Fellowship Opportunities

SHL has served as a host to over 30 fellows and provided post-doc research opportunities for graduates and professional students. Many of the fellows come through collaborative post-graduate lab and management fellowship programs led by CDC and APHL.  In coordination with national partners, the State Hygienic Laboratory hosts environmental, infectious disease and management/leadership fellows. 

Below are current APHL Fellowship available for application at SHL.

Current Fellowship Opportunities at SHL

The APHL (Association of Public Health Laboratories) Fellowship Program offers paid, hands-on training opportunities in state and local public health laboratories. Fellows work on impactful projects addressing public health priorities such as infectious diseases, emergency preparedness, and environmental health. Guided by experienced mentors, fellows gain practical skills, expand their networks, and contribute to protecting and improving public health.

Below are current APHL Fellowship available for application at SHL.

Fungal Keratitis Detection Project Fellowship

The Fungal Keratitis Detection Project focuses on improving fungal detection and susceptibility testing to enhance corneal transplant outcomes. The fellow will gain hands-on experience in fungal identification, assay development, and molecular testing, contributing to meaningful public health advancements.

Project Description:

· Analyze past corneal transplant infections to identify filamentous fungi and assess susceptibility.

· Develop an anti-fungal susceptibility assay following CLSI guidelines.

· Create a pan-fungal PCR assay for pre-transplant corneal material.

· Rotate through diagnostic microbiology sections to build foundational skills.

· Present findings through a poster, presentation, and/or publication.

Newborn Screening Test Refinement Fellowship

The Newborn Screening Test Refinement Project focuses on improving newborn screening accuracy by analyzing test cutoffs to reduce false positives, starting with conditions screened using Tandem Mass Spectrometry. Fellows will collaborate with experts, utilize advanced databases like the CLIR, and gain hands-on experience in refining protocols that directly enhance public health outcomes.

Project Description:

· Analyze Tandem Mass Spectrometry data to refine test cutoffs for 22 primary markers.

· Collaborate with the CLIR database to compare and integrate reference range data.

· Propose and implement improved cutoff values in partnership with medical directors.

· Present findings at a professional conference and contribute to a potential publication.

· Gain cross-training experience across SHL laboratories and work with public health experts.

PFAS Testing in Meat and Fish Fellowship

The PFAS Testing in Meat and Fish Project focuses on developing and validating methods to detect per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in tissue-based matrices like deer meat and fish. The project addresses the public health risks of PFAS exposure through diet, equipping the State Hygienic Laboratory (SHL) with the tools to better understand and mitigate these risks.

Project Description:

· Develop and validate a method to test for PFAS in deer meat and fish using EPA Method 1633 as guidance.

· Collaborate with SHL’s PFAS team to integrate tissue-based PFAS testing into the lab’s capabilities.

· Analyze results to assess PFAS contamination in Iowa meat and fish products.

· Communicate findings to local agencies and public health officials to inform exposure reduction efforts.

· Gain experience in method development, validation, and public health applications of environmental testing.

PFAS Testing in Dairy Products Fellowship

This fellowship focuses on developing and validating methods to detect per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in dairy products. The project will strengthen the State Hygienic Laboratory’s (SHL) ability to assess PFAS exposure through diet, providing critical data to support public health initiatives.

Project Description:

· Develop and validate a method for testing PFAS in dairy products using EPA Method 1633 and FDA C-010.03 as guidance.

· Work alongside SHL’s PFAS team to integrate dairy-based PFAS testing into lab capabilities.

· Analyze results to evaluate PFAS contamination in Iowa dairy products.

· Share findings with local agencies and public health officials to inform exposure reduction strategies.

· Gain experience in environmental testing, method development, and public health applications.

If interested in any of these positions, please reach out to SHL’s Fellowship Program Specialist, Abigail Malone, at abigail-malone-1@uiowa.edu.

Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) Fellowship Program

Association of Public Health Laboratories and the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) partner to offer a variety of laboratory fellowship programs to train and prepare scientist, for careers in public health laboratories and to support public health initiatives.

The fellowship program covers a variety of topics. Below are examples of the different focus areas you could be matched with and placed into: 

  • Bioinformati​cs​
  • Biorisk Management
  • Environmental Health
  • Food Safety
  • Infectious Disease
  • Informatics
  • Quality Management
  • Ronald H. Laessig Newborn Screening​

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Laboratory Leadership Service Fellowship

A Center for Disease Control's Laboratory Leadership Service Fellow’s training helps bridge applied laboratory science with public health, allowing fellows to provide daily mission-critical technical expertise and service to federal, state, and local public health laboratories and support public health investigations.