Position Introduction:

The Dalebroux Lab is looking for a detail oriented, task driven Staff Research Assistant to join their team. Here, we employ techniques in bacteriology, biochemistry, molecular biology, eukaryotic cell culture and genetics to define the environmental signals that cue specific OMV production by Bacteroides and discern bacterial molecules within these OMVs that influence gut homeostasis and dysbiosis during health and disease as it relates to Cdif infection. This position will involve working with Biosafety Level 2 microbes that pose a moderate potential threat to personnel or the environment.

The work will entail applying sterile technique and the appropriate biohazard precautions to culture Bacteroides species and Clostridioides difficile under microaerophilic and anaerobic conditions. Routine tasks will include preparing culture media and reagents, rinsing glassware, and autoclaving media and plasticwares. Calculations of molarity, concentration, and dilutions will be frequent.

The work will require regular use of slow and high-speed centrifuges for collecting bacteria and isolating their secreted vesicles from culture supernatants. Molecular biology, chemistry, and biochemistry techniques such as mechanical and chemical lysis of bacteria, membrane isolation, protein quantification, SDS-PAGE, glycolipid extraction and staining, and lipid extraction and analysis by thin-layer chromatography will be performed consistently. Experience with aseptic technique and pipetting are desired. The project also entails working with and maintaining eukaryotic tissue cultures of several immortalized human cell lines and primary cells. Assays will include cytotoxicity measurements, ELISA, and Western Blotting. The project will benefit from a detail oriented, and task driven laboratory bench scientist with experience working in a research environment.

Experience with maintaining a laboratory notebook, recording and summarizing experimental results, and communicating data, hypotheses, and experimental approaches is desired. The individual will work directly with the Principal Investigator in the lab to accomplish the primary research goals and to maintain Institution Biosafety standards.

Required Education:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field (e.g., Biology, Psychology, Engineering, Computer Science, Sociology, or a related discipline aligned with the specific area of research or project focus)
• 1 year of experience supporting research or working in a laboratory setting

Equivalency/Substitution: Experience or a combination of education & related experience can be considered in lieu of degree. A one-to-one ratio is used to determine the number of years of experience required in place of a degree. 

Required Certifications and Licenses:

None.