UCSF/Genentech Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Pharmacology

Overview

In the past decade, a plethora of new healthcare products have been developed, including innovative drugs and biologics, genome and cell-based therapies, mobile health products and implantable devices. Corresponding to the surge in these innovative products, there has been a scarcity of well-trained individuals to expertly develop and evaluate them for safe and effective use. Importantly, there is a new need for individuals who have computational training to apply their skills to the development of drugs, biologics, and medical diagnostics. The educational mission of UCSF in regulatory science is to train a new generation of scientists by providing opportunities to broaden their knowledge about tools, methods, and standards to support regulatory science, medical product development, and clinical pharmacology.

The UCSF/Genentech Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Pharmacology is an experiential program that will provide the most outstanding postdocs with unique immersion experiences in regulatory science research and drug development, with a particular emphasis on pharmacometrics and clinical pharmacology.

Training Components

Our objective is that the fellow should have a sufficient foundation and breadth in his/her training to engage in and serve as an ambassador for regulatory science research and education. The fellow will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with education level and experience. In general, fellows will spend the first year at UCSF and the second year at Genentech, though the fellowship may be extended for a total of three years. The anticipated start date of the first year fellowship at UCSF will be on or around July 1, 2024. The fellowship components are:

Research and Training at UCSF (1 year)

During the first year, the fellow is expected to spend at least 90% of his/her time on a scientific research project. The research project will either extend an existing project or will be an entirely new one-year project. Many of these projects are collaborative research projects with the FDA, so fellows may also gain experience working with FDA scientists or rotating at FDA. In addition to research, the fellow will take the UCSF-Stanford CERSI Immersion Course in Drug Discovery, Drug Development, and Regulation. The fellow is also expected to actively participate in all UCSF-Stanford CERSI seminars, meetings and events.

Immersion Experience in Industry (1 year)

Following the completion of the academic portion, fellows will be placed at Genentech to complement and extend his/her training in regulatory science, drug development, clinical pharmacology, and pharmacometrics. The fellow will be assigned a Genentech mentor and work alongside scientists in the Department of Clinical Pharmacology at Genentech. The mentors will help the fellow design the research project. The fellow is required to attend the annual UCSF-Stanford CERSI Innovations in Regulatory Science Summit.

Statement of Completion and Employment

Fellows will receive a document certifying their participation in the UCSF/Genentech Postdoctoral Fellowship in Clinical Pharmacology upon completion of all training components. Please note that this fellowship does not guarantee job placements upon completion.

Eligibility Criteria

Applicants must hold a doctoral degree (PhD in pharmaceutical sciences, chemical/biomedical engineering, applied mathematics, biomedical sciences or another related field, or hold a PharmD). Preferably, the candidate will have experience in mathematical modeling and simulation in pharmacology or biology (e.g. population PK/PD modeling, PBPK, quantitative systems pharmacology, or experience in transporter biology). The candidate must have an excellent record of academic achievement.

2023-2024 Application Process

Timeline

July 1, 2023 Application filing period opens
October 2, 2023 Application filing period closes
Oct-Nov 2023 Applications reviewed and interviews conducted
Nov-Dec 2023 Recipients notified
July 1, 2024 Fellowship start date

Required Application Materials

Applicants will submit the following required documents in the order listed below. Specific instructions for submission will be posted here when the application filing period opens.

Item Details
Application Cover Page Must contain applicant’s full name, highest degree obtained (and date obtained or anticipated), degree granting institution, current institutional affiliation, email address, cell phone number, and complete mailing address.
Statement of Interest (1,000 word maximum) Describes the applicant’s professional background and qualifications, regulatory science interests, skills to be acquired, and career goals, including how the fellowship would support those goals.
Curriculum Vitae (5 page maximum)
Scientific Publications or Other Writing Samples

(Submit up to 2 publications). Applicant should include a cover sheet preceding the writing samples that describes the samples and the applicant's role. Publications are intended to gauge the research and writing capability of applicants and do not necessarily need to be on the topic of regulatory science.

One Letter of Reference

Must be from the current research advisor. If the applicant does not have one, please provide a letter from the most recent research advisor.

Letter writers who wish to submit their letters directly may email them to Nathan Dang ([email protected]).

Names of two additional references Must provide full name, title, affiliation, and complete contact information.

Selection Process

Applications will be reviewed by UCSF faculty and Genentech scientists. UCSF will be the home institution for all fellows.

 

The UCSF/Genentech Postdoctoral Fellowship in Regulatory Science is supported by Genentech, Inc.