FDA Development of Cell-based Reporter Assays for FSH, LH and hCG

*Applications will be reviewed on a rolling-basis.

FDA Office and Location: A research opportunity is available within the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), located at White Oak, Maryland.

The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) performs an essential public health task by making sure that safe and effective drugs are available to improve the health of people in the United States. As part of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), CDER regulates over-the-counter and prescription drugs, including biological therapeutics and generic drugs. This work covers more than just medicines.

Research Project: The fellow will participate in a research project to develop optimal cell-based gene reporter potency assays for FSH, LH, and hCG that could be potentially used for their release and stability testing. The research project includes optimization host cell lines, and gene reporters based on cell response to stimulation of FSH, LH, and hCG. Following selection of optimal cell line(s) and gene reporter(s), the assay will be qualified for accuracy, repeatability, intermediate precision, and linearity. Qualified cell-based gene reporter assays will be utilized to test unstressed and stressed FSH, LH and hCG samples, comparing their performance with the current in-use rat potency assays. 

Learning Objectives: During the appointment, you will have the chance to:

1. Gain knowledge about reproductive hormone therapies.
2. Gain knowledge about development of cell-based bioassays.
3. Perform hands-on experiment to learn laboratory techniques including cell culture, cell transduction, single cell cloning, cell banking, etc.
4. Perform hands-on studies to learn the procedure to optimize and qualify cell-based bioassays.
5. Perform hands-on studies to compare in vitro bioassays and rat in vivo potency assays that will be used to test FSH, LH/hCG, and menopur.

Mentor: The mentor for this opportunity is Weiming Ouyang (Weiming.Ouyang@fda.hhs.gov). If you have questions about the nature of the research, please contact the mentor.

Anticipated Appointment Start Date: July 1, 2026. Start date is flexible and will depend on a variety of factors.

Appointment Length: The appointment will initially be for one year, but may be renewed upon recommendation of FDA and is contingent on the availability of funds.

Level of Participation: The appointment is full time.

Participant Stipend: The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. 

Citizenship Requirements: This opportunity is available to U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR), and foreign nationals. Non-U.S. citizen applicants should refer to the Guidelines for Non-U.S. Citizens Details page of the program website for information about the valid immigration statuses that are acceptable for program participation.

This program, administered by ORAU through its contract with the U.S. Department of Energy to manage the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education, was established through an interagency agreement between DOE and FDA. The participant will receive a monthly stipend commensurate with educational level and experience. Proof of health insurance is required for participation in this program. Participants do not become employees of FDA, DOE or the program administrator, and there are no employment-related benefits.

Completion of a successful background investigation by the Office of Personnel Management is required for an applicant to be on-boarded at FDA.  OPM can complete a background investigation only for individuals, including non-US Citizens, who have resided in the US for a total of three of the past five years.

FDA Ethics Requirements

If an ORISE Fellow, to include their spouse and minor children, reports what is identified as a Significantly Regulated Organization (SRO) or prohibited investment fund financial interest in any amount, or a relationship with an SRO, except for spousal employment with an SRO, and the individual will not voluntarily divest the financial interest or terminate the relationship, then the individual is not placed at FDA. For additional requirements, see FDA Ethics for Nonemployee Scientists. 

FDA requires ORISE participants to read and sign their FDA Education and Training Agreement within 30 days of his/her start date, setting forth the conditions and expectations for his/her educational appointment at the agency.  This agreement covers such topics as the following:

• Non-employee nature of the ORISE appointment;
• Prohibition on ORISE Fellows performing inherently governmental functions;
• Obligation of ORISE Fellows to convey all necessary rights to the FDA regarding intellectual property conceived or first reduced to practice during their fellowship;
• The fact that research materials and laboratory notebooks are the property of the FDA;
• ORISE fellow’s obligation to protect and not to further disclose or use non-public information.