JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES

Generate content for the PODS knowledgebase
1. Applies scientific training to succinctly summarize published knowledge related to genes, protein domains, and classification of genomic alterations according to their functional and therapeutic impact.
2. Curates clinical trial eligibility criteria into discrete elements in order to facilitate patient-clinical trial matching
3. Curates drugs for their relevance to biomarkers and/or disease

Support collection of molecular data
1. Assists Clinical Data Abstractor in setting up and validating requests for annotation of patient molecular testing results, as needed.
2. Assists with the collection and entry of patient specific molecular data within IPCT databases

Support research projects and system enhancements
Supports research projects and system enhancements efforts through data collection, entry, and/or standardization.

Annotation
• Annotation of variants for therapeutic actionability
• Annotation of therapeutic levels of evidence
• Gene actionability research
• Learn to generate PODS annotation reports

Research and annotate new genomic alterations
Encountered within MD Anderson or PODS collaborator’s patient population. This involves researching the published literature for any known functional effects or therapeutic relevance and applying a standardized classification system for alteration-specific functional significance and actionability assertions. Additionally, the research scientist will apply these same strategies to update existing annotations of alterations within the PODS knowledgebase when their shelf-life is reached. This latter process feeds into automatically generated alteration annotations for PODS patient-specific reports that interpret genomic sequencing results for therapeutic actionability. Encountered within MD Anderson or PODS collaborator’s patient population. This involves researching the published literature for any known functional effects or therapeutic relevance and applying a standardized classification system for alteration-specific functional significance and actionability assertions. Additionally, the research scientist will apply these same strategies to update existing annotations of alterations within the PODS knowledgebase when their shelf-life is reached. This latter process feeds into automatically generated alteration annotations for PODS patient-specific reports that interpret genomic sequencing results for therapeutic actionability.

Research, summarize, and classify levels of evidence for specific biomarker-tumor type-therapy associations
The research scientist will regularly review new FDA drug approvals and supplements for existing FDA approved drugs for the treatment of cancer and capture this information in a structured manner within the PODS knowledgebase. Additionally, the research scientist will review professional guidelines for a designated set of tumor types, research the clinical trial data leading to the guideline, write a summary of this data, and capture this information in a structured manner within the PODS knowledgebase. These data will populate within the appropriate PODS patient-specific reports.

Research new gene-level actionability questions Research scientists will research the published literature for predictive therapeutic evidence for the treatment of alterations within a certain gene with clinically available drugs. This will be performed as new panels are onboarded and/or as new evidence emerges within the literature for genes previously assessed as non-actionable

Generate PODS patient-specific reports
The research scientist will utilize their knowledge of all PODS annotation modules, after completion of training, to compose full patient-specific PODS reports which include alteration-specific annotations, levels of evidence for specific therapies, and matching clinical trials.

SOP generation and maintenance
The research scientist will participate in the maintenance and creation, if needed, of SOPs relevant to their job duties

Research projects and Support system development efforts

As need arises, the research scientist will participate in generating relevant PODS data for contribution of manuscripts for publication. The research scientist will contribute to the enhancement of existing databases, including MOCLIA and PODS, by reviewing and offering input on new requirements and participating in data clean-up and standardization efforts.

Other duties as assigned