Announcements

Employment Opportunities

Postdoctoral Fellowship in Statistical Genetics.—The Asthma Genetics Laboratory (AGL) at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), is inviting applications for postdoctoral fellows to participate in projects aimed at understanding the genetic basis of complex diseases in racially admixed populations. The AGL is a member of UCSF's Institute for Human Genetics and has a highly interactive and multidisciplinary team of physician-scientists, genetic epidemiologists, statisticians, geneticists, and molecular biologists. The research environment is enhanced by large, family-based and population-based sample sets of well phenotyped, racially diverse individuals and strong national and international collaborative ties. The successful candidate will participate in development of statistical methods, study design, and data analysis for genomewide association studies, studies of population stratification, and investigations of admixture mapping for complex diseases. A suitable candidate will hold a Ph.D. in a quantitative science (statistics, biostatistics, computer science, or mathematics) or epidemiology and should have strong theoretical, analytical, and computational skills. A background in genetic epidemiology and statistical genetics would be beneficial. An ability to work collaboratively and good communication skills are required. Applicants should email a curriculum vitae and a letter of application and should arrange for three or more letters of reference to be sent to Dr. Esteban Gonzalez Burchard, M.D., M.P.H., Director, Asthma Genetics Laboratory and UCSF DNA Bank (esteban@sfgh.ucsf.edu). UCSF is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer.

Program Director, Genetic Counseling.—The Division of Human Genetics at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), is conducting a search for a program director, who will be responsible for the continuing development and supervision of our innovative accredited graduate program in genetic counseling. The Division serves the genetic counseling needs of our diverse community, and the graduate program dynamically interacts with other units within the University, such as the UCI Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, the Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, and the programs in nursing science, public health, and pharmaceutical science. It is required that the director be board certified in genetic counseling. The successful applicant should have 10 years experience as a practicing genetic counselor, as well as a significant background in teaching, research, and/or administration. UCI offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits and pension plans, as well as an ideal location in southern California, close to beaches and mountains. UCI is an equal opportunity employer. For further information, please contact Virginia Kimonis, M.D., Chief, Division of Genetics and Metabolism Department of Pediatrics, UCI Medical Center, 101 The City Drive South, ZC4482, Orange, CA 92868; telephone: (714) 456-5791, direct: (714) 456-2942; fax: (714) 456-5330; e-mail: vkimonis@uci.edu. Also, administrative assistant Sara Davis-Eisenman can be reached by telephone at (714) 456-6612.

Fellowship in Medical Genetics & Pediatric Endocrinology.—The Heritable Disorders Branch of the National Institute of Child Health & Human Development (NICHD) is sponsoring a combined medical genetics and pediatric endocrinology fellowship that will lead to certification by both the American Board of Medical Genetics and the American Board of Pediatrics Sub-Board on Pediatric Endocrinology after 5–6 years of training (and approval by each Board). Clinical training will take place in the context of the ACGME-approved Pediatric Endocrinology and Medical Genetics fellowship programs of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and will be sponsored by the NICHD and the National Human Genome Research Institute (NHGRI). Graduates of a pediatrics or combined pediatrics/internal medicine ACGME-approved residency program in the United States who are either citizens or legal residents (green-card holders) of this country are eligible. We encourage applicants with previous Ph.D. training or graduates of an M.D./Ph.D. program to apply for this unique fellowship, which aims at bridging these two very relevant subspecialties of pediatric medicine: genetics and endocrinology. This is an exciting opportunity for a physician-scientist in training who wants to take advantage of the exciting opportunities offered by the NIH Clinical Center, the hundreds of state-of-the-art research laboratories on the NIH campus, and the commitment of NIH leadership in training initiatives on translational research. Interested candidates should send a cover letter, a curriculum vitae, and the names of at least three references to Constantine A. Stratakis, M.D., D.Med.Sci., Chief, Heritable Disorders Branch, NICHD, NIH, and Director, Pediatric Endocrinology Training Program, NICHD, NIH, 10 Center Drive, Building 10, Room 9D42, MSC 1830, Bethesda, MD 20892; telephone: (301) 496-6683; fax: (301) 480-0378; e-mail: stratakc@mail.nih.gov. For more information, see the Fellowship's Web site (http://www.pediatricendocrinology.nichd.nih.gov/index.html) or call Janet Krasnican at (301) 496-6683.

Conference

Lysosomal Disease Network: WORLD (We're Organizing Research on Lysosomal Diseases) Symposium 2008.—The Lysosomal Disease Network invites you to attend Lysosomal Disease Network: WORLD Symposium 2008, February 13–15, 2008, at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. Participants will include clinicians, geneticists and genetic counselors, neurologists and neuropsychologists, researchers, nurses, and other health care professionals, as well as patients and families, patient/family support organizations, and industry professionals. The Lysosomal Disease Network is a research consortium of scientists, laboratories, health care professionals, and clinics working as networked centers of excellence to improve basic knowledge and understanding of lysosomal disorders, improve diagnosis, and advance therapeutic options for individuals affected by these disorders. Topics will include Newborn Screening, New Advances and Therapies in Gaucher Disease, Fabry Disease, Mucopolysaccharidosis, Batten Disease, Pompe Disease, Mucolipidosis, Sphingolipidoses, and Oligosaccharidosis. American Medical Association Physician's Recognition Award Category 1 Credits will be offered; final determination of credits is pending. For more information, see the Lysosomal Disease Network Web site (http://www.LysosomalDiseaseNetwork.org) or the University of Minnesota's Continuing Medical Education Web site (http://www.cmecourses.umn.edu) or contact the University of Minnesota by calling (612) 626-7600 or (800) 776-8636, or by e-mail (cme@umn.edu).

Call for Patients

2q37 Deletion Syndrome and Albright Hereditary Osteodystrophy-Like Syndrome.—We are recruiting patients to participate in an institutional review board-approved study, entitled “Molecular Delineation of the 2q37 Deletion Syndrome,” through Dr. Micheala Aldred's lab in the Genomic Medicine Institute at the Cleveland Clinic. Patients are eligible for enrollment with (1) a diagnosed 2q37 deletion or a translocation involving this chromosomal region or (2) a clinical diagnosis of 2q37 deletion syndrome or Albright Hereditary Osteodystrophy in the absence of GNAS mutations and pseudohypoparathyroidism. Participants will be asked to give a blood or DNA sample, copies of medical records, and family history information. For more information, please contact Emily Edelman by telephone (216-444-8088) or e-mail (edelmae@ccf.org) or visit our Web site (http://www.lerner.ccf.org/gmi/research.php#b2q37).