Positions

The Pain and Addiction Interaction Neuroscience (PAIN) Lab, located within the Division of Addictions of the Department of Psychiatry at the Yale University School of Medicine, is seeking to hire a postdoctoral associate to work on developing novel pain and addiction therapeutics, through translating advances in neuropsychopharmacological research. The ideal candidate should have recently completed a Ph.D. or M.D., with a background in psychiatry or psychology, and experience in behavioral data analysis, with proficiency in R or similar programs.

The postdoctoral associate will have the opportunity to work on Phase 1/2 human laboratory studies aiming to understand the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of substances that have both analgesic and addictive potential (e.g., phytocannabinoids, NDMA antagonists, psychedelics). The postdoctoral associate will work on studies recruiting healthy persons and persons with substance use disorders. Potential experiences include contributing to ongoing data collection; working on data already collected within the lab; and applying data analysis skills to larger, nationwide datasets.

The postdoctoral associate will receive training in state-of-the-art behavioral pharmacology techniques (delivering psychoactive substances using various routes of administration and manipulating processes that are clinically relevant for pain and addiction treatment); computerized quantitative sensory testing (QST) of pain; and real-world clinical trial methods. These training opportunities are bolstered by the rich intellectual environment of the Yale Division of Addictions with adjacent PI’s Mehmet Sofuoglu (expertise in addiction psychopharmacology), Mohini Ranganathan (expertise in cannabinoid science) and R. Ross MacLean (expertise in ecological momentary assessment applied to the study of co-occurring pain and addiction).

Expectations of the postdoctoral associate include the processing and analysis of complex behavioral data, aiming towards publishing manuscripts and generating novel scientific directions. Additional opportunities include behavioral and psychophysical task design and pharmacokinetics modeling.

The ideal candidate should be self-driven, creative, ethical, and collaborative, and able to integrate feedback. Ultimately, there will be project flexibility based on the interests and motivation of the postdoctoral associate, and a lack of formal experience should not preclude the motivation to be trained. Experience in multidimensional assessment of pain, clinical neuroscience, or prior work with populations with pain and/or addiction are a plus.

The starting date is negotiable. The duration of the position will be two years, with the opportunity to extend if agreed upon by the post-doctoral associate and the PI.

If interested, please email a letter of interest, CV or resume, and the names of three references to: joao.deaquino@yale.edu and julia.meyerovich@yale.edu.

The Pain and Addiction Interaction Neuroscience (PAIN) Lab, housed within the Yale Department of Psychiatry, will select one highly qualified college graduate for a Postgraduate Associate position. The Yale Department of Psychiatry is a leading institution for clinical diagnostic services and multidisciplinary research on neuropsychiatric and substance use disorders, involving behavioral neuroscience, physiology, neuroimaging, molecular genetics, and treatment. Through extensive collaborations, the PAIN Lab brings together expertise in behavioral pharmacology, multimodal assessment of pain, and clinical trial techniques towards developing novel therapeutics for pain and addiction. Our studies involve the administration of non-opioid substances, such as phytocannabinoids, ketamine, and psychedelics to healthy humans and clinical populations with substance use disorders and chronic pain.

The program is led by Joao P. De Aquino, M.D. For more information and a list of recent publications, visit:

• https://medicine.yale.edu/lab/pain/
• https://www.mirecc.va.gov/visn1/

Education

The Postgraduate Associate’s curriculum includes participation in weekly research meetings and other didactic experiences at the Yale Department of Psychiatry. The trainees will be educated on psychophysics, behavioral pharmacology methods, and biostatistics. The opportunity to audit graduate-level courses at the Yale School of Medicine is available.

Mentoring

The Postgraduate Associate will be directly mentored by Dr. De Aquino and will be involved in a highly active and productive community of clinical research scientists. With research mentorship, the selected applicant will help conduct a research project from the point of experiment design through analysis and publication of results.

Training

The Postgraduate Associate will have the opportunity to assist in a variety of scientific activities in the lab including recruitment of participants; assisting in ongoing data collection; working on data already collected within the lab; and providing general assistance relevant to the functioning of the lab. Additional opportunities include assisting in the preparation of manuscripts and conference presentations.

The PAIN Lab spans studies conducted at the VA Connecticut Healthcare System in West Haven, CT and at the Clinical Neuroscience Research Unit (CNRU), in downtown New Haven, CT.

Bachelor of Arts or Science and an interest in clinical and translational research is required. A background in Psychology, Pre-Med, or Neuroscience with research experience are a plus.

The ideal candidate should be self-driven, creative, ethical, and collaborative, and able to integrate feedback.

Yale University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. Yale values diversity among its students, staff, and faculty and strongly welcomes applications from women, persons with disabilities, protected veterans, and underrepresented minorities.

In accordance with university requirements for a safe return to in-person university operations, all faculty, staff, and postdoctoral and postgraduate associates will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by August 1. For additional information, please visit https://your.yale.edu/work-yale/workplace-guidance/workplace-guidance-faqs.

The Postgraduate Associate position is one year or two years in duration with a salary of $43,920 plus benefits. The position is open to those who have recently received a bachelor and/or master’s degree, but not doctoral degrees.

Please submit a letter of interest, resume, a copy of academic transcript, and at least two letters of reference to Joao De Aquino at joao.deaquino@yale.edu and Julia Meyerovich at julia.meyerovich@yale.edu.

Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.