Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research

Position ID:MIT-KochInstitute-MSFELLOW23 [#24239]
Position Title: Mazumdar-Shaw International Oncology Fellow
Position Type:Postdoctoral
Position Location:Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States [map] sort by distance
Subject Areas: Biology / Biochemistry, Biology, Genomic/Proteomic, Genomics, Immunology, Molecular, Molecular Genetics, Molecular/Cell Biology, Mouse Genetics
Appl Deadline: finished (2023/01/31, finished 2024/01/09)
Position Description:    

*** this position has been closed and new applications are no longer accepted. ***

The Mazumdar-Shaw International Oncology Fellowship

The Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) is a National Cancer Institute-designated Basic Cancer Research Center where researchers seek and design new solutions to the complex problems of cancer. The Koch Institute’s highly collaborative teams of biologists, chemists, materials scientists, computer scientists, clinicians, engineers, and others pioneer innovative and cross-disciplinary strategies for detecting, treating, monitoring, and preventing cancer. Through its distinguished faculty, the Koch Institute shares MIT’s commitment to educating and training the next generation of leading cancer investigators. Consequently, Koch Institute researchers endeavor to interact with scholars worldwide to advance global innovations in bioinformatics, nanotechnology, immunology, mobile technology, and novel materials in the fight against cancer. 

The Mazumdar-Shaw International Oncology Fellows Program 
 
To foster this multinational approach to cancer research, MIT has established an academically and clinically impactful collaboration with India. The cornerstone of the Mazumdar-Shaw International Oncology Fellows Program is training scientists with the skills needed to address key cancer-related challenges in India, which underlies the broader goal of building India’s position as an intellectual and productive hub for oncology research. 

This Fellows program offers two-year, full-time opportunities for postdoctoral scientists, engineers, or physicians to perform cancer research at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research at MIT. Utilizing rich, community-wide opportunities at the KI, MIT, and the greater Boston area, the program promotes cross-disciplinary experience in the fields of basic cellular biology, medicine, engineering, and computer science. Specifically, Mazumdar-Shaw fellows at the Koch Institute will be encouraged to: 

  • Collaborate with other researchers within the Koch Institute’s labs, across MIT departments, and connect with other academic, clinical, and biotech scientists in Boston 
  • Participate in a robust range of Koch Institute- and lab-sponsored programs, activities, and community events along with other postdoctoral scholars and researchers 
  • Take full advantage of career, social, and support services
  • Attend regular lab meetings, monthly Koch Institute-sponsored research forums and seminars, project-specific research retreats, and the annual KI research retreat. 
Fellowship Overview 
The Mazumdar-Shaw International Oncology Fellows Program is currently accepting applications for 2 full-time positions at an appointment of two years each. Candidates will be expected to identify an important biomedical research question and propose a related project that extends their research interests and abilities. The Fellowship is awarded with the express expectation that the Fellows will subsequently continue their research in India and plans to continue their work in India following their fellowship should be developed in advance. Note: funding for this subsequent work must be secured separately. 

The Mazumdar-Shaw International Oncology Fellowship provides the following:
  • a yearly stipend consistent with the KI postdoctoral salary scale • travel expenses for the Fellow and their KI faculty sponsor(s) to share their research with colleagues at peer institutions in India 
  • additional support to cover expenses including health insurance and small items of equipment 
  • $40,000 USD per Fellow per year for research. 
Funding for the second year of the Fellowship requires formal approval of a progress report containing a report on the first-year research carried out at MIT, a statement of support by the Fellow’s MIT faculty sponsor(s), and a statement of intent about subsequent research plans in India. 

The Fellowship is awarded with the additional expectation that the Fellows will travel to India once per year during their Fellowship term to present their research to colleagues at peer institutions in India, and that during one of these trips their KI faculty sponsor(s) will join them. Funding for travel and related expenses covered by the Fellowship will require pre-approval by the Koch Institute. 

Eligibility Criteria 
  1. Fellowships are open to postdoctoral scientists, engineers, and physicians passionate in both tackling India-centric oncology problems, such as oral cancer, and furthering India’s position as a cancer research hub.
  2. The applicant must be either: a) an Indian national or b) a non-Indian national with intent to work on an Indian-centric research problem and spend time conducting research in India. Please note that applicants must hold an appropriate visa for eligibility. Applicants on H1-B visas are not eligible.
  3. Applicants may have a background in any appropriate field of study (e.g., biology, medicine, chemistry, physics, or engineering) but must propose to address an important cancer research question.
  4. The applicant should be about to submit his/her doctoral thesis OR have up to, but no more than, three years postdoctoral experience from the date of his/her PhD or MD. Time spent outside the research environment will be taken into consideration.
  5. The proposed research should fall within the Koch Institute’s current research focus areas as described below and on the Koch Institute’s web site. If applicants do not already hold postdoctoral positions in a Koch Institute-affiliated lab, candidates must obtain the written approval of a Koch Institute faculty sponsor(s) and indicate how this lab would most effectively align with their proposed research. Note, this documentation needs to be included with their application materials.
  6. The Koch Institute may consider inquiries from a host university regarding an exceptional biomedical research scientist or engineer who does not fall within the categories above. 
Application Process 
Applications are accepted for the current round from April 3, 2023, through 5pm EST on June 2, 2023. Fellows will be selected by the end of June. 

The applicant should give careful thought to his/her choice of KI faculty sponsor(s) and include the faculty sponsor’s letter of commitment with their materials. This letter should state the KI faculty’s confirmed sponsorship and potential fit in their lab. The applicant should drive the identification of a research question and the development of the proposal. However, the applicant’s KI faculty sponsor(s) may be able to provide the applicant with advice and support during the application process. 

Applications and all required documentation must be submitted electronically to MIT, via academicjobsonline.org. 

The application process requires: 
  1. Curriculum Vitae
  2. Research statement
  3. List of pending applications for funding
  4. Letter of support from an academic advisor
  5. Proof of authorization to work in the U.S.
  6. Letter of commitment from KI faculty sponsor(s) 
Regarding the research statement: The applicant’s statement will describe the intended research objective with particular focus on the two years to be spent at MIT. The proposed research should fall within the Koch Institute’s current research focus areas: nanotechnology-based cancer therapeutics; cancer detection and monitoring; metastasis; precision cancer medicine, including signaling and metabolic pathways and drug resistance; and cancer immunology. These research themes are more fully described on the Koch Institute’s web site. 

Applicants may not apply for more than one Koch Institute fellowship at any one time. Resubmissions are not permitted. 

Review Process
Application materials are reviewed by the Mazumdar-Shaw International Oncology Fellowship Screening Committee, following which a short list of candidates will be contacted for an initial phone or video screening interview with Koch Institute representatives. 

Through this video screening interview process, the Koch Institute Selection Committee will select final candidates for onsite interviews. These candidates may be invited to travel to MIT at the Program’s expense for a full day of interviews, including with the potential host lab(s), pending health and travel-related restrictions. The Koch Institute Selection Committee will make the final selection of Fellows. Applicants will be notified in writing of their success, or otherwise. Decisions will not be available by telephone. 

Reviewers typically assess:
  • applicant’s academic, professional, and publication record
  • importance of the research question and relevance to India-centric oncology
  • interdisciplinary training component (such as, will a biologist be gaining experience in technologies and/or approaches that are not typically used in biomedical research or will a physicist, for example, be conducting research in a biomedical context?)
  • applicant’s choice of appropriate research sponsor(s)
  • feasibility of the approach
  • applicant’s career aspirations and vision for how the Fellowship will contribute to immediate career goals
  • impact the applicant seeks to make on a difficult cancer problem. 
Application Contact 
Inquiries may be e-mailed to ki-msfellowship@mit.edu


MIT is an equal employment opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, ancestry, or national or ethnic origin. MIT’s full policy on Nondiscrimination can be found here. Employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background check, including verifying any finding of misconduct (or pending investigation) from prior employers.

Application Materials Required:
Submit the following items online at this website to complete your application:
And anything else requested in the position description.

Further Info:
ki.mit.edu
email address
 
77 Massachusetts Ave.
76-158
Cambridge MA 02139