Research Assistant II - Mouse Handling

The Cancer Biology department has a long history of being a leader in the field of basic and translational cancer biology research. The department emphasizes the training of students, postdoctoral fellows and clinical fellows in the fundamentals of tumor biology to improve the outcomes of patients with malignancies. The department has built a program with close ties to many clinical departments to facilitate information exchange between the laboratory and the clinic. As such, faculty in the department are investigators on NIH funded collaborative cancer biology research grants. In addition, there are several physician-scientists who have joint appointments in Cancer Biology, facilitating the exchange of clinically-relevant information between the laboratory and the clinic.

The primary purpose of the Research Assistant II is to coordinate and conduct experiments and carry out research projects in varied areas of chemistry, biology, physics and other biomedical or related basic science areas. Construct, assemble and operate laboratory apparatus and equipment. Read literature and confer with superiors regarding new procedures and modify them according to the needs of the project. Records and evaluates data obtained in accordance with methods requested.

Key Functions

Lab and Animal Studies

• Exercises considerable imagination, initiative and inventiveness in planning and executing the details of experiments/studies and in evaluating and interpreting the results.
• Animal work. We use mouse models to study skin diseases. Our mouse colonies include "nude" immunocompromised and genetically engineered mouse models. Perform colony maintenance, mouse surgeries, and related tissue processing work.

Supervises

• Assists new members of the laboratory/department in the use of mice and related mouse surgeries.

Laboratory Organization and Monitoring

• Maintain mouse colony, breeding, weaning, and electronic records maintenance.
• Perform routine mouse work including intradermal injection of tumor cells, intraperitoneal injections, oral gavage, toeing for mouse identification and genotyping, shaving and nairing, monitoring and recording progress of experiments, ultrasound imaging for pregnancy staging,
• Perform complex mouse survival surgeries including ultrasound-guided in utero microinjections, skin and stem cell grafting, and skin wounding surgeries.
• Perfusion and necropsy, preparation of tissue samples for histological processing. Performing laboratory studies using standard techniques including cryosection, immunofluorescence, and immunohistochemistry tailored to mammalian skin tissue.

Other Duties as Assigned

Education

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

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

Experience

Required: Two years experience in scientific or experimental research work. No experience required with preferred degree.

Preferred: Mouse handling experience.

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. http://www.mdanderson.org/about-us/legal-and-policy/legal-statements/eeo-affirmative-action.html