Postdoctoral Scholar - Medicine

Postdoctoral Scholar Position The Penn State College of Medicine, Department of Medicine in Hershey, PA is seeking a Postdoctoral Scholar to join our newly established program, The Sleep-Vascular Program at Penn State led by Dr. Rami Khayat. The team works on understanding the pathways and treatment options of hypertension and endothelial dysfunction in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Ongoing projects range from molecular studies of the effect of intermittent hypoxia on nitric oxide biology in human endothelial tissue to human studies using cardiovascular physiology measurements to understand the pathways of hypertension and its treatment options in patients with OSA. Newly NIH funded projects also include mathematical modeling and machine learning of models of tissue hypoxia using sleep studies and molecular markers. The team uses quantitative RNA measurements, immunohistochemistry and confocal imaging techniques, and is developing measurements using HPLC, enzymatic assays, and chemiluminescence. In-vivo human studies utilize skin biopsy techniques, endothelial reactivity, echocardiography, microneurography measurements of sympathetic nerve activity, and microdialysis. The new postdoctoral scholar will lead a translational project that evaluates the effect of intermittent hypoxia on sympathetic and endothelial functions in humans and tissue models. Cardiovascular studies will be conducted by a dedicated team of vascular physiologists. The scholar will participate in the cardiovascular physiology studies and lead ex-vivo and in-vitro experiments in human tissue and cultured endothelial cells using intermittent hypoxia exposure. The scholar will collaborate and receive support from a senior project manager who oversees the wet-lab operations. The project requires interaction with patient-volunteers and knowledge of clinical research regulation.