Research Director / Integrative Oncology Chair

Job Overview

As one of the oldest medical schools in the country, the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (COM) has a reputation for training best-in-class healthcare professionals and developing cutting-edge procedures and research that improves the health and clinical care of patients.

The UC Cancer Center, in conjunction with the University of Cincinnati?s Center for Osher Center for Integrative Health (the Osher Center), in Cincinnati, Ohio seeks an experienced Research Director to lead and expand integrative and lifestyle medicine research at the Osher Center for Integrative Health, with a focus on integrative oncology. This position will be the Carrie K. Hayden Endowed Chair of Integrative Oncology Research. Candidate will lead integrative oncology research design, protocols and funding to inform evidence-based practices of integrative therapies, such as acupuncture or mind-body therapies, and/or lifestyle approaches such nutrition and exercise, for the prevention and treatment of cancer and throughout cancer survivorship. This individual will collaborate with University of Cincinnati and UC Health leadership to enrich the strategic research direction at the UC Osher Center for Integrative Health and the Cancer Center.

Faculty rank is commensurate with experience.

Purpose of Position

Endowed chairs are leaders within our university and health system whose major responsibility is to assure and continuously improve the delivery of high-quality, innovative and evidence-based care to patients and research. This is a full-time leadership research position for an individual interested in furthering his/her academic research career with a focus on integrative oncology, and building a world-class research program broadly assessing integrative and lifestyle medicine approaches to healthy living.

The Research Chair will be responsible for building a sustainable integrative oncology research portfolio that will align with University of Cincinnati research priorities, the Osher Center for Integrative Health, the Cancer Center, and UC Health system priorities. This person will work closely with the Medical Directors of UC Health Integrative Medicine and Survivorship, as well as other researchers and clinicians at the Cancer Center to achieve said aims. The Research Chair will also work with other Osher Center for Integrative Health faculty to develop synergies across campus and mentor Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine project faculty. The position is primarily research-focused in nature, with 20% protected for Administrative time to achieve the above stated goals. As an academic health system, education time will be considered for this position with appropriate support for these activities.

Essential Functions

• ??Develop a world-class integrative oncology research program seen as a leader in the field focused on the investigation of novel, interdisciplinary research questions related to identifying, testing and implementing effective integrative oncology clinical research protocols.
• Lead a high performing multi-disciplinary and inter-professional team of experts focused on researching integrative oncology and integrative/lifestyle medicine. 
• Work with the UC Health clinical care teams in strategic partnership to define and design long-term academic directions and build a network of researchers and educators with interests in integrative oncology/lifestyle medicine.
• Facilitate inter-institutional and interdisciplinary research across the university community.
• Maintain a research program in a relevant area and mentor junior faculty, pre-and post-doctoral fellows, staff, and medical students.
• Conduct epidemiology and clinical trials research to develop and test novel interventions that address common symptoms of cancer patients or address secondary prevention and wellness protocols post-treatment.
• Direct dissemination and implementation research to determine optimal approaches to ensure research evidence is translated into community settings to improve patient outcomes, particularly in under-resourced communities.
• Examine a broad range of integrative therapies and lifestyle medicine approaches for cancer prevention, control, treatment, and secondary prevention.
• Secure funding, grant writing, develop and implement research protocols, manage study staff, analyze data, and prepare manuscripts/presentations.

Minimum Requirements

• PhD, MD or doctoral equivalent in fields such as Health Outcomes Research, Psychology, Neuroscience, Behavioral Science, Nutrition, Exercise Physiology, Epidemiology, Naturopathic Medicine, Medicine or other field related to the practice and research of integrative oncology and integrative/lifestyle medicine.
• At least 5-7 years of post-doctoral research experience in a related field.
• Experience implementing clinical trials and/or observational studies of integrative oncology therapies and/or lifestyle medicine programs.

Additional Qualifications Considered

• Strong quantitative, qualitative and analytic skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Successful track record of funding, grant writing, and manuscript publication.
• Demonstrated ability to work well within interdisciplinary teams and collaborations.
• Experience working with under-resourced communities.
• Evidence of national and international reputation.

Physical Requirements/Work Environment