Core Research Assistant 3-Hormone

Discover Vanderbilt University Medical Center:  Located in Nashville, Tennessee, and operating at a global crossroads of teaching, discovery, and patient care, VUMC is a community of diverse individuals who come to work each day with the simple aim of changing the world. It is a place where your expertise will be valued, your knowledge expanded, and your abilities challenged. Vanderbilt Health recognizes that diversity is essential for excellence and innovation. We are committed to an inclusive environment where everyone has the chance to thrive and where your diversity of culture, thinking, learning, and leading is sought and celebrated. It is a place where employees know they are part of something that is bigger than themselves, take exceptional pride in their work and never settle for what was good enough yesterday. Vanderbilt’s mission is to advance health and wellness through preeminent programs in patient care, education, and research.

Organization:

Diab/Endo/Rheum/Imm Admin Core

Job Summary:

The Core RA III oversees and executes Core Services workflows under the direction of the Core Manager and/or Director. This involves managing the service workflow and the personnel executing the workflow. Additionally, the Core RA III assists in the development and implementation of new core services. Under minimal supervision, set up, conduct experiments, and continue research projects following protocols including the appropriate recording of data and reporting of standard or variant results. Assist in other core laboratory and research functions, which may include utilizing the CORES system to document services provided and ensuring services are appropriately billed.

DEPARTMENT SUMMARY

The Division of Diabetes, Endocrinology and Metabolism has a rich tradition of clinical, investigative and training excellence. With over 70 faculty and staff members, the division participates in a wide range of clinical programs and clinical and basic science research. Training the next generation of physicians and scientists is one of our main missions and involves programs in Endocrinology and Obesity Medicine, as well as funded T32 and T35 training programs.

The Hormone Assay and Analytical Services Core (ASC), which includes Lipid and Oxidative Stress subcores, provides VDRC investigators with essential assays and analytical approaches that allow them to perform important and innovative research related to diabetes, obesity, and metabolism. These include measurement of hormones, cytokines, amino acids, lipids/lipoproteins, nucleotides, and markers of oxidant stress in biologic fluids and tissue samples. More recently, we have added the capability to qualify metabolic flux of glucose, glyceride and lipid by measuring the isotopic enrichment and isotopomer distribution and mass in cells, plasma and tissue samples. Finally, an important function of the ASC is method development, which not only enhances the spectrum of services offered, but ultimately also increases the impact by providing researchers with the opportunity to expand their research programs. The ASC works closely with the Mouse Metabolic Phenotyping Center (MMPC) and the Islet and Pancreas Analysis (IPA) Core to coordinate animal experiments.

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KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Under minimal supervision, plan, conduct and evaluate experiments and assays of varying complexity
• Understand and follow experimental protocols
• Record, compile, and report data
• Analyze and interpret data
• Interact with core clients in the planning and execution of experiments/core services, advising PI's as necessary
• Troubleshoot protocols as necessary
• Participate in beta-tests of new protocols and products as directed by the Core Manager and/or Director
• Ensure Laboratory is prepared for experiments
• Maintain inventories
• Maintain sterile conditions as necessary
• Prepare reagents
• Clean equipment
• Under the direction of the Core Manager and/or Director, oversee and execute the day to day core services workflow of the lab.
• Responsible for providing training and oversight to staff
• Assist in day to day problem solving, including prioritization of the services workflow
• Assist in development and implementation of new core services
• Assist with budgetary/cost accounting documentation
• Maintains the instrument/equipment used for services provided by the core
• Read and follow all equipment manuals
• Maintain and repair equipment according to manufacturer and University guidelines
• Provide training to researchers in instrument/equipment operation.
• Troubleshoots instrument/equipment problems
• Recommend equipment needed for protocol improvement as needed
• Develop usage protocols for new equipment acquired by the Core
• May utilize CORES system for documenting services provided and