Brain Trauma Research Scientist* at Odyssey Systems Consulting Group in silver spring, Maryland

Job Description:

Description

Title: Brain Trauma Research Scientist

Location: Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD

Odyssey Systems has a stimulating opportunity to join the WRAIR Brain Trauma Neuroprotection team as a Brain Trauma Research Scientist! We are researching many unique therapies to address brain injury, including enhancing cellular energetics, introducing neural stem cells and autologous cell therapies, and developing other neuroprotective strategies to improve outcomes after TBI.

Company Summary:

Odyssey Systems Consulting Group, Ltd. is an innovative small business committed to providing world-class technical, management, and training support services to government and public sector clients. We focus on people, processes, and performance to deliver superior results. Since our inception in 1997, our commitment to mission success and customer satisfaction has been recognized with exponential growth and exceptional past performance ratings. We accept challenging assignments and drive projects from the planning stages, through implementation, and into operations and support.

RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

Specific Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

- Work with a multidisciplinary team of research scientists and technicians to determine what pathological characteristics are measurable in the acute, subacute, and chronic periods following Penetrating or Ballistic brain injury. The results of these studies should refine our animal models of military relevant brain injury by better understanding the comorbidities during the sub-acute and chronic timeframe after injury. In addition, these studies will determine if it is possible to modulate outcomes based on affecting metabolic regulation and neuroplasticity in the injured brain.

- Areas of study by the multidisciplinary team include:

- Determine what pathological characteristics are measurable in the acute, subacute, and chronic periods following Projectile Concussive Impact (PCI) TBII. The expected result of this research effort is to deliver a fully characterized, validated animal model of close head concussive mild TBI. The model is expected to provide a research tool to study treatment strategies ranging from simple rest (i.e. sleep enhancement), rehab (physical and social enrichment), and therapeutics.

- Determine what pathological characteristics are measurable in the acute, subacute, and chronic periods following polytrauma to refine our animal models of TBI. In addition, these studies will determine if it is possible to modulate outcomes based on affecting metabolic regulation and neuroplasticity in the injured brain. Develop novel treatment strategies aimed at examining the technical feasibility of modulating neuroplasticity through the understanding of cerebral metabolic regulation and the use of environmental enrichment to modulate the effects of brain injury to better understand neurorehabilitation strategies of clinical recovery.

- Evaluate resuscitation strategies in polytrauma associated with TBI. Patients are faced with worse outcomes and increased morbidity when TBI occurs in conjunction with hemorrhage. Local tissue damage and systemic inflammatory responses induced by hemorrhagic shock resulting in hypoperfusion, decreased oxygen delivery, excitotoxicity, and perturbed autoregulation of cerebral blood flow, all of which account for the vulnerability of the injured brain to hypotensive insults. The results of these studies should refine our animal models of military relevant brain injury by better understanding the co-morbidities during the sub-acute and chronic timeframe after injury. In addition, these studies will determine if it is possible to modulate outcomes based on affecting metabolic regulation and neuroplasticity in the injured brain.

- Determine whether individual therapy or a combination of therapies, such as, but not limited to, pharmacologic (novel drugs and drug combinations) and cellular (stem and stromal cells) therapies, as well as the manipulation of physical conditions (brain cooling and intracranial pressure), have measurable efficacy on established injury deficits in the acute, subacute, and chronic periods following TBI (PBBI, PCI, or polytrauma). It is expected that these studies will identify novel drugs or treatment strategies that can be used alone or in combination to prevent or attenuate the incidence of acute and delayed clinical sequel associated with experimental TBI thereby enhancing neuroprotection and improving patient morbidity after a TBI.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:

- Requires a graduate Ph.D. degree in Neuroscience, Neurobiology, Molecular Biology, Psychology, or another related scientific field.

- At least 3 years of post Doctorate preclinical (animal) research experience in Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).

- Demonstrated ability to author research summaries and present research findings.

- Ability to operate research equipment requiring manual dexterity.

- Ability to handle research animals, wear appropriate personal protective equipment, and work in a Biosafety Level (BSL) 2 laboratory.

- Hands-on experience with rodent surgery and physiological monitoring techniques, as well as experience conducting experiments with laboratory rats that are designed to gain insights into injury mitigation and the medical care of combat casualties with TBI.

- Ability to utilize office automation equipment, including computers, photocopiers, telephones, and telefax machines.

Preferred Qualifications:

- Desired experience 5-10 years.

WORKING LOCATIONS & ADDITIONAL INFO:

- WRAIR facility, Bldg 503, Silver Spring MD.

- Occasional travel for conference and symposia attendance and/or presentations

Odyssey Systems Consulting Group, LTD. is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or other factors protected by federal, state, and/or local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting; hiring; placement; promotion; termination; layoff; recall; transfer; leaves of absence; compensation; and training.#LI-POST

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor's legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c).

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