EDUCATION AND TRAINING

The Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center is involved with epidemiologic education and training at the predoctoral, doctoral, and postdoctoral levels.

Postdoctoral Training

Multiple postdoctoral fellow and junior faculty positions are available at the Vanderbilt Epidemiology Center to work on research in the molecular and nutritional epidemiology of cancer and other chronic diseases. Exciting opportunities exist to participate in over a dozen federally funded epidemiological studies, including case-control studies of common cancers and large, population-based cohort studies in the United States and abroad. Areas of ongoing research include diet and nutrition, environmental exposures, genetic, bacterial and other biomarkers for disease risk and progression, as well as quality of life in cancer survivors.

In addition, two nationally funded programs have been established at Vanderbilt for the training of the next generation of epidemiologists: the Vanderbilt Training Program in Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology of Cancer (MAGEC) and Vanderbilt-Shanghai Chronic Disease Research Training Program (VU-Shanghai CDRTP).

Candidates should have a doctorate in epidemiology or in a related field with additional training or experience in epidemiologic research. Successful candidates are expected to publish research papers and develop new projects in epidemiology and prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases. Candidates with a doctoral degree in molecular biology or genetics and a strong interest in receiving further training in epidemiology are also encouraged to apply.

Vanderbilt University, located in Tennessee’s capital city of Nashville, is one of America’s premier private universities. The Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center is a federally designated comprehensive cancer center and one of the country’s fastest growing research institutions. Vanderbilt University Medical Center was recently ranked as one of the 15 best institutions for postdoctoral fellows in a survey conducted by The Scientist.

Interested individuals should send a cover letter, a brief summary of research experience and interests, and curriculum vita to Dr. Wei Zheng: wei.zheng@vanderbilt.edu

 

PhD Program in Epidemiology

The Vanderbilt Doctoral Program in Epidemiology seeks to train critical thinkers who are prepared to make fundamental advances using rigorous and cutting-edge approaches to research. 

The goal of the Doctoral Program in Epidemiology is to provide education in epidemiology for individuals who have already earned a Master’s degree in a quantitative science (preferably epidemiology or biostatistics) that will develop graduates with exceptional skill in advanced quantitative methods. Our curriculum features rigorous classroom, computing and experience-based teaching in causal logic, inference, probability, and theoretical grounding for study design and data analysis. 

This unique program matches students with research teams as condition of acceptance, emphasizing use of actual data from their team in their course work to integrate training and research throughout the four years of the program.

Epidemiology Ph.D. Program Website

Training Program in Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology of Cancer (MAGEC)

The rapid development and advancement of technologies and knowledge in molecular biology and genetics have led to major breakthroughs in cancer etiology research. The Vanderbilt Training Program in Molecular and Genetic Epidemiology of Cancer (MAGEC) was established to equip postdoctoral fellows from a variety of disciplines with the methodological tools, practical laboratory and survey-research knowledge, and hands-on research and grant writing experience necessary to launch an independent career in the molecular and genetic epidemiology of cancer.

For more information, please visit the MAGEC application website here.