Position Openings
Faculty Position
The Center for Immunology & Microbial Disease at Albany Medical College invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position from individuals who have a doctoral degree, postdoctoral experience, and demonstrated research productivity. The successful candidate will be expected to establish an independent, extramurally-funded research program and participate in the teaching of medical and graduate students. The basic science departments at Albany Medical College are organized as interdisciplinary research centers and the Center for Immunology & Microbial Disease has a focus on microbial pathogenesis and immune defense, particularly as related to biothreat agents and emerging infections. Faculty at the Albany Medical College receive competitive salaries, attractive start-up packages, and access to the Center's ABSL-3/BSL-3, Microbiology and Immunology Core Labs. In addition, we have established a close relationship with the New York State Department of Health Wadsworth Laboratories, providing a diverse environment that is rich in infectious disease expertise. Albany Medical College is located in a mid-sized city within the upstate New York Capital Region, and has easy access to Boston, New York City, and the Adirondack Mountains.
Applicants should send their curriculum vitae, a statement of research plans, and three letters of reference to:
Dennis W. Metzger, Ph.D.
Professor, Theobald Smith Alumni Chair and Director
Center for Immunology & Microbial Disease
Albany Medical College
47 New Scotland Avenue, MC-151
Albany, NY 12208
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.
Postdoctoral Training Opportunities - Biodefence Research and Training Program
The Center for Immunology and Microbial Disease at Albany Medical College has just initiated a Biodefense Training Program that is anchored around a new $8.3M Program Project Grant awarded to the College by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. This Program brings together a diverse group of individuals with particular expertise in the fields of microbiology, cell biology, and mucosal immunology. The research and training effort concentrates on exploring in an integrated fashion, the immune response to Francisella tularensis. F. tularensis is a Category A biothreat due to its extreme infectivity, ease of dissemination, and substantial capacity to cause illness and death. The "characterization of innate and adaptive immune responses that occur after initial exposure to F. tularensis" has been identified as one of the priorities of NIAID's Counter-Bioterrorism Research Agenda. The pulmonary form of tularemia (pneumonic tularemia) is the deadliest form of disease and the form most likely to be used by bioterrorists, and forms the focus of the Albany Medical College efforts. The results of our studies will ultimately be used to evaluate new mucosal vaccination strategies and new vaccine candidates against human respiratory infection with F. tularensis.
Program #1 will define the immunobiology of F. tularensis-alveolar macrophage interactions. This project will address three key aspects: the phagocytosis and intracellular trafficking of F. tularensis bacteria, the response of the macrophage to bacterial invasion (i.e., cytokine production and respiratory burst) as well as the processing and presentation of bacterial antigens by infected macrophages. (Mentors: Drs. James R. Drake, Michelle Lennartz, Daniel Loegering)
Program #2 focuses on the role of pattern recognition receptors such as CD14 and members of the Toll-like receptor (TLR) family of signaling molecules on elaboration of reactive nitrogen and oxygen species, and induction of protective immune responses to F. tularensis. These receptors are expressed on the surface of macrophages and neutrophils and play essential roles in the initiation of host responses to bacterial membrane constituents (Mentors: Drs. Timothy J. Sellati and J. Andres Melendez)
Program #3 will examine in detail the roles of various immune components in immunity to F. tularensis and the potential of mucosal vaccination to prevent pneumonic tularemia. In particular, the importance of secretory IgA, T cell subsets and T cell cytokines in protection against pulmonary infection will be determined. This information will then be used to assess the efficacy of intranasal vaccination using a variety of novel approaches for inducing effective respiratory immunity. (Mentors: Drs. Dennis W. Metzger, Edmund J. Gosselin, and Maria C. Lopez)
Program #4 will use random mutagenesis of the live-vaccine strain of F. tularensis to investigate virulence mechanisms in a mouse model and to identify potential vaccine targets. The results will be combined with comparative genomics to determine the conservation of virulence factors in the human pathogenic strain Schu4. (Mentors: Drs. Jeffrey A. Banas and Jing-Ren Zhang)
Albany Medical College has a state-of-the-art BSL-3 laboratory and animal facility, and outstanding core facilities. The College is located in a mid-sized city within the Upstate New York Capital Region and has easy access to Boston, New York City and the Adirondack Mountains.
Applicants should reference the Program of interest and send their curriculum vitae and references to:
Dennis W. Metzger, Ph.D., Program Director
Center for Immunology and Microbial Disease
Albany Medical College, MC-151
47 New Scotland Ave.
Albany, NY 12208
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.
