Req #: 234125

Department: DEPARTMENT OF NEUROLOGY

Posting Date: 05/17/2024

Closing Info: Open Until Filled

Salary: $4,649 - $5,800 per month

Shift: First Shift

Notes: As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit our website, click here. (https://hr.uw.edu/benefits/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2018/02/benefits-professional-staff-librarians-academic-staff-20230701_a11y.pdf )

As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills, and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.

This is a grant-supported research scientist position supervised by Dr. Jeffrey Carroll. Research in the Carroll lab is primarily focused on enhancing treatments for people impacted by rare neurodegenerative diseases, including Huntington’s disease. The Carroll lab relies on cell and mouse model systems in an attempt to help understand the basic pathological mechanisms of disease, as well as test experimental therapeutics.

In this position, the research scientist will assist in conducting grant-sponsored research into the consequences of Huntingtin lowering in mouse and cell models of Huntington’s Disease. They will conduct hands-on research while also playing an important role in maintaining a large mouse colony.

This position is in the field of research into the cellular and molecular underpinnings of Huntington’s Disease

This project supports research into the basic mechanisms underlying Huntington's Disease (HD) pathology by conducting mouse, cell culture, and molecular biology experiments. Additionally, work is aimed to try and modulate these pathways and discover their potential as therapeutic targets.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Cell Culture (20%)

• Establishing and maintaining immortalized cells in culture (e.g. HEK293, HeLa, AML12, N2A, etc.)

• Splitting and counting cells into multi-well plates

• Treatment of cells with experimental reagents (e.g. transfection with plasmids, siRNAs or ASOs).

• Analysis of cells via extraction of biomolecules and quantification with QRT-PCR, Western Blots and Plate based assays Molecular Biology (40%)

• Isolation of biomolecules (DNA, RNA and Protein) from tissue and cell samples

• Quantification of target gene expression with quantitative real time PCR (QRT-PCR)

• Quantification of target protein expression with western blots

• Staining of tissue slides for immunohistochemistry

• Analysis of immunohistochemical images using existing protocols in the ImageJ software package

• Conducting 96-well micro-plate based assays (e.g. Mesoscale Discovery (MSD), Bradford, etc.)

• Propagation of plasmids, generation of stocks via miniprep or related techniques Mouse Technician Roles (40%)

• Maintaining a mouse colony (including genotyping, record keeping, interfacing with vivarium staff), planning and executing mouse crosses to generate subject mice for experiments

• Treatment of mice with experimental reagents (e.g. via intraperitoneal or subcutaneous injection)

• Sacrifice via intraperitoneal or subcutaneous injection of anesthetics and preparation of plasma samples

• Dissection of tissues, including micro-dissection of brain tissue into sub-regions

• Careful record keeping using Microsoft Office and Cloud Based Storage

• Basic statistical comparisons of treatment groups using GraphPad Prism, R or other software tools MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering or Scientific Discipline

• Two years of relevant experience, OR Equivalent combination of education/experience. DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Experience with rodent research, for example:tissue isolation, biomolecule isolation from cells and/or tissue samples: RNA, DNA and/or protein

• Cell Culture experience

• Molecular Biology Experience, for example: Gene expression via Quantitative Real Time PCR or related techniques or experience with microplate reader assays (absorption, luminescence and/or florescence assays)

• Primary cell culture experience (e.g. isolated neurons, glia, hepatocytes, or other cell types from rodent and/or human tissues.

• Stereotaxic injections in mice

• Experience with Immunohistochemistry

• Experience with rodent models of neurological or neurodegenerative diseases

• Experience with the R Programming language

• Experience with microscopy (light, immunofluorescence and/or confocal)

University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, among other things, race, religion, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, sex, age, protected veteran or disabled status, or genetic information.