Assistant Professor in Tenure Track

The University of Utah • Salt Lake, UT

19d

About The Position

The University of Utah Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences would like to post one full-time position at the level of Assistant Professor who will work within the research side of the department within the Steele Center for Translational Medicine ( SCTM ). This position will conduct various analyses in the field of ocular disease and will be responsible for advancing our understanding of the choriocapillaris, retinal pigment epithelium and retina tissue interactions that occur during aging and in age-related macular degeneration ( AMD ), a leading cause of worldwide blindness. The candidate will interrogate a unique resource of patients and donor samples with high-risk AMD genotype/phenotype combinations. These efforts will lead to a better understanding of gene-directed disease initiation, progression, response to current therapies and future advancement of novel AMD therapies currently under development at the SCTM . The primary goal of the SCTM is to identify and advance therapeutic targets for AMD , a leading cause of visual impairment worldwide. The SCTM consists of an interdisciplinary team of basic and applied researchers, clinicians, clinical staff and collaborators. Our scientific efforts center around a collection of >8,000 pairs of donated human eyes — complete with full genetic profiles, images and ophthalmic and medical histories — and a large population of study patients. The SCTM has established a key alliance with a pharmaceutical industry partner to integrate drug development expertise with the resources, knowledge and expertise of the Center. The ultimate goal of this research is to help better understand AMD biology, to identify AMD -associated disease pathways and targets, and to develop novel therapies for the treatment of AMD . A clinical trial of a drug developed by the SCTM was recently initiated.

Requirements

• at least 6 years’ of academic experience with a detailed understanding of blood flow and passive transport of solutes between the human retina and choriocapillaris in normal aging and pathological conditions such as aged-related macular degeneration
• at least a Ph.D. degree, 2 years post-doctoral training and a minimum of 3 first author publications
• Candidates must possess excellent writing skills and ability to manage and direct multiple research projects simultaneously
• A highly multidisciplinary research approach combining engineering principles, physics, mathematics, biology and clinical sciences is required
• The ability to write monthly reports and manuscripts as well as verbally present results is required

Nice To Haves

• Expertise with in vivo multi-modal imaging techniques, accompanying software, data output formats and image databases are encouraged to apply
• An ability to perform fixed tissue processing and histological examination using specific stains and immunological reagents is also desired
• a strong knowledge of clinical manifestations of AMD is required

Responsibilities

• involved in working with the Steele Center for Translational Medicine team in advancing novel therapeutics for age-related macular degeneration and other major ocular diseases
• involved in multiple aspects of laboratory research, including bench work, project design and management, statistical analysis and troubleshooting all aspects of work
• keep up with current literature and collaborate with laboratory personnel, Moran Eye Center researchers and management to advance novel genotype-directed AMD therapies

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees