Brain Trauma Research Scientist

Type of Requisition:

Regular

Clearance Level Must Currently Possess:

None

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain:

None

Suitability:

No Suitability Required

Public Trust/Other Required:

NACI (T1)

Job Family:

Scientists

Job Description:

The Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) aims to conduct biomedical research that is responsive to Department of Defense (DOD) and US Army requirements and delivers life-saving products including knowledge, technology and medical material that sustain the combat effectiveness of the Warfighter. Our team is seeking technical expertise to provide support to WRAIR’s Center for Military Psychiatry and Neuroscience Research (CMPN) CMPN is a translational and expeditionary effort to identify and eliminate brain health threats to Soldiers. CMPN investigates and manipulates the relationship between sleep and performance, performs behavioral health assessments to inform unit Commanders on Soldier behavioral health needs, and develops and implements resilience trainings. On a parallel track are efforts to identify and treat traumatic brain injury as well as understand the impact of repeated blast exposure.

Specifically, our team is seeking a Brain Trauma Research Scientist to support the Brain Trauma Neuroprotection (BTN) Branch within CMPN. The BTN Branch develops and transitions knowledge and materiel solutions to improve survival and recovery from combat related neurologic injury, including mild, moderate, and severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) across the spectrum of acute neurocritical care, long term recovery, chronic neurodegenerative sequela (e.g. CTE/Parkinson's), and spinal cord injury, Penetrating Ballistic-like Brain Injury (PBBI), Projectile Concussive Impact (PCI), and polytrauma.

Responsibilities:

• Perform tasks to support and execute protocols focusing on Penetrating Ballistic-Like Brain Injury (PBBI), Projectile Concussive Impact (PCI), polytrauma, TBI, neuroprotection, non-convulsive seizures, neurorestoration, mitochondrial dysfunction, immune-inflammation, and neurotherapeutic resuscitation; including cumulative effects of "repeated" traumas in these areas.
• Provide technical expertise to conduct and analyze brain trauma neuroprotection, neurorestoration, and neurotherapeutic research , including therapeutic strategies, blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, immune-inflammatory responses, biomarkers, pathology and sequalae following trauma as well as the molecular and cellular mechanisms of brain injury.
• Implement the execution of research tests on the behavioral, physiological, electrophysiological (including seizures and sleep) and cellular/molecular pathology of brain and spinal cord trauma. These tests shall include, but are not limited to, Morris water maze, rotarod, novel object recognition, elevated plus maze, monitoring weight, temperature, Neuroscore, righting reflex, EEG recording of seizure and sleep, positron emission tomography analysis, Ultrasonic Vocalization, perfusion, resuscitation, proteomics, necropsy and sample collection procedures, mRNA, miRNA, micro array protein analysis, quantitative PCR, Western blot, or ELISA.
• Perform and oversee aspects of field study preparation to include calibration of equipment, ensuring that adequate supplies are on hand for data collection (e.g., blast sensing systems, neurocognitive performance assessment batteries, physiological monitoring devices, etc.), and perform documentation associated with the field study.
• Provide support to monitoring research animals, conduct research experiments to meet the goals of the tasks, process research data files, and analyze research data.
• Plan and execute research experiments related to polytrauma injury, accounting for the impact of hemorrhagic shock on the progression brain injury using resuscitation approaches that optimize cerebral perfusion and brain salvage, immune-inflammatory responses, and other related physiological changes.
• Examine therapeutic approaches by isobolic design and analysis framework using well-established and promising novel neuro-protective agents, stem-cell based therapies, and novel drug delivery systems.
• Plan and execute research experiments focusing on mitochondrial therapeutic interventions, including allogeneic mitochondrial transplantation, pharmacological approaches, and enhancing mitochondrial bioenergetics.
• Plan and execute research experiments evaluating the neuroprotective benefits of neuroprotective and cognition-enhancing therapeutic drugs (NPCED) treatment, including profiles of pro-inflammatory, apoptotic, and neurotrophic factors, as well as specialized histopathology and immunohistochemistry analysis.

Qualifications:

• Requires a PhD in area of specialty and 3-5 years of experience.
• Be able to lead a multidisciplinary team of doctoral level scientific researchers, to include physicians, psychologists, physiologists and statisticians and critically analyze and review multidisciplinary research proposals and publications for military relevance and scientific adequacy.

Scheduled Weekly Hours:

40

Travel Required:

None

Telecommuting Options:

Hybrid

Work Location:

USA MD Silver Spring

Additional Work Locations:

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