Research Technician I/II - Center for Genomic Medicine
The Musolino Laboratory at the Center for Genomic Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, a translational neuroscience laboratory focusing on developing gene targeted therapies for inherited cerebrovascular disorders that lead to stroke and leukodystrophy, seeks an exceptional candidate to implement bench work involving in vitro cell culture and animal models of these rare neurogenetic diseases. While the technician will receive support from current study staff, as well as guidance from the Principal Investigator, ample independence to establish the use of molecular biology, cell culture, immunohistochemistry, imaging, and animal surgery techniques that are new to the lab is required. This full-time position requires a committed individual with prior experience in bench work in one or more of the above areas and is ideal for a candidate looking for a stable position in a well-funded lab.
The research technician will execute experimental procedures as defined in research meetings with supervision from research scientists and principal investigators.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
- The research technician will be primarily responsible for the implementation of the laboratory’s bench research studies.
- General Responsibilities Include:
- Maintains and orders supplies for the Musolino lab.
- Maintain and manage instruments and lab equipment.
- Maintains laboratory notebook, conducts data analysis, and interpretation of results.
- Prepares lab reagents and chemicals.
- Performs independent literature searches and contribute new ideas to the project.
- Must be able to independently formulate hypothesis and demonstrate a rational approach to experimentation in weekly lab meetings.
- Clearly communicate research results with collaborating labs and present findings at scientific conferences.
- During the second year, the technician will lead a small independent project related to the research mission of the lab. A successful candidate will show the ability to work closely with other scientists and efficiently learn the skills needed to perform protein detection assays. This candidate will be comfortable with reaching full independence in order to plan, schedule, and execute experiments with minimal supervision.
Lab Research Duties Include:
- Animal Handling and Colony Management: Handling animals (mice), this includes setting up breeding pairs, performing tail clips and genotyping, behavioral testing and sacrificing for histological examination. Must have experience with surgical techniques in rodents(mice).
- Immunohistology: Collection, fixation, sectioning and staining of histological specimens.
- Cloning: must be able to independently perform genotyping, design and testing of primers and planning and executing point mutagenesis experiments.
- Cell Culture: Experience in mammalian cell culture (i.e. iPSC-derived models, cortical neurons, hepatocytes, cardiac myocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial cells and/or transformed cell lines) is necessary. Responsibilities include cell culture media preparation, culture initiation, propagation and cryopreservation.
- Gene Editing: must be familiar and able to design primers and plasmids under supervision for gene editing/deletion using CRISPR Cas and base editor systems.
- Western Blots: Independently design and trouble shoot quantitative Western blot experiments.
- Quantitative PCR: must be able to design and test primers as well as plan and execute experiments to quantify mRNA expression levels.
- Enzyme Assays: Independently establish the use of new biochemical assays to measure metabolite levels from cultured cells or animal/patient samples.
- Imaging: Prior experience in imaging is a plus. Become proficient in fluorescence and confocal imaging techniques.
Qualifications - Internal
SKILLS/ABILITIES/COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:
- Must be highly organized, detail-oriented, and have a strong motivation to learn.
- Must have excellent interpersonal, speaking, and writing abilities.
- Must be able to perform multiple tasks independently.
- Must be highly motivated and persistent.
- Ability to troubleshoot technical problems.
- Understanding of transgenic mouse generation.
- Ability to work independently and as a team member.
- Synthesizes and interprets results.
EDUCATION:
- BS or BA in life sciences required.
- MS in life sciences (Preferred)
EXPERIENCE:
- 2+ years research experience in addition to school lab experience desirable but not required.
WORKING CONDITIONS:
The research technician will spend 5 days per week in Dr. Musolino’s laboratory in the Simches Research Building at Charles River Plaza. Work is divided between the bench on the 5th floor and the animal facility in the Their Building (5-minute walk). Various core facilities are in close proximity. Occasional visits to MGH-Main Campus and Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT and Harvard maybe required for collaborative studies and utilization of different research cores. The technician will work under the direct supervision of Dr. Musolino (PI) and research scientist Dr. Vijai Krishnan, and in addition receive training in the laboratories of Dr. Catarina Telo-Silva, Steven Harggarty (experts in iPSC derived systems in neurodegeneration), Dr. Benjamin Kleinstiver (expert in gene editing) and Dr. Mark Lindsay (cardiovascular biology expert) faculty members in the Center for Genomic Medicine and Rare Neurological Disorders at MGH.