Senior Scientist, Sickle Cell Disease Program

Emory University is a leading research university that fosters excellence and attracts world-class talent to innovate today and prepare leaders for the future. We welcome candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of our academic community.

The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University School of Medicine and Morehouse School of Medicine are partnering in a $16M expansion of its Sickle Cell Disease Program, supported by an award from the Georgia Research Alliance, and with investments from Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta, Emory University, and Morehouse School of Medicine. This initiative will focus on therapeutic development in sickle cell disease and includes the addition of three faculty members at Emory and one at Morehouse School of Medicine. The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center of Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and the Emory University Department of Pediatrics invites qualified applicants to apply for a key position of this initiative as Senior Scientist, Sickle Cell Disease Program.

This position offers a wealth of opportunities for research collaborations within the Department of Pediatrics, Winship Cancer Institute, Grady Hospital as well as with Emory basic science departments, the Rollins School of Public Health, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Morehouse School of Medicine and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Candidates should hold current appointments at the Associate Professor or Professor level. Successful candidates will have:

• MD, MD/PhD, or PhD
• If MD, must have Board Certification in Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
• If MD, must be currently licensed as a physician and eligible for licensure as a physician in the State of Georgia
• National recognition in an area of science or technology that is anticipated to be at the forefront of sickle cell disease research for the foreseeable future
• Demonstrated strong potential for developing a Research Center of Excellence
• Record of creating a sustainable research enterprise with productive collaborations and/or
• Record of intellectual property transferred to the marketplace (patent/disclosure record) and/or
• Record of creating intellectual property that forms the basis of sustainable company(ies)
• Qualifications to support appointment at the rank of Professor at Emory University and Morehouse School of Medicine.
• History of sustained productivity as evidenced by citations in high caliber peer-reviewed academic literature over sustained period (e.g., author’s h index metric.)
• A strong record of academic excellence/achievement and funding as an independent investigator and willingness to work in a collaborative fashion to expand and strengthen current collaborations with investigators from other divisions and departments at Emory, Georgia Tech, Georgia State and the Morehouse School of Medicine.
• A history of mentorship of trainees and faculty to support growth in research and scholarship.
• Will have an appointment with Morehouse School of Medicine

Salary and rank of Professor at the Emory University School of Medicine will be commensurate with experience and accomplishment. This position will have the opportunity to engage in clinical service and will have dedicated time for administrative duties.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta and Emory University have worked together since 1956, facilitating leading-edge pediatric research, training, and innovation. Together, our partnership advances research and facilitates evidence-based quality care for children. In 2020, the Emory Department of Pediatrics was the #1 ranked pediatric department in National Institutes of Health research funding.

This job posting is part of our ambitious $200M investment to substantially grow our team of world class child health researchers over the next five years. Contact peds.research@emory.edu with inquiries and for more information

To apply
Applicants interested in this position should apply online and upload a curriculum vitae, a summary of research accomplishments, and a description of future independent research plans.

About Our Program

The Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center provides a rich and collaborative environment for basic, clinical and translational research and boasts a diverse faculty. Our Sickle Cell Disease Program is an integral component of the largest pediatric non-malignant hematology program in the nation.
Our Sickle Cell Disease Program:

About the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
The successful candidate will join one of the strongest pediatric hematology/oncology programs in the country.

• Our Center has 115 faculty and 35 Advance Practice Providers (APPs), conducting basic, translational, and clinical research in gene therapy, focusing on CAR T-cell therapies, hemoglobinopathies, and hemophilia.
• More than 7,000 children with cancer and blood disorders are treated annually at the Aflac Cancer and Blood Disorders Center
• The Aflac pediatric hematology program is one of the largest in the country (including over 2,000 active patients with sickle cell disease, and 600 with bleeding or clotting disorders)
• The Aflac blood and marrow transplantation program performed over 80 transplants last year, and having performed over 100 transplants in sickle cell disease, is one of the leaders in curative therapies for hemoglobinopathies.
• In 2021, we were ranked No. 6 in the nation by US News and World Report for Pediatric Cancer
• In 2020, our faculty generated $21.5M in extramural funding including more than $12.3M from the NIH
• Our pediatric oncology program cared for more than 500 new cancer cases last year and is the pediatric component of the Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University.
• Our fellowship program accepts 6 fellows each year for intensive clinical and research training in pediatric hematology/oncology. We are one of the few pediatric programs with an NIH-funded T32 training grant in non-malignant hematology

About the Emory Department of Pediatrics

• We have over 450 faculty members, including 121 PhD faculty, and 156 faculty with extramural research funding.
• We rank 1st nationally among Pediatric Departments in NIH funding, with more than $97M in 2020.
• In addition to Aflac, basic science research programs exist in cystic fibrosis, immunology, virology and vaccine development, gastroenterology and hepatology, cardiology, and biomedical engineering.
• Our laboratories train more PhD students than any other Emory department.
• Department of Pediatrics is centrally located in two main facilities: Health Sciences Research Building (HSRB) with 115,000 GSF dedicated to research and the Emory-Children’s Center (ECC) which includes 64,500 sq. ft. of research space and a 12,500 sq. ft. small animal vivarium. The new HSRB II Building is expected to open April 2022, which will add an additional 350,000 sq. ft. of research space.

About Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

• As the only tertiary pediatric center in the dynamic metropolitan Atlanta area, serving a population of over 6 million people, Children’s provides a rich environment for clinical programs in rare disorders.
• With 638 beds on 3 campuses, Children’s is a national volume leader in Hematology, Cardiology, Surgery, Orthopedics, and Emergency Medicine.
• Children’s has embarked on a $2.2 B expansion, including a new 1.25 M sq. ft. hospital complex to be completed in 2025, bringing total beds to 758.

The Emory + Children’s Pediatric Institute is an affiliation between Emory University and Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta that is improving the lives of children in Georgia and beyond. The Pediatric Institute combines the unique strengths and resources of each institution in support of our three-part academic missions of providing outstanding clinical care, conducting innovative basic science discovery and clinical research, and coordinating exceptional education of the future healthcare workforce.

To ensure the safety of our campus community, the COVID-19 vaccine is required. For more information on the University and Hospital policies and potential exemptions, please see our website.

Emory University is dedicated to providing equal opportunities and equal access to all individuals regardless of race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, genetic information, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and veteran's status. Emory University does not discriminate in admissions, educational programs, or employment on the basis of any factor stated above or prohibited under applicable law. Students, faculty, and staff are assured of participation in University programs and in the use of facilities without such discrimination. Emory University complies with Executive Order 11246, as amended, Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Vietnam Era Veteran's Readjustment Assistance Act, and applicable executive orders, federal and state regulations regarding nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action. Emory University is committed to achieving a diverse workforce through application of its affirmative action, equal opportunity and nondiscrimination policy in all aspects of employment including recruitment, hiring, promotions, transfers, discipline, terminations, wage and salary administration, benefits, and training. Inquiries regarding this policy should be directed to the Emory University Department of Equity and Inclusion, 201 Dowman Drive, Administration Building, Atlanta, GA 30322. Telephone: 404-727-9867 (V) | 404-712-2049 (TDD).

Emory University is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. To request this document in an alternate format or to request a reasonable accommodation, please contact the Department of Accessibility Services at 404-727-9877 (V) | 404-712-2049 (TDD). Please note that one week advance notice is preferred.