Surgery Research Fellowship
Professional development/research opportunities for surgery residents interested in academic careers are available in the joint laboratory of Dr. Melina Kibbe and Dr. Nick Tsihlis starting July 2025. Drs. Kibbe and Tsihlis’ laboratory pursues basic science and translational research in the fields of vascular biology, biomedical engineering, materials science, nanotechnology, and device development, among others. Located in the Department of Surgery at the University of Virginia, the lab consists of a multidisciplinary group where scientists and physicians work together to achieve a common goal.
We are looking for extremely talented and highly motivated surgery residents to work on the development, characterization, and evaluation of novel drug-eluting therapies for a broad array of diseases. The research involves the fields of nanomedicine, biomaterials, polymer chemistry, and vascular biology, among others. The Kibbe lab collaborates with investigators from numerous other labs to develop and test these therapies.
This work will involve designing studies, conducting in vitro and in vivo experiments, and analyzing and interpreting results from these experiments. Selected candidates will be responsible for the presentation of data at local, regional, and national meetings; preparation and submission of manuscripts for peer-review publication; preparation and submission of grant applications; and engagement in the teaching and mentorship of undergraduate and medical students working in the laboratory.
Prerequisites:
Candidates will be expected to commit to a two-year postdoctoral research experience, with the option to extend the research time to a third year if mutually desired. This is a fully paid position at the GME PGY3 salary rate. Surgery residents must have categorical positions at their home institutions that they can return to once the postdoctoral research fellowship is complete.
The surgery resident does not need to be interested in a career in vascular surgery; rather, the surgery resident must be interested in pursuing an academic surgical career that can be in a variety of specialties. Residents from a wide array of surgical residencies may apply (i.e., surgery, vascular surgery, CV surgery, plastic surgery, etc).
How To apply:
Interested candidates should inquire directly with Dr. Kibbe at melinakibbe@virginia.edu. Please email a CV and brief statement of interest (less than 1 page)
