Postdoctoral Positions in Mechanical Engineering / Otolaryngology

Ph.D. level, staff scientist and/or postdoctoral positions in otolaryngology/mechanical engineering with foci on development of several types of surgical tools and biophysical studies are available in an interdisciplinary team of a NIH-funded project headed by Professor Anil Lalwani, MD, and Professor Jeffrey Kysar, PhD, at Columbia University, in New York, New York, USA. The successful applicants will join a dynamic, interdisciplinary group of researchers including otolaryngologists, mechanical engineers, clinicians, and neuroscientists. The goal of the project is to develop surgical tools and procedures that will allow the introduction of therapeutics into the cochlea (inner ear) through the round window membrane that separates the middle ear from the cochlea.  We seek to fill two positions.  One successful applicant will focus on engineering related issues and one other successful applicant will focus on the biological/medical related issues.

The engineering researcher will have responsibilities that include: (1) Determine experimentally and model computationally the mechanical and failure properties of the round window membrane in animal models as well as in human cadaveric tissue; (2) Perform and interpret micro-CT scans of the temporal bone including the cochlea; (3) Develop a detailed Finite Element Method (FEM) model of the deformation and perforation of the round window membrane via microscale needles; (4) Determine experimentally and model computationally the fluid flow and/or diffusion of various chemical and molecular species across both an intact and a perforated round window membrane. The successful candidate will extensively perform nanoindentation, tensile testing, bulge testing, computer-aided design, 3D printing, FEM modeling, optical and scanning electron microscopy, among many other methods.

The biological/medical researcher will have responsibilities that include: evaluate the safety of application of tools developed on hearing and the inner earusing in vitro and in vivo animal models as well as cadaveric human temporal bones; techniques used to assess safety will require survival animal surgery and include histology (light & electron microscopy), electrophysiology (e.g. ABR, OAE), and immunological methods. He/she will be collaborating with a multi-disciplinary team and will work with otolaryngologists, hearing scientists, and medical students to bring the academic studies to clinical trials.

To apply for the engineering researcher position, please send your cover letter, CV as well as names and contact information for three references to Professor Jeffrey Kysar, PhD, at jk2079@columbia.edu.

To apply for the biological/medical researcher position, please send your cover letter, CV as well as names and contact information for three references to Professor Anil Lalwani, MD, at akl2144@cumc.columbia.edu.

 Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer --Race/Gender/Disability/Veteran.