2021-16519

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Neonatal Research Faculty (MD, PhD or MD/PhD position)

Division of Neonatology/Neonatal Diseases Research Program/Children’s Mercy Hospital, Kansas City, MO

The Division of Neonatology (Director: Dr. Steve Olsen), the Neonatal Diseases Research Program (Director: Dr. Venkatesh Sampath), the Department of Pediatrics (Chairman: Dr. Jeanne James) along with the Children’s Mercy Research Institute (CMRI Director: Dr. Tom Curran) announce a national search for an MD, PhD, or MD/PhD scientist to conduct translational or basic science research in the areas of neonatal lung or gut injury.

MD or PhD scientists studying the molecular mechanisms of neonatal diseases such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, genome-microbiome interactions, and the developing gut-brain axis are encouraged to apply. The Division of Neonatology, the Neonatal Diseases Research Program, the Department of Pediatrics, and the CMRI are in an exciting period of growth and expansion.

The Neonatal Diseases Research Program (NDRP) is located in the seventh floor of Children’s Mercy Research Institute research tower attached to Children’s Mercy Kansas City. This is a a new state-of-the-art, nine floor, research building with greater than 375,000 total sq. feet of wet lab space. The new CMRI building houses the majority of CM investigators pursuing translational research, and is equipped several research cores including genomics, flow cytometry, imaging, GMP biologics, and a rodent vivarium.

The NDRP has >1000 sq.feet of assigned extensive wet lab space on the 7th floor for current personnel and to facilitate future expansion.

The NDRP, which focuses broadly on the molecular mechanisms regulating endothelial and epithelial injury in the context of the developing lung and intestine, is funded by the NHLBI, NICHD, NIDDK, the March of Dimes, and local foundations. The laboratory combines human genetic studies, cell-culture models, microbiome analyses, transgenic mouse models, novel therapeutics, and translational studies to investigate the inflammatory/developmental basis of neonatal diseases such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia, necrotizing enterocolitis, and rare infectious diseases.

The laboratory currently employs 6 full time PhD and masters level scientists. Junior faculty and clinical fellows from Neonatology and infectious disease participate in the NDRP. We advocate a culture of discovery, innovation, team science and excellence. Access to an active neonatal genomic biorepository established by Dr. Sampath, that houses de-identified DNA samples from phenotypically well-characterized preterm cohorts, is available.

Active collaborations with the Children’s Mercy Center for Pediatric Genomic Medicine (Director: Dr. Tomi Pastinen) are underway for advanced sequencing-based discovery of human genetic loci affecting several neonatal diseases, and include the use of single-cell sequencing to characterize cellular phenotypic alterations in pre-clinical models. The Genomic Answers for Kids Study (GAKS), pioneered by the Genome Center, is a one of a kind study characterizing the genetic basis of rare/undiagnosed diseases using advanced sequencing/epigenetic profiling.

Several opportunities exist for collaborations with research faculty in the CMRI who study mechanisms…