Open-Rank Faculty Position with Focus on Health Disparities in Neurodegenerative Diseases
Job Description Summary
The Department of Translational Neuroscience, in partnership with the Department of Public Health and the Center for Bioethics and Social Justice at Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in Grand Rapids, Michigan, is seeking a dedicated and accomplished researcher for a tenure-track/tenured faculty position with a primary research focus on health disparities in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease and related dementias and Parkinson’s disease. Applicants will be considered for the faculty titles of Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, or Professor. This position offers a unique opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research aimed at unraveling the complex interplay between social, cultural, and biological factors that contribute to the unequal burden of neurodegenerative diseases within diverse populations. We are searching for a dedicated researcher and educator who is passionate about investigating health disparities in neurodegenerative diseases across diverse populations and developing strategies to address these disparities.
The successful candidate will base his/her/their research program in the Department of Translational Neuroscience at the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The headquarters for the College of Human Medicine is in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Grand Rapids campus was established in 2010 to expand medical education and research opportunities in western Michigan. The Department of Translational Neuroscience faculty are actively contributing to NIH-funded initiatives to reduce health disparities in Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, through the Michigan Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center (MADRC; P30AG053760) and the Michigan Center for Contextual Factors in Alzheimer’s Disease (MCCFAD; P30AG059300). We have spent several years establishing community partnerships in West Michigan to enhance knowledge about risk factors associated with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, developed a directory of research volunteers among the African American/Black and Hispanic/Latino communities and are researching novel blood biomarkers to facilitate early diagnosis. We also established a Community Partners Board to provide feedback on the development of ethnically/racially sensitive education materials, to consult on strategies to achieve equity and inclusion in research, and to inform us of community needs and priorities. These efforts and resources, built in collaboration across Translational Neuroscience and West Michigan community members, serve as the foundational components for a dedicated research program focused on the intersection of contextual factors and biological vulnerability in neurodegenerative diseases.
Successful candidates will demonstrate a deep understanding of and commitment to research of health disparities, including their causes, implications, and relevance to neurodegenerative diseases.