Cardiovascular Center’s Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cardiovascular Sciences
Supported by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), we are accepting applications for postdoctoral and clinical fellows.
The goal of the Cardiovascular Center’s T32 Training Program is to provide a highly versatile, integrated, and effective approach for training the next generation of cardiovascular scientists and physicians by incorporating a broad-based, personalized, supportive, diversity-conscious, and rigorous training program that prepares individuals for a career in academics with options for a focus in industry/biotechnology/health policy or to pursue a career as a scientific liaison.
I have been a part of two other T32 programs and I have been trained in four different institutions. That being said, I must say the [MCW] CVC training program was by far the most intensive and complete I have ever seen. Overall, this fantastic experience will be instrumental to achieving my final goals.
Pablo Nakagawa, PhD, Past Fellow
Program & Application Information
Next application deadline: August 30, 2023
This up to three-year training commitment emphasizes critical components designed to launch/sustain research careers:
1) individualized development plans (IDPs),
2) personalized multidisciplinary mentoring teams,
3) training in core competencies, and
4) industry/biotechnology or scientific liaison career options for trainees not pursuing a traditional career in academia.
Additional support for trainees is provided by a grant from the A. O. Smith Foundation for the CVC’s A. O. Smith Fellowship Scholars Program. This unique program is designed to support talented cardiovascular researchers and physicians in an innovative educational program that aims to provide mentoring, training, research support, and the necessary resources to overcome the barriers that exist to launching and sustaining a successful research career. Our trainees have numerous professional opportunities available to them including optional 1-2 week sabbaticals to acquire new skills, annual pilot awards to support preliminary studies, the opportunity to meet with visiting speakers, service opportunities on scientific meeting planning committees, and more.
How to Apply
Applicants should be highly-motivated, ambitious, productive, and have (or anticipate having) a PhD, PharmD, MD, or DO in a relevant research area such as biology, molecular biology, genetics, immunology, biochemistry, pharmacology, or physiology with a strong track record of, and a keen interest in at least one of the four research areas – Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis & Vascular Biology; Hypertension; Precision Cardiovascular Medicine; Cardiac Biology & Heart Failure
To apply, applicants must submit this completed application form to cvc@mcw.edu along with copies of the following:
- Curriculum vitae
- A letter of reference from 3 former mentors/supervisors
- A letter of reference from your identified faculty mentor, to include a mentoring plan and summary of planned project
- Cover letter including a statement of research interests and name of your preferred primary faculty mentor
If you have questions, contact cvc@mcw.edu.
Experiences in the CVC Postdoctoral Fellowship
Program Leadership
Ivor Benjamin, MD, FAHA, FACC
Director, Cardiovascular Center; Professor, Medicine, Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, and Surgery; Program Director, CVC T32 Training Program
Mary G. Sorci-Thomas, PhD
Professor, Medicine (Endocrinology); Associate Director, Cardiovascular Center; Program Director, CVC T32 Training Program
Access to world class mentors and targeted support, which for me is continuing beyond the timeline of the fellowship (both Dr. Benjamin and Dr. Sorci-Thomas agreed to join my K99 advisory committee). It is helpful to have such a large group of successful researchers giving different perspectives on how to grow my career and turn to for advice.
Christine Klemens, PhD, Past Fellow
Current Postdoctoral Fellows
Amirala Bakhshian Nik, PhD, MS
Postdoctoral Fellow
Faculty Mentor: Caitlin O'Meara, PhD
Tyler Buddell, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Faculty Mentor: Michaela Patterson, PhD
Stephen Hammond, PhD, MS
Postdoctoral Fellow
Faculty Mentor: Andreas Beyer, PhD
Alicen Whitaker-Hilbig, DPT, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
Faculty Mentor: Matthew Durand, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellowship Information
Past Postdoctoral Fellows
Ryan Adam, PhD
Appointment Years: 2020-2023
Michael Flinn, PhD
Appointment Years: 2019-2020
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Medical College of Wisconsin
Christine Klemens, PhD
Appointment Years: 2017-2020
Current Position: Instructor/Research Associate, University of South Florida
Jing Liu, MBBS, PhD
Appointment Years: 2019-2021
Current Position: Research Scientist, University of Rochester
Pablo Nakagawa, PhD
Appointment Years: 2019-2020
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Medical College of Wisconsin
Joshua Nord, PhD
Appointment Years: 2020-2023
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Medical College of Wisconsin
Jennifer Stancill, PhD
Appointment Years: 2017-2020
Current Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Medical College of Wisconsin
Sakthi Sundararan, MD, MS
Appointment Years: 2020-2022
Current Position: Cardiology Fellow, Froedtert and the Medical College of Wisconsin
Janée Terwoord, PhD
Appointment Years: 2020-2022
Current Position: Assistant Professor, Rocky Vista University
Moua Yang, PhD
Appointment Years: 2018-2019
Current Position: Instructor, Harvard Medical School
Program Staff
I think establishing a mentoring team and receiving input from professors other than my primary mentor has been beneficial to my research progress and is not something I would have formed without my appointment on the T32 fellowship. I thoroughly enjoyed my time as the trainee representative on the T32 Executive Committee. It helped me understand how the applications are evaluated and how I can potentially improve my portfolio.
Jennifer Stancill, PhD, Past Fellow
Contact Us
For questions about the training program
