FDA Tick-Borne Pathogen Research Program

Organization and Location

The Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (CBER), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), is located in White Oak, Maryland.

You will join research projects related to detection, infection dynamics and mode of transmission of tick‑borne infection—Anaplasma phagocytophilum. This pathogen is responsible for causing a disease called anaplasmosis in humans. The research involves establishing an animal model for

A. phagocytophilum, determining the minimum infectious dose of infection, and developing novel molecular methods for detection of this pathogen in human blood. Advanced genomics and immunological tools will also be applied to identify biomarkers of

A. phagocytophilum infection in animal models and in humans.

• Learn fundamentals in research in infectious diseases and molecular and immunological methodologies.
• Obtain training in developing animal models of infectious diseases and learn how to conduct studies using biological samples.
• Learn cell culture techniques and cultivation of pathogens in cell lines.
• Learn advanced genomics and bioinformatic methods to decipher disease‑associated pathogenic mechanisms.
• Learn advanced molecular detection technologies for pathogen detection in blood.
• Learn advanced immunological methods including multi‑color flow cytometry and data analysis.

6/29/2026 3:00:00 PM Eastern Time Zone

The qualified candidate should have received or be currently pursuing a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctoral degree in one of the relevant fields. Degree must have been received within the past five years or be currently pursuing.

• Citizenship: U.S. Citizen or Legal Permanent Resident.
• Degree:
  Bachelor’s, Master’s, or Doctoral degree received within the last 60 months or currently pursuing.
• Disciplines:
  Life Health and Medical Sciences, Agricultural Sciences, Agriculture, Agronomy and Crop Science, Anatomy, Animal Behavior, Animal Health and Food Safety, Animal Sciences, Basic Biomedical Sciences, Biochemistry, Bioinformatics, Biology (General), Biophysics, Botany, Cellular and Molecular Biology, Comparative Medicine and Laboratory Animal Medicine, Computational Biology, Developmental Biology, Ecology, Ecosystem Ecology, Emergency and Incident Management, Entomology, Environmental Health, Epidemiology, Evolutionary Biology, Food Sciences and Technology, Genetics (including Genome Sciences), Health Physics, Horticulture, Immunology, Industrial Hygiene, Infectious Diseases and Zoonoses, Kinesiology and Exercise Physiology, Medicine, Microbiology, Neurosciences, Nursing, Nutritional Sciences, Occupational Health, Pharmacology, Pharmacy, Physiology, Plant Sciences, Population and Community Ecology, Population Medicine, Public Health, Structural Biology, Toxicology, Veterinary Sciences, Virology, Wildlife Sciences, Zoology (General).

Ashley