Description

The Department of Surgery at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) invites applications for a NIH T32-funded Postdoctoral Research Fellowship in Cardiac Surgery and Cardiovascular Science. This highly competitive program provides rigorous multidisciplinary research training for postdoctoral fellows committed to academic careers in cardiovascular biology, cardiac surgery, and translational medicine. The goal of this program is to provide a foundation from which to build an academic career in surgery, with an emphasis on training future surgeon-scientists. 

The fellowship emphasizes the integration of basic, translational, and clinical investigation to advance the understanding and treatment of cardiovascular disease. Fellows will work closely with faculty mentors from the Division of Cardiac, Thoracic, and Vascular Surgery and Surgical Cardiovascular Research Institute. 

Research focus areas: 

•      Biology, biochemistry and cellular signaling of cardiac valvular disease 
•      Biomaterials and advancement of implantable valves with mitigation of degeneration 
•      Biotechnology and biomedical engineering in orthotopic heart transplant 
•      Extended preservation and cardiac protection in orthotopic heart transplant 

Training Environment

•      Structured mentorship with senior investigators
•      Formal didactic training in scientific methods, data analysis, and grant writing
•      Opportunities for collaboration across Columbia’s cardiovascular research network
•      Career development support for transition to independent funding (e.g., NIH K awards)

The candidate will join a collaborative and exciting atmosphere within the Columbia University Cardiovascular Research Institute (CVRI) at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) in New York City. Columbia University’s environment offers the opportunity to interact with outstanding cardiovascular clinicians, surgeons and scientists to enrich the landscape for study. Notably, the CVRI works closely with the Irving Institute for Clinical and Translational Research at Columbia University Irving Medical Center which is home to Columbia’s NIH Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA; UL1TR001873). The CTSA core objective is to move the CUMC research community to a more multi- and interdisciplinary scientific mindset by removing barriers and creating incentives for interactions among investigators from different disciplines. 

This opportunity will allow the candidate to avail themselves of the expanse of opportunities and resources available at CUIMC. The Irving Institute routinely holds scheduled seminars and courses on various research topics (clinical trial design, biostatistics, and grantsmanship) that will provide career development for the candidate. Candidates will be encouraged to present at the Annual Department of Surgery Research Symposium and to submit original work to relevant society conferences and annual meetings. The goals of the T32-funded Postdoctoral Research Fellowship are: 

Training goal 1: Experiential and didactic learning in study design and execution of translational research studies, grantsmanship and professional skills. They will take the following courses: Grant and Scientific Writing Workshop. Offered by the Division of Surgical Science (4 weeks, 3 sessions/week). The workship will cover study design, budget and justification development. Reach for the R01 Workshop: Offered by the Irving Institute for Translational and clinical Research, this workshop provides biostatistical consulting and pre-reviews on an early draft of their R01 application. 

Training goal 2: Continuous education in cardiovascular science and research, with emphasis on clinical innovation. During the duration of the award, they will expand their foundational knowledge of cardiac disease by 1) attending scientific conferences, 2) attending weekly meetings with their mentor and the Cardiovascular Research Institute and 3) attending seminars and courses including but not limited to: Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology Grand Rounds series (weekly), Advances in Precision Medicine Seminar Series: Offered by the Irving Insitute, this monthly seminar series focuses in precision medicine topics including establishment of individualized programs for disease prevention and detection at academic medical centers, improvements in our understanding of the role of genomic factors in the individual response to drugs. The candidate will also attending Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR) courses as part of the education that Columbia is offering as a central responsibility for any instutition involved in research. 

Through daily interaction with more senior members of the common lab space, the candidate will have the opportunity to refine their skills and gain more knowledge of both the basic science and clinical aspects of their work. To further develop the candidate’s research capability and leadership position towards an independent position, they will be provided with access to students and master’s students in the BME to help perform some of the basic experiments as well as to weekly discuss their data with collaborators with a clinical background. 

Requirements

Eligibility Requirements: 

•      Applicants must hold an M.D./D.O./M.B.B.S. or equivalent 
•      Applicants must either be interested in pursuing a surgical residency or have completed a portion of a surgical residency now entering their research period 
•      If applicants are coming from a residency program, they must have written approval from their Program Director stating that they have at least 2 years of dedicated research time
•      Applicants should demonstrate a strong record of academic achievement, research productivity, and commitment to a career in cardiovascular investigation 
•      Per the NIH T32 guidelines: U.S. Citizenship or permanent resident is required 

Application Requirements: 

•      A cover letter describing research interests, career goals, and relevance to cardiovascular science 
•      A curriculum vitae including publications 
•      Contact information for three references
•      Signed statement from Program Director stating that 2 years of dedicated research time is available to the resident (if applicable) 

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until positions are filled. The window for applications will close: December 15, 2025.