Research Assistant III - Georgetown University Medical Center

Georgetown University comprises two unique campuses in the nation’s capital. With the Hilltop Campus located in the heart of the historic Georgetown neighborhood, and the Capitol Campus, just minutes from the U.S. Capitol and U.S. Supreme Court, Georgetown University offers rigorous academic programs, a global perspective, and unparalleled opportunities to engage with Washington, D.C. Our community is a close-knit group of remarkable individuals driven by intellectual inquiry, a commitment to social justice, and a shared dedication to making a difference in the world.

Requirements

As a top academic health and science center in the United States, Georgetown University Medical Center seeks to provide, in a synergistic fashion, excellence in education — training physicians, nurses and other health care professionals, as well as biomedical scientists — and cutting-edge interdisciplinary research collaboration, enhancing our basic science and translational biomedical research capacity in order to improve human health. Emphasizing service, we are dedicated to the Catholic, Jesuit principle of cura personalis — “care of the whole person.” Our partnerships with organizations in the region strengthen our work and expand its reach. 

The Research Assistant III (Laboratory Technician) works within the Department of Microbiology and Immunology in a position critical to the successful implementation of grant-funded studies in the woodchuck animal model, and as such, it is expected that the applicant has prior laboratory experience and is familiar with routine assays and methods, such as ELISA and quantitative PCR. Together with the PI, they coordinate and manage woodchuck-specific sample processing and then performs all assays/methods independently, including the determinations of viral titers and immune responses in blood, liver and other tissues of woodchucks. This individual is responsible for the handling and processing of stat and archived samples. They eventually train and supervise Undergraduate and Graduate students during internships in relevant sample processing and laboratory assays. This position also involves shipment of samples to diagnostic or collaborating laboratories. Duties include but are not limited to:

• Process woodchuck samples (blood, serum, liver, other tissues).

• Oversee quantitative viral assays woodchuck hepatitis virus (WHV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV), including slot blots for viral DNA, Southern and Northern hybridization for viral DNA and RNA, and real time PCR for viral DNA and RNA.

• Host immune response assays, including proliferation assays for T-cells, ELISpot assays for IFN-gamma secreting T-cells, FACS-based degranulation assays for cytotoxic T lymphocytes, real time PCR for immune markers (cytokines and leukocyte surface markers) in whole blood lysates and liver biopsies.

• Manage ELISAs for viral proteins or antibodies against these proteins.

• Organize sample records and data from the above assays in standard spread sheets.

Work Interactions

The Department of Microbiology and Immunology is dedicated to the study of infectious diseases caused by diverse pathogens, including basic research on and treatment of HBV in the woodchuck animal model. The individual is a team member of the PI’s group and critical for the sample processing and analysis from ongoing and future woodchuck studies. He/she reports directly to the PI. They will interact with other members of the PI’s group to coordinate sample processing and analysis. They also interact further with Undergraduate and Graduate students concerning sample processing and analysis.

Requirements and Qualifications

• Prior experience in performing sample processing and analysis under supervision and/or independently

• Ability to follow establish standardized protocols and procedures for routine use in the laboratory, as applied to woodchuck samples (i.e., most assays are lab-generated and cannot be purchased commercially)

• Ability to perform new protocols and procedures like the above assays including applications of new reagents, and to use appropriate methodologies to validate results

• Ability to conduct analysis to ensure correct and precise specificity of signals against appropriate standards and other controls

• Ability to ensure that high quality results are achieved in a timely and organized manner and that data obtained can meet the scientific objectives of the study

Preferred Requirements and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher with prior laboratory experience in general for