RJR-Leon Golberg Post-doctoral Fellowship in Pharmacology and Toxicology
The Department of Physiology and Pharmacology of Wake Forest School of Medicine and the RJ Reynolds Tobacco Company established a post-doctoral fellowship training program that honors an eminent toxicologist, the late Dr. Leon Golberg. The fellowships offer salary funding at the NIH level, an appointment as a WFU employee, and health care insurance. A wide variety of research projects and educational opportunities are available. The Fellow will spend up to two years under the guidance of a faculty mentor, along with extensive interaction with other faculty members. Some fellowship positions explore a joint project between a faculty member and a company scientist. This program has trained 4 current and 16 former Fellows who have progressed to careers in academia, pharmaceutical and chemical industry, contract research firms, and regulatory affairs companies in the US, Canada and several other countries.
Some fellowship positions are available in fields of genomics and proteomics, behavioral pharmacology, and substance abuse. For further information contact Dr. Jack Strandhoy at jstrand@wakehealth.edu.
Fellow in Epithelial Physiology/Pharmacology
A fellowship position is currently available in epithelial physiology/pharmacology in the laboratory of Snezana Petrovic, MD, PhD, (snpetrov@wakehealth.edu) Assistant Professor in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Internal Medicine, and Hypertension Research Center. The post-doctoral project includes studies of pH-sensitive G protein-coupled receptors (GPR4) and calcium-sensitive receptor (CaSR) and their effects on acid-base and water and electrolyte homeostasis in normal kidney and in chronic kidney disease (CKD). The project includes a unique training opportunity in imaging of isolated, perfused kidney tubules and polarized epithelial cells. Candidates with previous experience in microperfusion of kidney tubules will be given a priority. Measurements of intracellular ion and second messenger concentrations, various protein tagging techniques, use and construction of biosensors, transgenic animals, ratiometric, fret, widefield and confocal microscopy will all be used to unravel cellular mechanisms of maladaptive response to acidosis and the effects of GPR4 and CaSR on ion transport in the kidney epithelial cells during metabolic acidosis associated with CKD. The objective of this project is to ascertain the mechanisms of the harmful effects of acidosis on the kidney in order to delineate new therapeutic options.
The postdoctoral fellow will have an excellent opportunity for interaction with faculty and trainees in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Molecular Medicine, and the Hypertension Research Center. Special attention will be paid to career development, such as formulating career goals and refining writing and presentation skills. Fellows planning academic careers may choose to participate in a course on medical education and in teaching opportunities.