TECHNICAL RESEARCH ASST. I / 40 HOURS / DAY / BWH

TECHNICAL RESEARCH ASST. I / 40 HOURS / DAY / BWH - CHANNING LABORATORY

Responsibilities: GENERAL SUMMARY / OVERVIEW STATEMENT: As a motivated Research Assistant, the candidate will perform biological assays in Dr. Elliott Kieff?s laboratory under the close supervision of Dr. Ben Gewurz. The candidate will work closely with Dr. Gewurz, who is a physician/scientist and instructor in the Infectious Disease Division. Dr. Gewurz has a significant amount of experience working with and teaching undergraduate, medical and graduate students in the lab and in the classroom. The candidate will take on an important role in an exciting new project that we will soon be starting, a genome-wide siRNA (RNA interference) genetic screen of an important immune pathway called NF-kappaB. The screen will shed light on how the Epstein Barr Virus (EBV), the cause of mononucleosis but also a causative agent of important cancers, subverts this key pathway to promote cell growth and survival. A detailed understanding of how EBV exploits NF-kappaB will ultimately allow us to design novel therapies to treat EBV-associated cancers such as lymphoma and nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The project will also have relevance for other cancers and inflammatory conditions where NF-KappaB is aberrantly activated. The candidate will also assist Dr. Gewurz with laboratory techniques such as tissue culture of cell lines (he/she will not work with infectious agents other than routine laboratory strains used for molecular biology and tissue culture), transfection of cell lines with DNA and RNA, Western Blot, and recombinant DNA work. PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Perform basic research activities. 2. Assist with analysis of experimental data using basic statistical methods. 3. Assist in bioinformatics for assembly of sequence and Chromatin Immune Precipitation (CHIP) data unto virus on cell genomes. 4. Record data, summarize, and analyze results using basic statistics. 5. Perform literature searches. 6. Discusses progress of work regularly with supervisor. 7. Attend weekly lab meetings. Requirements: QUALIFICATIONS: ? Bachelor?s degree in biological sciences, biochemistry, or chemistry ? Knowledge of biology and chemistry ? Prior laboratory experience in molecular biology or biochemistry is desirable, but not required SKILLS / ABILITIES / COMPETENCIES REQUIRED: ? Good organizational skills, detail oriented ? Sound degree of computer literacy ? Ability to methodically record data and to analyze data using basic statistics ? Ability to perform a variety of routine tests and prioritize work ? Good interpersonal and communication skill ? Ability to demonstrate professionalism WORKING CONDITIONS: ? Work environment is a quiet biological lab ? Safety protocols are closely followed ? Candidate will not be working with any radioactivity or infectious agents SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITY: None FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY: None Shift: Day Shift EEO Statement: An EEO, AA, VEVRAA Employer