Opportunity Details
Department of Pediatrics
Peds Genetics & Genomic Medicine
Research
Associate Professor/Full Professor
Director, Center for Gene and Cell Therapy - #1011098
Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis is seeking a highly motivated and accomplished individual to serve as the Center Director of Gene and Cell Therapy. The successful candidate will hold an MD, PhD, or equivalent doctoral degree and be eligible for an academic appointment at the Associate Professor or Professor rank. The Center Director will develop and lead a new program in gene replacement, gene editing, and/or cellular therapy.
The Center Director will be responsible for establishing and leading a cutting-edge research program focused on preclinical studies and the translation of gene replacement, gene editing, and/or cellular therapy to clinical trials. The program will leverage a new 7,800-square-foot Biologic Therapy Core Facility, following current FDA Good Manufacturing Practice regulations. The candidate's research focus could relate to any condition affecting children, building or adding to existing strengths in viral-based gene delivery, editing, and iPS cells. Areas of interest include genetic, immunologic, respiratory, metabolic, and oncologic disorders. The culture at Washington University and within the Department is highly collaborative and collegial, and the successful candidate will embrace this cooperative spirit, with research interests bridging fields within and beyond Pediatrics. The candidate will also be expected to recruit and mentor trainees and junior faculty, to develop future leaders and sustain the School of Medicine’s excellence in gene therapy.
The new Center will be part of the Children's Discovery Institute (CDI), a partnership between Washington University School of Medicine and St. Louis Children's Hospital, which aims to change the way pediatric research is conducted and bring about dramatic results in pediatric care. This Center will collaboratively interface with multiple centers and institutes at the School of Medicine, including other CDI Centers such as the Center for Rare, Undiagnosed, and Genetic Diseases, the Center for Pediatric Immunology, the Center for Pediatric Pulmonary Disease and Asthma, and the McDonnell Pediatric Cancer Center.
Washington University School of Medicine is ranked #2 nationally in funding from the US National Institutes of Health and has a total research budget over $1B annually. The clinical practice is among the largest in the nation (1,900 providers) with 1.5M outpatient visits and clinical revenue of nearly $2B per year. The candidate will enjoy a highly productive research environment featuring the NCATS-funded Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CTSA), the Bursky Center for Human Immunology and Immunotherapy Programs (CHiiPS), Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center (IDDRC), Undiagnosed Diseases Network Clinical Site and Model Organism Screening Core, founding Center of Excellence for the National Organization for Rare Disorders, and NCI-Designated Cancer Center (Siteman). Our McDonnell Genome Institute was one of three sequencing centers in the Human Genome Project and Human Microbiome Project, and is currently part of the Pangenome Project, Somatic Mosaicism Consortium, and the Impact of Genetic Variation on Function Consortium. In total, Washington University School of Medicine offers over 150 Research Cores for the advancement of biomedical research across the campus.
- MD and/or PhD, or equivalent doctoral degree
- Eligible for an academic appointment at the Associate Professor or Professor rank
- Demonstrated expertise in gene replacement, gene editing, or cellular therapy
- Strong track record of research accomplishments and funding
- Excellent communication and leadership skills
Interested candidates should submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, a brief description of their research program, and contact information for three references.
Washington University in St. Louis is an equal opportunity employer and encourages applications from women, minorities, and individuals with disabilities.
For more information about the Department of Pediatrics and the Children's Discovery Institute, please visit https://pediatrics.wustl.edu/education/residency/program/mission/ and https://www.stlouischildrens.org/about-us/childrens-discovery-institute.
12/12/2024
No end date
An Equal Opportunity Affirmative Action Employer
Washington University in St. Louis is committed to the principles and practices of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action. It is the university’s policy to recruit, hire, train, and promote persons in all job titles without regard to race, color, age, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, veteran status, disability, or genetic information. Washington University seeks an exceptionally qualified and diverse faculty; women, minorities, protected veterans and candidates with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply.