Assistant/Associate Professor Tenure System

The faculty of the Department of Translational Neuroscience seek a motivated neuroscientist with a track record of scholarship in age-related neurodegenerative disease. While Translational Neuroscience hopes to enhance its faculty scholarship in Parkinson's disease (PD) and other synucleinopathies, discipline experts in Alzheimer's disease and related dementias or beyond are also encouraged to apply. Currently, Translational Neuroscience consists of fifteen faculty with particularly strong foci in Parkinson's disease and other synucleinopathies and Alzheimer's disease and other tauopathies. Labs employ model systems ranging from cell, to invertebrate, to rodent models. Areas of investigation for the Parkinson's team's span alpha-synuclein biology, neuroinflammation, levodopa-induced dyskinesias, deep brain stimulation, environmental exposure, and aging contributors to degeneration. The Alzheimer's team's expertise spans tau and amyloid biology, neuroinflammation, transcriptomic and proteomics, cell and animal model development, disease biomarkers and novel therapeutics. The successful candidate is expected to bring or develop an independent, nationally competitive research program that complements these larger neurodegenerative disease research portfolios while contributing to collaborations in service of larger program level projects, and the mentoring and didactic instruction of graduate trainees.

Translational Neuroscience is an academic unit within the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine (MSU-CHM) and is the home of 15 faculty members whose research focuses on neurodegenerative diseases with special emphases in Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and related dementias, and traumatic brain injury. Established in 2009, the department has garnered extramural awards exceeding $100M, and attributes much of its success to team-focused collaborative research, and a strong community culture. Translational Neuroscience laboratories are located within the new 85,000 net sq. ft. state-of-the-art MSU Grand Rapids Research Center (GRRC). The over $200 million expansion of MSU-CHM to Grand Rapids, MI is, by design, a coordinated effort among local partner hospitals (Corewell Health, Trinity Health Grand Rapids) and research-intensive institutions (MSU-CHM, Van Andel Research Institute) to bring basic researchers and clinicians together to create unified translational science initiatives. With these resources, MSU-CHM and its partner institutions in Grand Rapids are laying the foundation to create a geographic nexus unparalleled in its commitment to Parkinson's and Alzheimer's research excellence.

Required Qualifications:

The position requires a PhD or equivalent with a record of sustained scholarship in Parkinson's disease or closely allied research areas, commensurate with experience. The scope of the candidate's research program should demonstrate a commitment to translational efforts aimed at bridging basic science discoveries with clinical application. A stated desire, or an established track record of participating in multidisciplinary team-based collaborations is essential. Dedication to mentoring students/fellows should be evident. Applicants for Associate Professor with Tenure should have a successful, sustained, active extramural funding history in neurodegenerative disease research.

Desired Qualifications

Research foci including basal ganglia circuit dynamics, cognition, astrocyte/microglial biology, synaptic transmission, or lysosomal function are desired but not required.