Center for Research on the Ethical, Legal and Social Implications of
Psychiatric, Neurologic & Behavioral Genetics
Columbia University
Fellowship in Ethical, Legal and Social Implications of Genetics
APPLICATION
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POSSESSION OF THE ALIEN REGISTRATION RECEIPT CARD—1-151 OR 1-551.
INDIVIDUALS WITH TEMPORARY OR STUDENT VISAS ARE NOT ELIGIBLE FOR
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13. ACADEMIC/CAREER GOALS:
PLEASE ATTACH TO THIS APPLICATION A ONE OR TWO PAGES STATEMENT OF YOUR
ACADEMIC AND CAREER GOALS. PLEASE BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE. INDICATE
WHAT TRAINING YOU WISH TO RECEIVE IN THIS PROGRAM AND HOW IT WILL FURTHER
THOSE GOALS.
14. LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION:
PLEASE ARRANGE TO HAVE THREE (3) LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION SENT TO US BY
INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE FAMILIAR WITH YOUR WORK.
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15.
OPTIONAL:
YOU MAY SUBMIT REPRINTS OF YOUR PUBLICATIONS, UNPUBLISHED PAPERS FOR
COURSES, OR COPIES OF MASTER’S THESES OR DOCTORAL DISSERTATIONS, OR ANY
OTHER OF YOUR WRITINGS THAT MAY BE HELPFUL IN EVALUATING YOUR
CAPABILITIES AND INTEREST.
DEADLINE FOR APPLICATIONS: JUNE 30, 2013
NOTE: POST-DOCTORAL STIPENDS DEPEND ON THE NUMBER OF YEARS OF EXPERIENCE
SINCE RECEIVING A Ph.D. or M.D.
0 $39,264
1 $41,364
2 $44,340
3 $46,092
4 $47,820
5 $49,884
6 $51,582
7+ $54,180
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TO FAMILIARIZE YOU WITH OUR TRAINING PROGRAM, WE HAVE ATTACHED A
DESCRIPTION EXTRACTED FROM A GRANT APPLICATION THAT WE WROTE SEEKING
FUNDING FOR THE PROGRAM. IT BEGINS WITH A SUMMARY OF THE RATIONALE FOR THE
PROGRAM AND IS FOLLOWED BY A DESCRIPTION OF THE PROGRAM’S STRUCTURE AND
FUNCTIONING.
Program Summary:
Psychiatric, Neurologic and Behavioral (PNB) genetics present particular ethical, legal and social challenges
because of the highly stigmatized nature of many PNB disorders and traits; the potential impact of genetic
predispositions for PNB disorders and traits on perceptions of responsibility for behavior; and the complex
interactions between genetic propensities and environmental influences that determine the onset and course of
many PNB disorders, rendering the implications of many PNB genetic data inherently ambiguous. Our new
Center will promote thoughtful consideration of the range of issues arising in the context of PNB genetics and
develop innovative approaches to addressing them. Specifically, we will undertake a focused program of
research that explores the impact of PNB genetic information at the individual, familiar and societal levels,
considering its effects on stigma and self-image, attributions of responsibility, and responses to ambiguity,
along with systematic consideration of the broader normative and policy implications of our findings. To
maximize the value of our research, we will create robust mechanisms to translate the empirical and
normative output of our research into recommendations for policy and practice, capitalizing on the
involvement of other experts and key stakeholder groups. With an eye on the future of ELSI studies, we will
develop a multidisciplinary post-doctoral training program focused on nurturing future leaders in ELSI
research, creating an environment that facilitates cross-disciplianry learning and research and draws on
outstanding mentors and teachers. In sum, we will create a structure that builds on our existing strengths and
accomplishments to enhance transdisciplinary collaboration, facilitate the conduct of innovative research, and
foster intellectual growth among both faculty and trainees.
5.
Training Component
5.A. Post-Doctoral Fellowship Training Program
The goal of this program is to train the next generation of ELSI scholars to develop independent research
programs that address important ELSI problems related to psychiatric, neurologic, and behavioral disorders. To
achieve this goal, we employ four major components necessary for effective post-doctoral training.
A. A mentored research experience that offers trainees an opportunity to design and implement a research
project under supervision, in preparation for the development of applications for independent funding
B. Connections to a collegial and supportive setting that encourages their development as investigators
C. Coursework designed to fill gaps in trainees’ backgrounds in substantive knowledge of the subject area,
and in methodologic (including statistical) approaches
D. Specific training and guidance in grant seeking and grant writing
5.A.1 Mentoring and Training Activities
5.A.1.a. Mentored research experience – The core of the fellows’ training experience will be a mentored
research project in their area of focus. Each fellow will select a mentor in consultation with the training director.
Mentors will take primary responsibility for guiding the fellow through the development and implementation of
their research proposals, and writing F32, K99 or other grant proposals to fund their work beyond their first two
years of training. As appropriate, mentors will link fellows with one or more advisors on substantive issues in
psychiatric, neurologic and behavioral genetics, including both molecular genetics and genetic epidemiology, to
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insure that fellows’ research reflects a sophisticated understanding of genetic concepts and the challenges created
by genetic advances. The mentors will similarly advise fellows about relevant and necessary coursework and
grant-specific training.
The mentors come from a variety of disciplines including medicine, epidemiology, ethics, and the social sciences.
Each mentor has a track record of interdisciplinary collaboration and training on issues relevant to ELSI concerns.
Mentors available to trainees include:
Paul Appelbaum, MD – Dr. Appelbaum has over 3 decades of experience with empirical research on ethical and
legal issues in medicine, collaborating with colleagues in law, ethics, psychology, and sociology. As PI of
Columbia’s developing CEER, a primary focus of his work is issues related to the use of genetic and genomic
data. He is PI on an NHGRI R21 grant examining informed consent in the return of incidental findings from
genomic research to subjects, and co-I on an R01 grant on the consequences of return of genomic data. In
addition, he teaches a seminar on Genetics and the Law at Columbia Law School. He has successfully mentored
fellows and junior researchers for many years.
Robert Klitzman, MD – Dr. Robert Klitzman has conducted research and written about a variety of ethical issues
in medicine and public health. He has written five books, drawing on qualitative as well as quantitative
methodologies, most recently “Am I My Genes?: Confronting Fate and Family Secrets in the Age of Genetic
Testing.” His research has included studies of patients’ views of genetic privacy, assisted reproductive
technologies, and research ethics. He has supervised many students and fellows in the use of qualitative and
survey methods.
Karestan Koenen, PhD – Dr. Koenen is a psychologist and epidemiologist who uses a developmental approach to
examine the interplay of genetic and environmental factors in the etiology of stress-related mental disorders, such
as posttraumatic stress disorder and depression. She has been extensively involved in supervising post-doctoral
trainees in the RWJF Health and Society Scholars Program at Columbia and graduate students at the Mailman
School of Public Health.
Bruce Link, PhD – Dr. Link is Prof. of Epidemiology and Sociomedical Sciences (in Psychiatry) at the Mailman
School of Public Health at Columbia. Dr Link’s interests include the connection between socioeconomic status
and health, homelessness, violence, stigma and discrimination. He has written about the relationship between
stigma and genetic causation of illness, and is involved with a Simons Foundation-funded project on genetic
testing in autism. He is the Director of an NIMH-funded T32 grant focused on Psychiatric Epidemiology and
Director (with Peter Bearman and Julien Teitler) of the Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholars
Program at Columbia. He has had extensive experience designing, implementing and sustaining outstanding
training experiences for young scholars.
Ruth Ottman, PhD - Dr. Ottman's primary area of expertise is genetic epidemiology of neurologic disorders,
focusing on epilepsy and other seizure disorders. She also concentrates on methodologic issues in genetic
epidemiology, including research designs for evaluating gene-environment interaction, methods for collection of
valid family history data, and approaches to assessing familial aggregation. Dr. Ottman's research group was the
first to recognize the familial epilepsy syndrome "autosomal dominant partial epilepsy with auditory features" and
to identify LGI1 as a major susceptibility gene for the disorder. She currently has an NINDS R01 grant to study
the effect of providing genetic data to research subjects. She has trained many post-doctoral fellows and students.
Jo Phelan, PhD - Dr. Phelan's research interests include social stigma, conceptions of mental illness, the impact of
the "genetics revolution" on the stigma of mental illness, attitudes and beliefs relating to social inequality and its
legitimation, as well as social inequalities in health and mortality. Her NHGRI-funded work has focused on the
impact of the geneticization of psychiatric disorders, and she has expertise in survey, vignette, interview and
related methodologies. She has worked closely with post-doctoral fellows in the Psychiatric Epidemiology
Training Program.
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Sharon Schwartz, PhD – Dr. Schwartz, a sociologist, has been the training coordinator of the Psychiatric
Epidemiology Training program for over 20 years. In that capacity she has overseen the training of post-doctoral
fellows from a variety of disciplines. Her research focuses on the ways in which different methodological
approaches influence conclusions drawn about the etiology (including genetic etiology) and consequences of
psychiatric disorders, which is a focus of her teaching as well.
A large pool of academic advisors is available to the fellows for enhancement of their understanding of genetics.
These advisors each have substantial expertise in a wide range of genetics including the genetics of specific
disorders, genetic epidemiology, molecular genetics and epigenetics. The list of advisors and their specific
expertise includes:
Name
Wendy Chung
Angela Christiano
Degree
MD,
Ph.D.
Ph.D.
Frances Champagne
Ph.D
Maria Karayiorgou
MD
Myrna Weissman
Ph.D.
Deborah Hasin
Ph.D.
Ruth Ottman
Ph.D.
Karen Marder
MD
Richard Mayeux
MD
Title
Herbert Irving Asst. Prof. of Pediatrics;
Director of Clinical Genetics, CUMC
Rhodebeck Prof. of Dermatology and Prof. of
Genetics & Development; Director of the
Center for Human Genetics, CUMC
Assoc. Prof. of Psychology
Expertise
Clinical and molecular
genetics
Molecular genetics
Behavioral genetics and
epigenetics
Prof. of Psychiatry; Acting Chief, Div. of Molecular genetics of
Psychiatric and Medical Genetics, Dept. of schizophrenia
Psychiatry
Prof. of Epidemiology and Psychiatry; Chief, Genetic epidemiology of
Div. of Clinical-Genetic Epidemiology, Dept. depression
of Psychiatry
Prof. of Clinical Epidemiology
Genetic epidemiology of
substance use disorders
Prof. of Epidemiology; Deputy Dir. for Genetic epidemiology of
Research, G.H. Sergievsky Center, CUMC
epilepsy
Kerlin Prof. of Neurology; Chief, Div. of Genetic epidemiology of
Aging and Dementia, Dept. of Neurology
neurodegenerative
disorders
Sergievsky
Professor
of
Neurology, Genetics of Alzheimers
Psychiatry and Epidemiology; Chair, Dept. of and
other
neuroNeurology
degenerative disorders
5.A.1.b. Connections to a collegial and supportive setting – Small training programs such as the ones called for
by this RFA, which begin with two trainees and depend on trainees’ success in obtaining funding for further postdoctoral training to expand, face an inherent challenge. The number of trainees in any cohort, particularly at the
inception, is likely to be too small to allow efficient support of trainees’ needs for a collegial setting. Fortunately,
the Psychiatric Epidemiology Training Program (PET) a long-term, highly successful NIH-funded training
program with considerable thematic overlap with the proposed ELSI training program can provide a “home” for
our fellows. Although our fellows will not pursue training in epidemiology per se, fellows are likely to share
many interests with PET fellows, especially given the growing involvement of the PET program in issues related
to psychiatric and behavioral genetics, the use of genetic methods in social science research, ethical and social
implications of diagnostic labels, and the social stigma associated with psychiatric disorders.
A core aspect of the PET program is the weekly Faculty-Fellow Seminar. It provides a forum for collegial
interactions and the development of professional networks; an arena for fellows to present the results of their
research and receive feedback; and an opportunity to keep abreast of recent developments in the field. Perhaps the
most important function of the seminar is to integrate the program by providing a time and place for program
participants to meet on a regular basis. The common experience of hearing and discussing the same material
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facilitates the development of intellectual ties between faculty and fellows and among the fellows themselves. The
seminars are either presentations of ongoing research by fellows, faculty or guest speakers, or workshops on
special topics. Although presentations by faculty and fellows provide the backbone of the Seminar, an effort is
made to recruit speakers and develop workshops on topics and approaches that complement those to which
fellows are exposed through program courses and faculty. One seminar a month has been designated for the
consideration of neurologic disorders, and issues in genetics and epigenetics have been frequent foci of these
presentations. In the coming years, at least two seminars each year will address ELSI issues in genetics of
relevance to both the PET fellows and our ELSI fellows. We think that this arrangement benefit both our fellows
as well as the PET program.
5.A.1.c. Coursework – Fellows will have access to individualized, directed reading seminars focused on ELSI
issues in addition to a wide array of courses at Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health (MSPH), Columbia
Law School (CLS) and the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences GSAS). The mentors and training director will
advise fellows in selecting courses tailored to fill the gaps in their background, while insuring that they retain
ample time for research. Recognizing the imperative that fellows obtain additional funding to support further
training, the coursework will be limited and targeted to their intended area of focus and therefore not sufficient to
lead to an academic degree. However, to the extent possible, we will encourage fellows to broaden their
perspectives to obtain background in related areas.
Courses available to fellows fall into three categories: ELSI issues, methods and statistics. Among the courses
available to fellows are:
ELSI Issues: Ethics of Public Health (MSPH); Persuasion and Coercion in Public Health (MSPH); Privacy,
Public Health, and the Surveillance State: History and Policy (MSPH); Genetics and the Law (CLS); Mental
Health Law (CLS)
Ethics, Genetics, and the Brain (GSAS). Advanced fellows will have the opportunity to teach sessions of the
course, with is led by Dr. Champagne.
Directed reading seminars for the fellows in this program, which will be open to other post-doctoral fellows in the
PET program, will include, as appropriate for the fellows’ areas of research: Ethical, Legal & Social Implications
of Genetics (Dr. Klitzman); Ethical, Legal & Social Implications of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics (Dr.
Appelbaum); Ethical, Legal & Social Implications of Neurologic Genetics (Dr. Ottman); Psychiatric Diagnosis
and Treatment (Dr. Brown); Neurologic Diagnosis and Treatment (Dr. Alcalay)
Methods:
Applied Epidemiologic Analysis; Psychiatric Epidemiology; Neurological Epidemiology;
Epidemiology of Drug and Alcohol Problems; Genetics in Epidemiology; Qualitative Research Methods; Survey
Research Methods; Community-Based Participatory Research (all at MSPH).
In addition, the Robert Wood Johnson Health and Society Scholars Program at Columbia, which is jointly hosted
by the MSPH and the Institute for Social and Economic Research and Policy, annually runs two-day “short
courses” in research strategies and methods. Many of these courses are likely to be of interest to our fellows, and
will be available to them. Recent courses have included: Gene-Environment Interactions in Animals and Humans;
Epigenetics; Qualitative Analysis for Quantitative Researchers; Causal Inference; and Social Network Analysis
Methods.
Statistics: Introduction to Biostatistics; Statistical Computing with SAS; Linear Regression Models; Analysis of
Categorical Data; Generalized Linear Models; Statistical Aspects of Human Population Genetics (all at MSPH).
Every fellow will also take the course in Responsible Conduct of Research and Related Policy Issues, directed by
Drs. Robert Kessin and Jaime Rubin at CUMC.
5.A.1.d. Training and Mentoring in Grant Seeking and Grant Writing – An important goal of this program is
for every fellow to have applied for a National Research Service Award or a Pathway to Independence Award by
the conclusion of the first year of training. Since we anticipate that most fellows will not have had previous grantwriting experience, fellows will participate in the semester-long course on Funding and Grantsmanship for
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Research and Career Development Activities, directed by Dr. Jamie Rubin at CUMC. For fellows who need
additional support in writing, the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs at Columbia makes available a set of online
courses on enhancing writing skills. Fellows will enroll in the Dept. of Psychiatry’s K Award Career
Development Seminar, a monthly series designed to assist research fellows and junior faculty in preparing a
successful proposal for a NIH K Award (or similar grant from internal or external sources). Each monthly seminar
has a faculty presenter or panel and focuses on a component of the K Award application. Submission of draft
sections from course participants is strongly encouraged and group and individual feedback is provided. The
seminar provides access to multiple examples of successful K applications and to the encouragement of a group of
peers engaged in a similar effort. At least one of the seminars is a mock review where seminar participants
volunteer to have their applications reviewed by senior faculty and the class experiences a simulated review
committee meeting. The class typically receives extremely high course ratings and an additional measure of
success is the fact that the Dept. of Psychiatry has almost 50 faculty with funded K grants.
5.A.2. Guiding and Monitoring Trainee Progress
The post-doctoral fellowship program will be directed by Sharon Schwartz, PhD, Professor of Epidemiology at
the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia. Dr. Schwartz has extensive experience in training, having
served as the training coordinator of the Psychiatric Epidemiology Training (PET) program at Columbia for over
20 years. Her position in the PET program will facilitate the integration of the ELSI fellows. Her substantive
work, overlapping with ELSI issues, concerns the implications of research methodologies for causal inference,
including genetic methodologies such as genome-wide association studies, gene-environment interaction and
behavioral genetics. As director, Dr. Schwartz will join with the Training Committee (see below) to select the
fellows and help each fellow identify an appropriate mentor. She will meet with the fellows on a quarterly basis
to monitor their progress, assist them in making mid-course corrections, and ensure that the fellows are satisfied
with their mentoring.
The Training Committee that will oversee the program will include the Director and Deputy Director of the
Center, Drs. Appelbaum and Ottman, and Dr. Phelan, all experienced researchers and mentors with a track record
of funding for studies examining ELSI questions. Members of the Steering Committee will work with Dr.
Schwartz on selection of fellows, and will meet semi-annually with each fellow and mentor to monitor the
fellow’s progress and assess the appropriateness of their plans for the coming semester. Metrics for evaluation
will include: growth in knowledge of ELSI issues, progress in development and implementation of primary
research project, progress towards grant submission, submissions of abstracts for presentations and papers for
publication, ability to interact collegially with faculty and other fellows, integrity in the conduct of research and
training activities.
We will also have procedures for monitoring participants' satisfaction with the program. Written forms will be
developed for evaluating courses, field placements, and the overall program on a yearly basis. The evaluations
will be reviewed and summarized by the Dr. Schwartz, who will distribute the results to the faculty and fellows.
She and the Training Committee, in consultation with the fellows, will develop plans to address any difficulties
raised in the evaluations. To augment these formal, anonymous evaluations, fellows and faculty will be
encouraged to offer their opinions and suggestions about all facets of the program.
5.A.3. Recruitment and Selection of Fellows
We anticipate that the majority of applicants will come from programs in the social and behavioral sciences,
although we are open to applicants from medicine, law, public health, and bioethics. All applicants must
anticipate completion of the terminal academic degree in their field (e.g., PhD, MD, JD, DPH) by the time they
begin the program, and will have research experience and methodologic skills sufficient to enable them to submit
grant applications for further post-doctoral training by the conclusion of their first post-doctoral year.
Potential applicants will be sent a program description and an application. Applicants must submit undergraduate
and graduate transcripts, letters of reference, graduate record exam scores (if available), a statement of purpose
and examples of written work. The training director will present each applicant at a Training Committee meeting.
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The committee will decide which applicants will be rejected at this stage and which will be interviewed.
Applicants selected for further consideration will be assigned to at least two Training Committee members for an
interview. These interviews optimally will be conducted in person; when applicants cannot come to New York,
interviews will be conducted by phone.
Criteria for selection into the program include talent and productivity as indicated by letters of reference, exam
scores and written work; commitment to a career substantially focused on research on ELSI issues; strong
methodologic background; and diversity considerations.
After completion of the interview process, the Training Committee will meet to make final decisions. Each
applicant will be thoroughly discussed, following which members of the Training Committee will rank each
candidate in a closed ballot. The highest ranking applicants will be offered fellowships.
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