT graduate students who demonstrate the potential to create sustainable, for-profit enterprises in low-income countries. Fellows develop innovative businesses that empower ordinary citizens, while promoting prosperity and economic development. The fellowship provides financial assistance, specialized seminars, business creation coaching, and opportunities to engage with some of the world’s leading entrepreneurs, thinkers, and investors.

Applications for the 2009-2010 MIT Legatum Fellowship will be accepted until 5 p.m. on January 31, 2009. For complete application instructions, please see http://legatum.mit.edu/fellowship.

 

CARROLL L. WILSON AWARDS

The Carroll L. Wilson Award is a grant for up to $7,000 to enable MIT graduate students to explore
important societal problems or opportunities with international dimensions. The award helps students to spend a minimum of 4 weeks in a foreign country, pursuing a project that would have excited the interest and enthusiasm of Caroll Wilson '32 himself. Four to five graduate students will receive $7,000 awards.

The deadline to apply is Monday, January 12. 2009. To download the application, go to
http://entrepreneurship.mit.edu/wilson_award.php.

NSF GRADUATE FELLOWS SUPPLEMENTAL AWARD FOR RESEARCH IN SCANDINAVIA

Through a pilot collaboration, the National Science Foundation, the Research Council of Norway (RCN), and the Finnish Funding Agency for Technology and Innovation (TEKES) will support research visits of 2-12 months in Norway, or of 3-12 months in Finland. This international research opportunity is intended to enrich the GRF experience by exposing Fellows to leading Nordic scientists and institutions, thus enabling them to develop early-career collaborations with European research partners.

See http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2009/nsf09011/nsf09011.jsp for further details and application information. The Supplement Request Deadline is January 15, 2009; announcement of awards will be made in April 2009.

 

FLEXIBLE EDITING JOB FOR BIOSCIENCE/CLINICAL MD OR PhD STUDENTS

American Journal Experts, LLC (AJE) is a network of American graduate students and post-docs dedicated to helping international researchers publish their findings in the best English language
journals possible. Because readers pay less attention to a research article written in imperfect English, AJE provides international researchers with native English-speaking editors. American Journal Experts is hiring MD or PhD students in bioscience or clinical fields as editors to proofread research manuscripts written by foreign researchers. These researchers are seeking to publish in English language economics and business journals and need native English speakers to edit their workEditors for AJE can set and control their hours and availability. Please e-mail shou@mit.edu if interested.

 

ENGINEERING AND BIOCHEM TUTORS WANTED

RedKey Education provides individual, in-home tutoring services to families in the Boston area. Tutors are MIT and Harvard grad students who are matched with clients based on expertise and personality. Hourly rates begin at $26/hour and increase with experience.

For more information, see www.redkeyeducation.com, or call Client Relations Manage Max Mueller at 617-999-6651.


GRAD STUDENT OR POSTDOC TO DEVELOP MRI-COMPATIBLE SYSTEM COMPONENTS

The Radiology Department of Brigham and Women’s seeks a physicist/electrical-engineer to develop MRI-compatible Radio-Frequency system components, as well as develop catheter-mounted micro-RF components. Project focus is (100%) cardio-vascular intervention, with a focus on treatment of Electro-Physiological disorders using MRI-guidance, and involves collaborative work with a large group of imaging professionals working on NIH-funded pulmonary disease and image-guided therapy projects.

An MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Biomedical engineering or related field is required. Candidates must have understanding of digital and analog electrical circuit design and of RF antenna design, experience in programming in Matlab and experience and interest in implementing procedures to the clinical environment.

To apply, send CV and contact details of 2 references to Dr. Ehud Schmidt at eschmidt3@partners.org.

 

LAMBARENE SCHWEITZER FELLOWS PROGRAM

The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship is soliciting applications for the 2009 Lambarene Schweitzer Fellows Program. This program offers third-year medical students three-month electives in pediatrics and medicine at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Lambarene, Gabon, working as junior physicians under the supervision of the Schweitzer Hospital medical staff. Two Fellows serve from May 1 through July 31, 2009 and two serve from August 1 through October 31, 2009.

In addition, up to two Lambarene Public Health Fellows will serve at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital in Lambarene, Gabon to work in the world-renowned research laboratory and/or with the Community Health Program, which provides village-based health services. The Lambarene Schweitzer Public Health Fellow must be able to spend a minimum of three consecutive months between May 1 and October 31, 2009 (longer stays may be possible).

The Albert Schweitzer Fellowship provides complete funding, including airfare, room, board, and immunizations. Functional fluency in French is required. The deadline to apply is December 15, 2008; see http://www.schweitzerfellowship.org/features/lamb/ for an application and more information, or contact Devon Reber at dreber@bidmc.harvard.edu.

 

PALO ALTO RESEARCH CENTER (PARC) INTERNSHIP PROGRAM

Founded in 1970 as part of Xerox Research, then incorporated in 2002 as an independent research business, PARC’s physical, computer, biological, and social scientists collaborate with sponsors and clients to discover breakthrough business and technology concepts. PARC is celebrated for such innovations as laser printing, distributed computing and Ethernet, the graphical user interface (GUI), object-oriented programming, and ubiquitous computing.

PARC’s internship program allows students opportunities to work with leading researchers; pursue independent projects; engage in different stages of the research or business-development pipeline; participate in lab meetings, presentations, poster sessions, and special programs; and receive authorship on publications or patents.

For details on PARC’s Internship Program, culture, & application, see www.parc.com/internships.

 

TA NEEDED FOR 6.022/6.522/2.792/2.796/BEH.371/BEH.471/HST.542 (QUANTITATIVE PHYSIOLOGY: ORGAN TRANSPORT SYSTEMS)

A teaching assistant (and possibly two) sought for the spring term for Quantitative Physiology: Organ Transport Systems. The course covers the physiology of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal systems as well as fluid mechanics. It is taken by upper-level engineering undergrads as well as some graduate students.

TA responsibilities include support of lectures, organizing tutorials and some recitations, helping to prepare problem sets, and proctoring laboratories. To apply, please send a note to Dr. Collin Stultz, with a copy to his secretary Arlene Wint. Please include a CV and a list of pertinent courses taken.

NEW: RA POSITIONS IN TRANSCRIPTIONAL REGULATION

Research assistantships are available in the Bulyk Lab (http://the_brain.bwh.harvard.edu/) for MD, MS, or PhD students interested in experimental and/or computational studies of transcriptional regulatory networks in eukaryotes. Available projects include: examining effects of CpG DNA methylation on mammalian transcription factors; identifying genomic regulatory elements and cis regulatory codes; examining the cross-species conservation of transcription factor binding sites; developing improved statistical approaches for analyzing protein binding microarray data on protein-DNA interactions; investigating co-regulatory networks involving microRNAs and transcription factors; examining effects of protein-protein interactions on transcription factors.

If interested, send a cover letter and CV to Prof. Martha L. Bulyk at mlbulyk@receptor.med.harvard.edu.

 

GLOBAL UPSTREAM MARKETING: ENGINEERING INTERN

Engineering Intern (full time, January – May 2009) sought to explore new market, clinical and technology strategic opportunities for Covidien’s Patient Care & Safety Products global business unit. Intern will work with the marketing team on at least one key project resulting in a presentation at the end of the internship. The intern’s work will be reviewed at the end of the assigned period, which may result in an extension of the internship through the summer.

Responsibilities include working with other team members to collect clinician insights and identify customer needs; identifying, analyzing and comparing current and emerging technologies; researching public databases and scientific literature to assess technology performance; and investigating and analyzing the patent landscape.

To apply, please send cover letter and CV to Peter Meyer, PhD, Technology & Innovation Manager, , or apply online at www.covidien.com/careers.

 

NATIONAL DEFENSE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS

NDSEG Fellowships are awarded to applicants who will pursue a graduate degree in a variety of engineering and physical science disciplines, including biosciences. The program pays a fellow' s full tuition and fees and a health insurance allowance up to a total value of $1,000 per year. NDSEG Fellowship applicants must be U.S. citizens. Applications are due by 1:00 p.m. EST on January 5, 2009. For more information, see http://www.asee.org/ndseg or write to ndseg@asee.org.

SMART SCHOLARSHIP FOR SERVICE PROGRAM

The Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Defense Education Program is a scholarship program administered by the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) that provides funding for tuition, educational fees, and living expenses to students pursuing degrees in disciplines of interest to the Department of Defense. Scholarship recipients are placed in civilian laboratory positions upon graduation.

For information on eligibility, application procedures, and more, please visit www.asee.org/smart. The SMART Scholarship Program is open only to applicants who are U.S. citizens. Applications must be submitted online by December 15, 2008, at 5:00 p.m. EST. All supporting materials must be received by December 15, 2008.

 

CALL FOR NOMINATIONS & SCHOLARSHIPS: DAN DAVID PRIZE

Three Dan David Prizes of $1,000,000 each are awarded annually in the fields chosen within the three time dimensions - Past, Present and Future -- and twenty scholarships of $15,000 each are awarded to outstanding doctoral and postdoctoral students from universities around the world doing research in the chosen fields.

For 2009, the selected fields for the Dan David Prize and scholarships are:
Past Time Dimension: Astrophysics – History of the Universe
Present Time Dimension: Leadership
Future Time Dimension: Global Public Health

For details regarding the Dan David Prize and its scholarships see www.dandavidprize.org.

 

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES IN ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE AND DISEASE SURVEILLANCE

HST alum John Stelling, MD, instructor in Medicine at BWH, has several funded research opportunities available through a grant for Continued Development of WHONET for Surveillance of Infections and Drug Resistance. WHONET is software developed in collaboration with the World Health Organization to support local, national, and international collaborations in antimicrobial resistance and infectious disease surveillance. Possible areas of work for HST RAs include:

-- helping to program WHONET;

-- research in antimicrobial resistance and outbreak detection in collaboration with national or international partners;
-- web site development to support a users group;
-- technical support and guidance to WHONET users and other partners;
-- contacts with international partners.

Contact Dr. Stelling at jstelling@rics.bwh.harvard.edu for further information.

 

RAs IN ANGIOGENESIS, LYMPHANGIOGENESIS AND OPTICAL IMAGING

Research assistantships available for full time MEMP PhD students interested in working at the interface of bioengineering/biophysics/imaging and cancer. Projects include angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis in tumors; engineering blood and lymphatic vessels; intra-vital microscopy; molecular and functional imaging; delivery of nano-medicine to tumors; stem cell biology and applications; probing tumor microenvironment using nano-technology; and mathematical modeling. Funding is available immediately. For further details, see http://steele.mgh.harvard.edu.

To apply, send CV to Rakesh K. Jain, PhD at jain@steele.mgh.harvard.edu.

 

PhD PROJECT IN COMPUTATIONAL MEDICAL PHYSICS

MGH, in co-operation with the Laboratory with Information and Decision Systems (LIDS) and the Operations Research Center (ORC) at MIT, has an opportunity for a PhD thesis project on the optimization of radiation therapy for moving targets such as lung and liver cancers. The objective of the project, which is partially funded by the National Cancer Institute, is to optimally adapt the treatment plan to changes that occur during the course of treatment.

The student will work as a member of a small team in the Radiation Physics division at MGH. Requirements are strong analytical skills and experience and interest in computer programming. The thesis will be supervised by professors Thomas Bortfeld at MGH and John Tsitsiklis from LIDS and ORC.

To apply, contact:
Dr. Thomas Bortfeld
Professor and Director of Physics Research
Department of Radiation Oncology
Massachusetts General Hospital

30 Fruit St
Boston, MA 02114

tbortfeld@partners.org
http://gray.mgh.harvard.edu

 

MASTERS-LEVEL RA IN ROBOTICS

The Newman Laboratory for Biomechanics and Human Rehabilitation (in the MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering) has full RA opportunities at the masters level. The goal of the project is to re-design our adult version of the anklebot (see http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2005/stroke-robot.html) for children ages three to twelve. The project will involve design, control, and deployment of the device in a Childrens' Hospital. Interested candidates should contact Dr. H. I. Krebs at hikrebs@mit.edu.

Please note: this opportunity is specifically, and only, available for Greek citizens.

 

RESEARCH OPPORTUNITY IN NEUROBIOLOGY/SOUND PERCEPTION

The Goodrich lab is looking for students and postdocs interested in studying how auditory circuits are wired for the perception of sound. We use mouse genetics and molecular biology to understand how spiral ganglion neurons acquire their unique properties, such as the ability to form extraordinarily large synapses. Projects employ a variety of techniques, including biochemical analysis of novel proteins, in vitro culturing of neurons, imaging of single cells during auditory circuit assembly, RNAi, in utero electoporation, and gene expression profiling.

No experience with the auditory system is required, but a familiarity with neuroscience or mouse genetics is a plus. Individuals with expertise in electrophysiology, cell biology, imaging, microarrays, or signal transduction are particularly encouraged to apply. See the lab website for more information: http://neuro.med.harvard.edu/faculty/goodrich.html.

To apply, please send a cover letter, CV, and three references to:

Dr. Lisa Goodrich
Lisa_Goodrich@hms.harvard.edu
Goldenson 442

Dept of Neurobiology, Harvard Medical School
220 Longwood Avenue

Boston, MA 02115

 

RESEARCH ASSISTANT FOR PROJECT ASSESSING NEED FOR IMAGING

Dr. Frank Levy, Rose Professor of Urban Economics at MIT, has a position for a graduate student in 2008-09 on a project assessing physician and insurer initiatives to define and restrict medically unnecessary advanced imaging. The appointment involves library work involving psychological models of decision making. Interested applicants may contact Prof. Levy at flevy@mit.edu or 617-253-2089.

 

RESEARCH POSITIONS IN COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY

The Sunyaev lab in the Genetics Division of Brigham & Women's Hospital has two RA positions available. The first is on the analysis of human genetic variation and, specifically, to the systematic resequencing data. We are broadly interested in the effect of mutations on molecular function, phenotype and fitness. Areas of interest include development of computational methods for predicting functionally significant human alleles, development of data-driven population genetics models, simulations of resequencing studies of phenotyped populations, and design of statistical methods to relate DNA sequence data to phenotypes. The second project has a focus on computational proteomics and is part of a large multidisciplinary effort aimed at the analysis of mammalian organogenesis and development of methods for organ engineering. The project will be devoted to computational approaches to proteomics of mammalian organ development. The project will involve a close collaboration with Dr. Steve Gygi, Director of Taplin Mass Spectrometry Facility at Harvard Medical School, and several developmental biology, bioengineering, genomic technology and computational biology groups. To apply for either position, contact Shamil Sunyaev at ssunyaev@rics.bwh.harvard.edu.

 

Professional Opportunities

 

POSTDOC IN MUSIC AND NEUROIMAGING

A postdoctoral position in auditory-motor neuroscience is available for a newly funded NIH project dealing with neural correlates of tone-deafness, auditory-motor interactions, and models of vocal and non-vocal communication in adults and children. The successful candidate will have training in auditory perception, speech-motor neuroscience and/or cognitive psychology; experience with neuroscience methods; computing and programming skills; quantitative and/or statistical expertise; and skills and independence in scientific writing. Experience in behavioral testing of children is a plus.

The position offers up to 2 years (renewable) of training and research opportunities using cutting-edge methodological approaches including (f)MRI, DWI/DTI, psychophysics, non-invasive brain stimulation techniques (tDCS), possibly EEG/ERP, and combinations of the above techniques at BIDMC/HMS.

To apply, send a CV, statement of research interests and skills, preprints if available, and a list of personal references that may be contacted to:

Gottfried Schlaug, MD, PhD or Psyche Loui, PhD
Dept. of Neurology
BIDMC/Harvard Medical School
330 Brookline Avenue (Palmer 127), Boston, MA
To learn more, contact Dr. Schlaug at gschlaug@bidmc.harvard.edu or Dr. Loui at ploui@bidmc.harvard.edu.

 

POSTDOC IN CARDIOVASCULAR MOLECULAR IMAGING

Join a team of investigators at MGH focusing on the molecular imaging of cell death and survival in the heart. The laboratory focuses on the development of novel molecular imaging techniques to image biological processes in vivo. Novel nanoparticles, fluorescent sensors and imaging platforms are used to address biological questions. The applicant will be responsible for aspects of the project involving advanced techniques in molecular and cellular biology, but will be expected to contribute to all aspects of this multi-disciplinary project.

Ph.D. in molecular biology (ideally received within the past five years) and skills and knowledge relevant to the theme of the project are required; prior experience in apoptosis and/or autophagy helpful. Preference given to applicants seeking to establish an academic career. A minimum commitment of 2 years is required.

To apply, send CV and two letters of reference to PI Dr. David Sosnovik at sosnovik@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu.




ASTRAZENECA BIOINFORMATICS POSTDOC

AstraZeneca’s R&D office in Waltham, MA has a postdoctoral postion in applying bioinformatics and system biology approaches to cancer drug discovery. The research is focused on developing/applying innovative data analysis capabilities to gain insights of cancer target biology and disease relevance, and preclinical model disease relevance through genomic/genetic data mining. This individual will work closely with cross-discipline teams including cell biology, in vivo pharmacology.

A recent Ph.D. in bioinformatics, system biology, computational biology, or computer science/electrical engineering, with exposure to life science, is required. Candidates should have proficiency in large-scale biological, genomics data analysis and in R, matlab, or equivalent statistical software, as well as basic programming skills; should be highly analytical with good technical and problem solving skills and a demonstrated capability to independently form biological question and provide answers by applying data mining approaches. Training/experience in cancer biology, cancer genomics, and drug discovery are desired but not required.

For more information, contact Kevin Leete, IT Account Manager for Randstad USA, at
kevin.leete@us.randstad.com.

 

POSTDOC OPPORTUNITY: TRAINING IN EDUCATION AND CRITICAL RESEARCH SKILLS

TEACRS (Training in Education and Critical Research Skills), a program funded by the IRACDA mechanism of NIH-GMS and based at Tufts University, is designed to prepare young scientists for academic careers involving biomedically-related research and teaching. Trainees spend on average 75% of their time conducting bench research and 25% of their time in career development activities. Teaching skills are developed in mentored classroom assignments at minority-serving institutions in the Boston area. Training is supplemented with workshops and seminars on teaching methods, career opportunities, and skills such as grant writing, mentoring, and scientific presentations.

TEACRS fellows receive up to three years of salary support and a yearly travel allowance. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and must identify a Tufts faculty member to serve as their research mentor. The application deadline for positions beginning in the fall of 2009 is April 3. For additional information on the TEACRS program and application procedures, see http://www.tufts.edu/sackler/teacrs.

 

POSTDOC IN MEDICAL AND POPULATION GENETICS

Post-graduate researcher sought to join a group with a focus on applying population genetic approaches to finding genes that cause disease. The successful candidate will have strong statistical and computational skills. A background in population genetics is a strength, but not necessary. Possible projects are using the history of population mixture in African Americans and Latinos to allow full-powered searches for disease genes in these populations, and collaborating with colleagues in Hyderabad, India to characterize the history of founder effects in many Indian populations, using this to identify populations at risk for recessive disease.

The position will be jointly supervised by Drs. David Reich and Nick Patterson, and will involve work at both the Department of Genetics Harvard Medical School and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. Information about the lab is at http://genepath.med.harvard.edu/~reich.

To apply or learn more, contact Dr. Reich at reich@genetics.med.harvard.edu.

 

AAAS SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY POLICY FELLOWSHIPS

These Fellowships provide scientists and engineers with a unique opportunity to apply their knowledge and skills to national and international issues in the federal policy realm, while learning about establishing and implementing policy. Fellows select year-long assignments in Congressional offices or federal agencies; most federal agencies offer Fellows the opportunity to renew for a second year.

The Fellowship provides a stipend of $70,000 to $92,000, a relocation allowance, health insurance, funds for travel and training, and professional development opportunities. The deadline to apply is December 15th, 2008. AAAS accepts online applications only. Full details are at www.fellowships.aaas.org.

 

POSTDOC OR RESEARCH FELLOW IN LUNG AND BRAIN IMAGING

The Radiology Department of Brigham and Women’s seeks an MRI physicist to develop pulse sequences and/or translate sequences into pre-clinical patient trials, as well as develop catheter-mounted micro-RF components. Project focus is (40%) hyper-polarized 129Xe imaging of lung & brain physiology, and (60%) vascular intervention, and involves collaborative work with a large group of imaging professionals working on NIH-funded pulmonary disease and image-guided therapy projects.

A PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Biomedical engineering or related field is required. Candidates must have understanding of NMR spectroscopy & MRI physics and of RF coil design, experience in programming in Matlab and in programming acquisition sequences on a vendor ‘s (GE, Siemens, Philips) platform, and experience and interest in implementing procedures to the clinical environment.

To apply, send CV and contact details of 2 references to Dr. Ehud Schmidt at eschmidt3@partners.org and to Dr. Samuel Patz at patz@bwh.harvard.edu.

 

SPECTROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS AVAILABLE TO OUTSIDE INVESTIGATORS

The MIT Laser Biomedical Research Center (LBRC) announces the availability of spectroscopic instruments for projects of outside investigators aimed at developing novel diagnostic applications and demonstrating their feasibility in clinical translational studies. The goals of this program are to foster clinical translational research in optical spectroscopy, and to familiarize young and new investigators with the methods of diagnostic spectroscopy.

Two instruments will be made available for the program: a “mini-FastEEM”, capable of collecting diffuse white light spectral reflectance and 340 nm-excited fluorescence, and a Raman spectroscopy instrument.

Both new and established investigators may apply; new investigators are specially encouraged to use this opportunity to collect preliminary data for subsequent independent funding. Research may be performed at the applicant’s institution, at MIT, or a combination of the two. See http://web.mit.edu/spectroscopy/facilities/guideline.html for detailed information and an application form.

 

SPEECH OPENINGS AT LINCOLN LAB INFORMATION SYSTEM TECHNOLOGY GROUP

Signal Processing Software Engineer:
Candidate sought to assist in speech-signal processing projects. Tasks involve taking speech-signal-processing algorithms (speech analysis, synthesis, and enhancement) to computer code realization; development of Graphical User Interfaces; assistance with large databases and algorithm evaluation. Requirements: BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or Applied Math; (at least) an undergraduate knowledge of digital signal processing and statistical signal processing; programming expertise in Matlab and C. Some real-time signal processing programming experience is also desirable.

Speech Processing Researcher:
Candidate sought to work on speech-signal processing projects; objective is to research and develop speech-signal-processing algorithms in speech analysis, synthesis, and enhancement. Research will involve new models of speech production and speech perception. These biological models will serve as the inspiration for the development of the algorithmic component of the efforts. Requirements: PhD or MS in Electrical Engineering; digital signal processing; statistical signal processing; some knowledge of speech and auditory mechanisms; programming expertise in Matlab and C. Real-time signal processing programming experience is also desirable, but not necessary.

Apply on-line for either position at http://www.ll.mit.edu/.

TWO MGH POSTDOCS IN MEDICAL PHYSICS

The Department of Radiation Oncology, Radiation Physics Division, has two two-year postdoctoral research positions beginning immediately. Both projects are funded by the National Institutes of Health / National Cancer Institute.

First position: work on Monte Carlo simulations of dose delivered to patients in proton radiation therapy with the aim to reduce uncertainties in patient treatment. Project goal is to b) study dose calculation errors due to uncertainties in CT imaging and conversion of CT information into material properties, b) work on Monte Carlo variance reduction techniques and c) provide patient specific Monte Carlo dose calculation to assist in clinical trials. A Ph.D. in physics or computer science is required, and knowledge of programming under C++ and experience in Monte Carlo simulations (ideally using the Geant4 code) are preferred.

Second position: investigate and develop new treatment planning techniques to ensure robust proton radiation treatment delivery without use of a traditional planning target volume. Aims are to a) analyze accuracy of dose delivery and associated treatment margins, b) incorporate uncertainties directly in treatment planning optimization for robust beam delivery, and c) quantify site-specific confidence limits on dose delivery. A Ph.D. in physics or mathematics is required, and knowledge in optimization algorithms and treatment planning is preferred.

To apply for either position, please send CV and two letters of recommendation to:
Harald Paganetti
MGH Department of Radiation Oncology
Francis H Burr Proton Therapy Center
Boston MA 02114
hpaganetti@partners.org

If applying for the first position, use keyword “Monte Carlo”; if applying for the second position, use keyword “Optimization.”

 

POSTDOC IN IMAGING AT MGH/MARTINOS CENTER

A postdoctoral position is available immediately at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging (http://www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu). The project is a multidisciplinary collaboration between MGH and Logan College of Chiropractic involving the application of state-of-the-art fMRI imaging methods to study the neuroplasticity and somatotopy of chronic pain and its response to acupuncture therapy. The candidate will receive a joint appointment to Massachusetts General Hospital and Logan College of Chiropractic. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in neuroscience or other biological/bioengineering sciences. Experience in computer programming and fMRI image processing is essential. Familiarity with fMRI analysis software including FSL, AFNI, and Freesurfer, as well as programming environments such as MATLAB is highly desirable.

To apply, send CV and three letters of reference to:

Vitaly Napadow, PhD
Assistant Professor, Department of Radiology
Harvard Medical School
Massachusetts General Hospital
149 13th Street, Room 2301
Boston, MA 02129
(617) 724-3402
vitaly@nmr.mgh.harvard.edu

 

POSTDOC IN FUNCTIONAL NEUROIMAGING

The Developmental Psychopathology and Neuroimaging Laboratory at the Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging seeks a postdoctoral fellow for study of the relationship between psychological predispositions and physiological states in infants and development of psychiatric disorder and behavior problems in adolescents and young adults. The lab utilizes structural and functional MRI in conjunction with clinical assessments of psychopathology, neuropsychological studies of information processing, and assessment of autonomic reactivity to cognitive and social stress.

Strong computer background (expert use of Linux, scripting, Matlab code, or other programming skills) required.  Expertise with one or more of the following required: complex physiological monitoring in the scanner and signal/data processing, acquisition and analysis of MRI/fMRI/DTI data, multimodal/MEG imaging, or neuroanatomy. Candidates should have a doctoral degree in Neuroscience, Cognitive Neuroscience or Psychology, Biomedical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics or related field; excellent interpersonal, organizational, and oral and written English communication skills.

To apply, send CV with description of research and/or computing experience, statement of goals and interests, and names and contact details of three references to PI Carl E. Schwartz, MD, at
carl_schwartz@hms.harvard.edu. For more information about the lab, see:
http://www.massgeneral.org/allpsych/PsychNeuro/labdevelopmental.asp
http://www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/martinos/people/showPerson.php?people_id=152 http://www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/martinos/flashHome.php


 

 

 


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