UNIV - Senior Research Associate - Department of Medicine: Division of Hematology Oncology

Job Description Summary

The Division of Hematology/Oncology at the Medical University of South Carolina is seeking a highly motivated Senior Research Associate to join the laboratory of Dr. Russell W. Jenkins. This position will support and manage day-to-day lab operations and play a key role in planning and executing research projects focused on understanding and overcoming resistance to cancer immunotherapy. Research efforts will involve in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro tumor model systems, with a particular emphasis on murine tumor models.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in working with mouse models of cancer, and a strong background in cancer cell biology, T cell biology, immunology, and cancer immunotherapy. This position requires a high level of technical and scientific expertise, particularly in the use of in vivo tumor models to explore therapeutic mechanisms and responses.
In addition to managing lab operations and conducting experiments, the candidate will contribute to the development of new research directions, perform independent data analysis, support manuscript and grant preparation, and present findings at scientific meetings.

This role also involves processing patient samples from the clinic using advanced lab technologies to evaluate patient response and resistance to immunotherapy. The research is part of a broader collaborative effort between MUSC and the Hollings Cancer Center focused on advancing cancer immunotherapy.

Entity

Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC - Univ)

Worker Type

Employee

Worker Sub-Type​

Research Grant

Cost Center

CC000970 COM DOM Hematology/Oncology CC

Pay Rate Type

Salary

Pay Grade

University-00

Pay Range

0.00 - 0.00 - 0.000

Scheduled Weekly Hours

40

Work Shift

Job Description

Job Duties:

30% - In Vivo Mouse Tumor Model Development and Management:

• Design, execute, and analyze experiments utilizing mouse models to study cancer progression and treatment responses, including tumor implantation, monitoring, and endpoint analysis for efficacy (tumor volume, survival) and correlative (immunophenotyping, single cell RNA-sequencing) studies using established and novel mouse models of cancer

• Develop and validate new mouse cancer models to investigate specific tumor types and therapeutic strategies, specifically transgenic models, including inducible and conditional knockout modes, and knock-in models

• Supervise mouse colonies, ensuring compliance with ethical standards and institutional animal care regulations.

20% - Lab Management:

• In conjunction with the PI provide management of laboratory staff, including training, scheduling (lab meetings), and performance evaluations.

• Oversee day-to-day laboratory operations, including maintenance of equipment, inventory management, and ordering supplies.

• Ensure compliance with safety protocols and regulatory requirements in the laboratory.

• Monitor and maintain laboratory budgets and expenditures.

• Facilitate communication between laboratory personnel and administrative staff.

• Collaborate with principal investigators and research teams to facilitate project execution and data collection.

• Assist in the development and implementation of research protocols and standard operating procedures (SOPs).

• Participate in grant writing and provide administrative support for research projects.

20% - Ex Vivo and In Vitro Tumor Model Development and Management:

• Ex vivo 3D microfluidic culture, drug/antibody treatment of murine- and patient-derived organotypic tumor spheroids (MDOTS/PDOTS) and cell line derived monotypic tumor spheroids (MTS)

• Developing augmented 3D microfluidic organotypic tumor spheroid cultures using matched (autologous) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or CD3+ enriched peripheral T lymphocytes co-culture with MTS/PDOTS

• Perform requisite fluorescence-based viability assessment of MDOTS, PDOTS, and MTS, including staining, microscope operation, image acquisition and image analysis

• Maintain internal records related to MDOTS, PDOTS, and MTS processing along with associated meta-data

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, including molecular biologists, biochemists, and clinical researchers, to support translational research efforts.

10% - Lab Maintenance:

• Troubleshoots and resolves equipment malfunctions to minimize downtime and ensure smooth operation of laboratory instruments and workflows.

• Identifies