JDRF-nPOD CALL FOR CO-EXCUTIVE DIRECTOR

Preparing for the Next Era of nPOD Research

To the Type 1 Diabetes Research and Care Community:

We are pleased to announce the initiation of an open search for a new Co-Executive Director to join our leadership team at the Network for Pancreatic Organ donors with Diabetes (nPOD). Our hope is that in early 2018, a highly qualified individual will assume this role following evaluation and selection by a committee comprised of current nPOD leadership, our funding organizations (Breakthrough T1D and The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust), as well as nPOD’s External Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).

In envisioning the future of nPOD, we recognize a need to expand the program’s current administrative structure to prepare for the next generation of leaders and the need to address emerging scientific objectives. In addition to program oversight, we envision that the new Co-Director will help achieve (up to) three key purposes:

1. Participate on the Tissue Prioritization Committee (TPC). TPC members serve as the gatekeepers for the nPOD biorepository; they review new investigator applications to determine the scientific merit and feasibility of using nPOD samples, discuss changes to current investigators’ projects, and mediate collaborations among current and new investigators.
2. Facilitate interactions between nPOD and health care providers (especially Pediatric Endocrinologists) across the United States. An ideal candidate will work with nPOD staff to connect nPOD with physicians; this, to ensure that health care providers are aware of nPOD and our mission. Indeed, when a child is admitted to the emergency room with diabetic ketoacidosis and type 1 diabetes is known or suspected, it is our hope that such outreach efforts would increase the frequency of referral for highly valuable cases to research.
3. Support on going efforts to expand data sharing and analysis of big data. As nPOD investigators continue to generate new data using cutting-edge technologies often resulting in large data sets, the need for sophisticated analyses and data sharing platforms has become increasingly apparent.

Individuals having a strong background in either type 1 diabetes research, data analysis, and/or acquisition of human samples, would form the ideal candidate. Funding up to 0.20 FTE will be provided. Interested applicants should provide a copy of their CV plus a cover letter (up to 500 words maximum) to Joseph Pobee (pobee@ufl.edu) describing their interests in and qualifications for the position by January 19, 2018.

We look forward to welcoming this new individual into our team to help us direct the next era of nPOD research and impact the goal of finding the cause of type 1 diabetes and developing a means to cure it.

Mark Atkinson, PhD                    Alberto Pugliese, MD
Executive Director, nPOD          Co-Executive Director, nPOD