GettyImages-609179959-hero

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:

  1. Curriculum vitae
  2. A letter of reference from 3 former mentors/supervisors
  3. A letter of reference from your identified faculty mentor, to include a mentoring plan and summary of planned project
  4. Cover letter including a statement of research interests and name of your preferred primary faculty mentor

If you have questions, contact cvc@mcw.edu.

Apply Now

Program Leadership

headshot

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

headshot

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

headshot

Amirala Bakhshian Nik, PhD, MS

Postdoctoral Fellow

Faculty Mentor: Caitlin O'Meara, PhD

headshot

Tyler Buddell, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Faculty Mentor: Michaela Patterson, PhD

headshot

Stephen Hammond, PhD, MS

Postdoctoral Fellow

Faculty Mentor: Andreas Beyer, PhD

headshot

Michelle Roberts, PhD, MS

Postdoctoral Fellow

Faculty Mentor: Michal Widlansky, MD, MPH

headshot

Daniel Sprague, MD, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Faculty Mentor: Jonathan Marchant, PhD, MA

headshot

Alicen Whitaker-Hilbig, DPT, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellow

Faculty Mentor: Matthew Durand, PhD

Postdoctoral Fellowship Information

This program provides up to three years of training for postdoctoral fellows with an MD, PhD, PharmD, or DO degree (two new slots/year) and brings together over 40 basic scientists to serve as mentors in a program that is supported by specific research areas of scientific excellence (“Signature Programs”), a highly-integrated collaborative research environment, and access to an extensive research infrastructure.
all
About the Program

An up to three-year fellowship is available in the Medical College of Wisconsin Cardiovascular Center, in one of four major areas of research:

  • Atherosclerosis, Thrombosis & Vascular Biology
  • Hypertension
  • Precision Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Cardiac Biology & Heart Failure

The Cardiovascular Center postdoctoral fellow will receive personalized training within their selected research area led by a team of exceptional faculty members.

Fellows will:

  • Have premier support toward fellowship funding
  • Create and follow an individualized development plan (IDP)
  • Conduct research studies
  • Write grants and publish manuscripts
  • Present oral presentations locally and nationally
  • Have structured guidance toward becoming an independent investigator
  • Clinical scholars will have protected time for research

Per NIH guidelines, the postdoctoral fellow must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.

Download the Program Flyer (PDF)

Program Advisory Committees

Executive Committee

Joseph Barbieri, PhD
Professor of Microbiology & Immunology

Hubert Forster, PhD
Professor of Physiology

Nashaat Gerges, PhD, BPharm
Professor and Chair of Biopharmaceutical Sciences

David D. Gutterman, MD
Distinguished Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine
Senior Associate Director Emeritus, Cardiovascular Center

Elizabeth Jacobs, MD, MBA
Associate Chief of Staff for Research, Milwaukee VAMC
Associate Dean of Research, Professor of Medicine

Gilbert White, II, MD - Chair
Executive Vice President for Research
Director, Blood Research Institute
Richard H. and Sara E. Aster Chair for Medical Research
Professor of Medicine, Biochemistry, and Pharmacology & Toxicology

External Advisory Committee

Michelle Albert, MD, MPH
UCSF School of Medicine
Professor of Medicine
Director of NURTURE Center

Joey Barnett, PhD
Vanderbilt University
Vice Chair of Pharmacology
Professor of Pharmacology
Director of Office of Medical Student Research
Assistant Dean or Physician-Researcher Training
Director of T32 GM007628

Martha Daviglus, MD, PhD
University of Illinois at Chicago
Professor of Medicine
Associate Vice Chancellor for Research
Director, Institute for Minority Health Research

R. Clinton Webb, PhD
University of South Carolina
Professor of Cell Biology and Anatomy
Director, Cardiovascular Translational Research Center

Candidate Evaluation

Candidates for the CVC Postdoctoral Fellowship position will be evaluated by the T32 Program Directors, as well as the Executive Committee based on the criteria listed in the form.

Download the Candidate Evaluation Form (PDF)

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

headshot

Erin Theriault, MS

Program Manager I

etheriault@mcw.edu

(414) 955-7584

headshot

Allison DeVan

PhD, MA, Scientific Administrator

adevan@mcw.edu

(414) 955-5617

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

Erin Theriault, MS
Program Manager I
(414) 955-7584
cvc@mcw.edu
Medical College of Wisconsin Google map location