Training Opportunities in Nicotine & Tobacco Research

Brown Medical School, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior: 2-year Post-doctoral fellowship in Addictions Research.

The Addictions Research Group (Richard A. Brown, Ph.D., Director) at the Brown Medical School-affiliated Butler Hospital invites applications for a post-doctoral fellowship position to individuals holding a Ph.D. in clinical psychology and who are interested in pursuing clinical research. Post-doctoral fellows will have the opportunity to be involved in ongoing NIH-funded clinical trials that are evaluating 1) the development of a distress tolerance treatment for early lapse smokers, 2) the efficacy of a moderate intensity aerobic exercise intervention for smoking cessation, 3) the efficacy of a telephone counseling smoking cessation intervention for smokers with recurrent major depression, and 4) the efficacy of a motivational interviewing (MI) intervention for adolescents with comorbid substance use and psychiatric disorders. Post-doctoral fellows may also engage in the publication of empirical research papers from several recently completed studies including the pharmacologic interventions of bupropion and fluoxetine in smoking cessation, aerobic exercise for alcohol and drug dependent patients, MI for teen smoking, and mood management treatment for depressed alcoholics. These completed projects resulted in rich data resources for the investigation of outcome and process factors influencing treatment outcome for individuals with addictive behaviors. In addition, postdoctoral fellows will have the opportunity to participate in grant writing, weekly research meetings, and training seminars. Lastly, the position will consist of 25% clinical work on the various ongoing NIH-funded clinical trials described above. See http://bms.brown.edu/DPHB/pages/training/training_psychology/Clinical_fellowships/PostdoctoralFellowshipinTreatmentofAddictiveBehaviors.htm for application and posting details. For further information email Richard_Brown@brown.edu. Screening begins immediately and will continue until the position is filled. Starting dates vary from July 1 to September 1. Brown Medical School is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and actively solicits applications from women and minorities.

Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, Toronto & University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Canada: Strategic Training Fellowships.

The Strategic Training Program in Tobacco Use in Special Populations (TUSP) invites graduate students, MD/PhD post-doctoral research fellows and new and established investigators who wish to pursue a research career focused on populations with high prevalence of smoking to apply for Strategic Training Fellowships. The goal of this program is to develop capacity for transdisciplinary tobacco research in special populations in Canada. There is a dearth of research in populations with high prevalence of smoking such as patients with concurrent addictions and or mental illness. Pregnant smokers and those with cancer or heart disease have difficulty quitting. There is a need to train biomedical and cessation researchers urgently. Therefore, we have formed a team of researchers from all pillars in the tobacco field (from cells to society) with researchers working with the above populations to create a transdisciplinary training program. Opportunities exist within the TUSP Program for mentoring by a number of outstanding research scientists. For application information, please see our website at www.tusp.net or contact Virginia Chow, c/o Nicotine Dependence Clinic, room 1096, CAMH, 33 Russell Street, Toronto, ON M5S 2S1, Tel: 416-535-8501 x 1199, Fax: 416-260-4205. Email: virginia_chow@camh.net.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute

Trainees will have the opportunity to work with an international team of over forty scientists involved with the Roswell Park Transdisciplinary Tobacco Use Research Center (TTURC), which is a large, multi-country research collaboration evaluating the impact of national tobacco control policies and programs on tobacco use behaviors. We are seeking applicants who will utilize the existing research infrastructure in the Roswell Park TTURC as a platform to develop and support their own research program to complement the current TTURC funded work. Research opportunities are available for those interested in policy relevant research focused on product regulation, secondhand smoke, marketing restrictions, health communications, and cessation treatment evaluations. The Department of Health Behavior at the Roswell Park Cancer Institute also operates the New York State Smokers’ Quitline and oversees resources devoted to community based tobacco control activities, which provides additional opportunities for research. With mentorship from Roswell Park TTURC investigators, the candidates will be responsible for analyzing data and developing new studies designed to help inform the public health practice of tobacco control. It is expected the candidates will seek additional funding to support their research agenda as they move toward an independent research career. In addition, the candidates may be expected to supervise graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. Qualifications: Applicants must hold a doctoral level degree (e.g., Ph.D., Dr. P.H., Ed.D.) in a health behavior-related discipline such as health education, psychology, health communications, economics, health policy, or epidemiology, and they are expected to have excellent analytic and writing skills. The position is for 2-3 years, but has the potential to develop into a faculty position. Salary is commensurate with NIH standards for a post-doc position. For more details on the position please contact: K. Michael Cummings, Ph.D., M.P.H., Chair, Department of Health Behavior, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, New York 14263. Phone: (716) 845-8456. E-mail: michael.cummings@roswellpark.org. To apply please forward a curriculum vitae, statement of research interests, and three letters of reference to Dr. Cummings directly at the e-mail address above. Roswell Park Cancer Institute is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer.

University of California, San Francisco: Post-doctoral program in Drug Abuse Treatment and Services Research

Traineeships in drug abuse treatment and services research are available in the Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), in a large, active, multidisciplinary research environment that is supported by multiple research projects and center grants. Scholars work with a preceptor to design and implement studies. The focus is on treatment and services research in drug dependence, including tobacco dependence. Scholars also select an area of focus for independent research. Current research interests of faculty include trials of efficacy and effectiveness of psychosocial and pharmacologic treatment of drug abuse, including tobacco dependence; innovative methodology including internet based studies; treatment of complex patients in non-traditional settings; research on treatment tailored for HIV-positive drug abusers and drug abusers with psychiatric and medical disorders; research on provision of services to drug abusing populations; human genetics and nicotine; instrument development in drug abuse; and diagnostic techniques. Many successful applicants are psychologists with strong scientific backgrounds. The program has also included scholars with backgrounds in epidemiology, methodology, nursing, psychiatry, health policy, pharmacology, public health, and social work; and welcomes basic scientists who wish to learn the skills needed to translate their work to treatment and clinical issues. Stipends are funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. Preceptors are encouraged to supplement stipends from non-NIH sources. A priority of the department is the training of women and minorities for academic research careers. The application period is open until filled. Please see our website at www.ucsf.edu/sftrc or contact Lorel Hiramoto at lhiramoto@lppi.ucsf.edu or (415) 476-7673 for a program brochure and application information. Sharon Hall, Ph.D., Barbara Havassy, Ph.D., James Sorensen, Ph.D., and Connie Weisner, Dr.P.H. are Co-Directors. Mailing Address: Postdoctoral Training Program in Drug Abuse Treatment and Services Research, University of California, San Francisco, 401 Parnassus Avenue, UCSF Box 0984-TRC, San Francisco, CA 94143-0984.

University of California, San Francisco: Fellowships in Tobacco Control Research

The University of California, San Francisco, Center for Tobacco Control Research and Education (CTCRE) invites applications for fellowships in policy-relevant, tobacco-control research. Applications are due January 31, 2008, for fellowships beginning July 1, 2008. Fellowships are funded for one or two years and may be extended. The CTCRE represents a partnership between UCSF faculty and the Tobacco Control Archives (TCA) housed in the Kalmanovitz Library. The CTCRE offers two research programs. Postdoctoral trainees will receive an annual salary commensurate with their experience, approximately $37,000-$51,000, according to the NIH stipend scale. These positions are supported by an R25T NIH training grant and applicants should be eligible for funding from the National Institutes of Health. Postgraduate trainees will receive and annual salary commensurate with their experience and subject to funding availability. Sources of funding may include support from the scholar’s home institution, faculty-mentor funding, or an R25T NIH training grant. Trainees will be recruited from a variety of fields including basic science, social science, public health, clinical science, political science, history, economics, law and marketing. They will study and conduct research in association with UCSF faculty mentors. Applicants may learn more about the fellowship program and current faculty research at the CTCRE website: http://tobacco.ucsf.edu. To request an application form please contact the Program Asst., UCSF CTCRE, 530 Parnassus Ave., #366, San Francisco, CA 94143-1390, (415) 476-0140, Fax. (415) 514-9345, or Email: nathan.sinclair@ucsf.edu.

University of Illinois at Chicago, Institute for Health Research & Policy: Post-doctoral fellowship in prevention research (HIV, substance abuse, and related problem behaviors)

The Institute for Health Research and Policy at the University of Illinois at Chicago announces the availability of Post-doctoral Fellowships to work in the areas of etiology and prevention of HIV and substance use. Fellowships are funded by a National Institute of Drug Abuse Training Grant. Fellows work with multidisciplinary faculty in Psychology, Public Health, Institute for Juvenile Research, Biostatistics, Sociology, and Economics. Research areas include the etiology and prevention of child and adolescent problem behaviors (smoking, drug use, antisocial behavior, and unsafe sex), along with HIV prevention at the community and international level. Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in several research studies, participate in publications and grant writing, and develop their own research projects. There are also numerous opportunities to develop advanced quantitative and statistical expertise. Training faculty include: Robin Mermelstein, Ph.D., Marc Atkins, Ph.D., Geri Donenberg, Ph.D., David Du Bois, Ph.D., Deborah Gorman-Smith, Ph.D., Judith Levy, Ph.D., Larry Ouellet, Ph.D., Pat Tolan, Ph.D., and Lauren Wakschlag, Ph.D. Candidates should have received a PhD, DrPH, or MD degree prior to starting the fellowship and must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Applications will be accepted and reviewed until the positions are filled. Start date is flexible. Mail a cover letter, curriculum vita, and three letters of reference to: Dr. Robin Mermelstein, Institute for Health Research and Policy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1747 W. Roosevelt Road, Room 558, M/C 275, Chicago, IL, 60608 or email robinm@uic.edu. The University of Illinois at Chicago is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is a smoke-free environment. Women and minority candidates are encouraged to apply.

University of Mississippi Medical Center, Department of Family Medicine: Health Psychology fellowship position in Primary Care.

The Department of Family Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center (UMMC) offers a Health Psychology Fellowship position. This two-year training program is based on a cognitive-behavioral orientation and strongly emphasizes a scientist-practitioner model. The program goal is to prepare psychologists to work in academic healthcare settings by providing extensive, supervised clinical, teaching, and research experience. The Fellowship program was established in the 1998-1999 academic year and Patrick O. Smith, Ph.D., serves as the Fellowship Director. Clinical Experience: Fellows provide outpatient clinical services at the Department of Family Medicine's two outpatient primary care clinics, and have the option of receiving inpatient hospital experience with the Family Medicine team at the Mississippi Baptist Medical Center (MBMC). Patients are referred by physician faculty and residents for a wide variety of psychological difficulties. Regular supervision regarding the assessment and treatment of primary care patients is a crucial component of training for developing advanced clinical skills. Teaching Experience: Fellows contribute to the didactic training of Family Medicine residents, dental and medical students by preparing and presenting lectures and seminars on a variety of behavioral and health issues. Fellows also contribute to the supervision of pre-doctoral psychology students pursuing externship experiences within the Department of Family Medicine. Research Experience: Fellows may develop independent research projects, subject to approval by the Fellowship Director and Institutional Review Board. Prior fellowship research has emphasized a variety of issues related to the use and management of tobacco use within primary care settings. However, fellows are encouraged to develop research projects of their own interests that will contribute to the field of health psychology. Fellows may supervise student externs in research activities. Fellows are granted library privileges at both UMMC and MBMC. Professional Development: Fellows are encouraged to participate in presentations at local, state, and national conferences when possible. Depending upon interest and level of involvement, travel allowances for conferences may be provided. Fellows are expected to work towards licensure requirements during their fellowship, which includes taking the national psychology licensure exam; ample support and time is provided for these activities. Compensation: Fellows receive $36,000 per year. Liberal benefits are included. Appointment date is usually between July and September with some flexibility.

University of Pittsburgh Medical Center: Post-doctoral position in human behavioral pharmacology of nicotine

A post-doctoral position in the behavioral pharmacology of nicotine in humans may be available in the laboratory of Dr. Kenneth A. Perkins at the University of Pittsburgh. This position is funded through NHLBI. Ongoing NIDA-supported projects focus on: 1) environmental modulation of nicotine responses and tobacco self-administration, 2) individual differences associated with sensitivity to nicotine, including gender, genetic, and personality factors. Applicants also interested in clinical research may become involved in smoking cessation studies. Interested candidates should send a CV and letter of interest to Dr. Perkins at the following address: Kenneth A. Perkins, Ph.D., Department of Psychiatry, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, 3811 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, voice: (412) 246-5395, fax: (412) 246-5390, email: perkinska@upmc.edu, website: http://myprofile.cos.com/perkinsk31.

The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center: Post-doctoral fellowships in Disparities & Addiction Research

The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Health Disparities Research, is accepting applications for Post-doctoral fellowships in Disparities and Addiction Research (2-3 year appointments). Fellows will have the opportunity to participate in several NIH-funded smoking and alcohol intervention and mechanism studies. Treatment approaches include using motivational enhancement therapies, mindfulness meditation, and cognitive behavioral approaches. Assessment approaches include ecological momentary assessments and implicit cognition. Special populations of interest include Latinos, African Americans, low socioeconomic status individuals, pregnant/postpartum women, and women in general. The program is designed to prepare Fellows for independent academic research careers. Fellows will participate in grant writing and publications, and will share in authorship and investigator status in a manner commensurate with their effort and responsibilities. Fellows will serve on project teams, implement research protocols, and oversee quality control and data management procedures. For interested candidates, there are opportunities to develop quantitative and statistical expertise. Fellows may also develop collaborative "add-on projects" that can be used to further their own research interests. Salary is very competitive with excellent fringe benefits. Qualifications include a doctoral degree or A.B.D. in psychology, public health, or other relevant social science. Experience with diverse populations, addiction, health disparities, or quantitative methods is preferred, but not required. For psychologists seeking licensure, opportunities exist for obtaining post-doctoral hours and supervision. The Department of Health Disparities Research provides unusually rich opportunities for community and behavioral research. An exceptional infrastructure and multidisciplinary opportunities in clinical and community settings are readily available. The M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is located within the Texas Medical Center, the largest medical center in the world. Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, with dynamic cultural and recreational resources and an affordable cost of living. Applications will be reviewed as they are received until the positions are filled. Application procedures: Email cover letter, curriculum vita, and the names and contact information for at least three professional/academic references to David W. Wetter, Ph.D., UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Dept. of Health Disparities Research at dwetter@mdanderson.org The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, religion, disability or veteran status, except where such distinction is required by law. All positions at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center are security sensitive and subject to examination of criminal history record information. Smoke-free and drug-free environment.

Yale University: Post-doctoral positions in brain imaging of drug abuse

The Psychiatry SPECT Imaging Program at Yale invites applications for post-doctoral positions in neuroreceptor imaging of addiction. Ongoing projects include studies imaging benzodiazepine receptors and nicotinic cholinergic receptors in living tobacco smokers, alcohol drinkers, and also in animal models of alcohol and nicotine addiction. We are especially interested in applicants who are willing to conduct transdisciplinary research. Applicants must have completed a MD,or PhD or equivalent degree in biology, chemistry, pharmacology, neuroscience or related discipline. Applicants should send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and the names of three references to Dr. Julie K. Staley, Director, Psychiatry SPECT Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine &VACHS 116A2; 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven CT 06516 or email: julie.staley@yale.edu. US Citizenship is required. Yale University School of Medicine is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.

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