Primary Children’s Hospital Center for Personalized Medicine offers a two-year fellowship in pediatric genomic medicine and gene therapy. Training occurs at the University of Utah and Primary Children’s Hospital, located in Salt Lake City, Utah.
Training includes direct patient in- and out-patient experiences, including rapid Whole Genome Sequencing (rWGS) patient evaluation, testing and follow-up; clinical gene therapy and Antisense Oligonucelotide (ASO) administration; clinical trial exposure with genetic therapies; didactic training including in regulatory elements; and a dedicated research project. During the first four months, a research mentor and project is identified, and the project is pursued during the training.
Program Director: David Viskochil, MD, Ph
Program Assistant Director: Josh Bonkowsky, MD, PhD
Program Faculty: Anne Blaschke
Josh Bonkowsky
Lorenzo Botto
Luca Brunelli
Russell Butterfield
John Carey
Samuel Cheshier
Stephen Guthery
Nicola Longo
Luke Maese
Sabrina Malone Jenkins
Martin Tristani-Firouzi
David Viskochil
Kevin Watt
Trainee Selection Criteria
Trainees will ideally be selected from candidates who have completed a residency and/or fellowship in pediatrics or a pediatrics-related specialty (e.g. Child Neurology; Pediatric Neurosurgery, etc.). Trainees will be chosen based upon demonstrated interest in academic medicine, research, and clinical expertise. Applicants are required to have U.S. citizenship or a green card; or any applicant who is not a US citizen or US permanent resident (green card) is NOT ELIGIBLE without an institutionally sponsored visa. For more detailed information, refer to the University of Utah IMG Eligibility and Exams policy. The Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) is the starting point for all international medical graduates. Information concerning ECFMG certification, examinations, sponsorship, visas, DS2019 forms, and other issues is available on the ECFMG web site at www.ecfmg.org.
Application
Application Components:
Application
Curriculum Vitae
Three professional references
Submit above by mail or e-mail attachment to:
David Viskochil, MD, PhD and Josh Bonkowsky, MD, PhD
Program Directors
Primary Children’s Center for Personalized Medicine
298 Chipeta Way
Department of Pediatrics
Salt Lake City, UT 84108
David.viskochil@hsc.utah.edu; joshua.bonkowsky@hsc.utah.edu
Fellowship Goals and Objectives
Our Fellowship provides training for clinician scientists in the field of pediatric genetic therapies and personalized medicine.
At the end of training, the specific goals are that all trainees will:
- Be conversant with modern molecular therapeutic approaches.
- Have completed IRB-certified training in Human Subjects Research.
- Have participated in the performance of at least one pre-clinical (laboratory-based) study of novel therapeutics.
- Understand utility, limitations, and application of genomic testing and follow-up in pediatric patients.
- Have participated in the design, initiation, performance, and/or interpretation of at least one clinical trial of genetic therapeutics.
- Write and submit an NIH K08, K23, or equivalent foundation grant (American Academy of Neurology Clinical Research Training Grant).
- Become an expert in the clinical, pathologic, and molecular diagnosis of inherited pediatric diseases. Trainees will demonstrate competencies to the satisfaction of Program Faculty and invited external reviewers.
- Demonstrate proficiency in basic laboratory techniques, including PCR, RT-PCR, Western Blot, primer design, immunofluorescent staining, and sequence analysis (using common programs).
Scholarly Activity Expectations
All trainees will be expected to pursue research projects, to be identified within the first four months in the program, in collaboration with program faculty. They will be expected to submit abstracts to at least one meeting per year.
Each will be expected to participate in the planning and/or performance of ongoing clinical trials of genetic therapies.
Fellowship Curriculum
Clinical Experiences
The training program consists of a two-year fellowship, with an expectation for participation throughout in research. Research options include both clinical and basic research projects.
The clinical experience will include two to three clinics per week, and in-patient participation with the Genomics Consult service, the clinical Genetics and Neurology programs; the Penelope clinic, and the NeoSeq program.
Didactic classes are in year 1, MSCI human genetics (90’ sessions, 8 lectures), and HGEN 6060 Genomic Analysis; and in year 2, HGEN 6421 Genetics of Complex Disease (half-semester), and HGEN 6810 Advanced Genome Analysis Journal Club.
Additional didactic training will include the following conferences:
- Quarterly seminars given by nationally and internationally recognized speakers at the University of Utah or at Primary Children’s Hospital.
- Weekly seminar series hosted by the Center for Genomic Medicine.
- Department of Pediatrics Research In Progress, weekly.
- Research-topic related journal club.
Additional Training
All trainees will also:
- Receive training in Human Subjects research through the resources made available by the IRB and Clinical Research Services division.
- Participate in the Department of Pediatrics Grant Writing workshop.