Research Assistant II - Dr. Andrew Dunbar's lab

MISSION STATEMENT
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.

SUMMARY
The primary purpose of the Research Assistant II position is to apply their gained technical expertise and experience to coordinate, design, and carry out cancer research projects while following standard operating procedures for the laboratory. The Dunbar lab is seeking a talented, motivated individual who has an interest and passion for science and is excited and eager to be at the forefront of cutting-edge translational cancer research. We aim to utilize animal models of human cancer together with state-of-the-art next-generation sequencing techniques of primary patient samples to further understand the mechanisms of disease progression and drug resistance in chronic blood cancers, specifically myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs). Dr. Andrew Dunbar, MD, a new physician-scientist faculty member within the Department of Hematopoietic Biology and Malignancy (HBM) at MD Anderson, is deeply committed to the mentorship and growth of lab members and will work with new hires to ensure they are able to achieve their long-term career goals.

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES

Research Experiments and Projects
Will manage and maintain the lab’s animal colony—ensuring proper breeding, weaning, and genotyping of individual mouse strains and litters.  Will also maintain appropriate records of litters and be able to train new/additional members to assist with the colony accordingly. Will carry out and maintain experimental animal cohorts, including performing intermittent facial vein phlebotomy, tail vein injections, drug administration through oral gavage and/or intra-peritoneal routes, and sacrificing animals through humane methods for dissection, tissue procurement, and sample processing. Will have knowledge of safety concerns when working with animal/human tissues. Will process primary patient blood/bone marrow samples through density gradient separation, which requires good sterile technique and viably freeze cells for later use. They will also be expected to prepare cells for downstream applications, including next-generation sequencing library preparation, preparing cells for epigenomic assays (including ChIP- and ATAC-Seq) and interfacing with appropriate institutional and third-party cores to ensure adequate sample processing and drop-off. Will maintain and establish tissue culture cell lines and prepare sterile media & solutions. This also includes monitoring and maintaining tissue culture supplies, preparing cells for cryogenic storage, and having the ability to thaw and re-establish viable cell lines.

Laboratory Functions 
Will perform and train others on basic molecular biology and tissue culture techniques in manipulation of DNA/RNA and protein as well as primary cells and established cell lines, including polymerase chain reaction (PCR), DNA/RNA extraction/quantification, western blot, etc. Requires techniques for handling potentially hazardous chemicals. Requires the ability to accurately prepare media solutions and reagents using a pH meter and balances, and the ability to handle acids, polyacrylamide solutions, flammable materials, and other biohazards in accordance with institutional safety policies.

Laboratory Maintenance   
Will assist with ordering and organizing supplies for the laboratory. Will maintain a clean and neat work area to ensure efficient functioning. Will maintain a pleasant, safe, fun, and respectable work environment. Follows written instructions/operations manuals. Other duties as assigned.