Research Assistant II

The mission of The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center is to eliminate cancer in Texas, the nation, and the world through outstanding programs that integrate patient care, research and prevention, and through education for undergraduate and graduate students, trainees, professionals, employees and the public.

KEY FUNCTIONS

Assists principal investigator with scientific research projects.

• Functions in a separate and independent manner in the design and initiation of research experiments.
• Determines specific goals or objectives to be obtained, evaluates research data, and develops and revises techniques or approaches to work problems.

Compiles, writes, and submits project results to mentor.

• Attend laboratory meeting and present data.
• Plans training and research work activity for assigned laboratory and research personnel.
• Supervises the use of laboratory equipment and implements safety procedures.
• Handling, registering, processing, and monitoring clinical patient samples.
• Must be willing and able to learn and conduct additional methods and techniques when necessary. If necessary, be able to keep flexible working hours and to learn proper procedures to operate various types of equipment associated with experiments.

Required to record and maintain a central repository of all reagents and biospecimens. Accurately label all samples and keep ample stock of supplies on hand.

Animal work :

• Requires handling experimental mice, maintain mouse colonies including breeding and genotyping.
• Maintain xenograft animal models. Lead in vivo experiments through planning and performing the tumor cells injection to mice, giving appropriate treatments, health monitoring, measure tumor growth, data collection and organization.

Harvest tumors, organs, and process according to research need.

Isolate DNA and RNA from tumor and carry out immunohistochemistry using paraffin / fresh frozen tissue sections.

In Vitro :

• Requires basic knowledge and techniques to conduct various experiments in molecular and cellular biology including but not limited to genomic DNA preparation, genotyping, RNA extraction, PCR, biospecimen and mouse tissue collection, preservation and documentation.
• Tissue dissociation, single cell preparation and staining for CyToF, flow cytometry, tissue section staining with H&E and antibodies.
• Tissue / cell culture, mycoplasma test, generate cell lines from human and mouse tissues etc

Other duties as assigned.

Education Required : Bachelor's degree with major course works in one of the basic sciences

Education Preferred : Master's degree with major course works in one of the basic sciences

Experience Required : One year experience in scientific or experimental research work. No experience required with preferred degree .

Experience Preferred : Bench work, data organization and animal work

It is the policy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity / expression, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law.