Staff Research Associate

JOB SUMMARY

Under direct supervision with training provided, the position is assigned to assist in studying the pathogenesis of Cerebrovascular disease, including cell culture, maintaining genetically modified mouse lines, tissue section (frozen and paraffin), stains, and molecular assays (PCR, qPCR, protein assay). 

Responsibilities:

1.    Small animal handling and dissection, organ harvesting
2.    Perform surgeries on mice
3.    Preparation and sectioning of frozen and paraffin-embedded tissues
4.    Chromogen and fluorescent immunohistochemistry and special histological stains
5.    Maintenance of mammalian cell culture and tissue culture
6.    DNA and RNA extraction and purification
7.    Western blotting, ELISA
8.    PCR and qPCR

 

Department Description:

The Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care at UCSF provides outstanding patient care, promotes cutting-edge basic and clinical science research, and educates the next generation of healthcare providers while focusing on the UCSF Principles of Community.

The Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care ranks as one of the largest departments in the School of Medicine, with an annual budget of $207 million. The three largest components of the annual revenue budget are Funds Flow Revenue, the affiliation agreement with the city and county of San Francisco, and Extramural Funds, which together represent 85.2% or $171 million. As of 2026, the department has over 200 Faculty members, 61 Staff Physicians, 200 Staff Employees, 20 Fellows, 90 Residents, 17 Non-Faculty Academics, 13 Postdocs, and 8 Nurse Practitioners. The department also works closely with 87 Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs).

In addition to the Moffitt-Long Hospital, very active units of the department exist at the Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital (ZSFG) (inpatient and outpatient, including an active trauma service); San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center (inpatient and outpatient); Mount Zion Medical Center (outpatient, including 23 hour stays); Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland; the UCSF Orthopedic Institute; the Benioff Children's, Betty Irene Moore Women's and Bakar Cancer (NIH-designated Cancer Center) Hospitals; and the Bayfront Medical Building (outpatient, Center for Pain Medicine) in the Mission Bay neighborhood.

The Department now has essential roles in patient care outside of the operating rooms, with active participation in Ambulatory Care, Acute and Chronic Pain, and in the Preoperative Clinic. Since 1958, the department has been at the heart of modern anesthesia’s explosive growth, and to this day continues to have an enormous impact on surgical practice and the management of pain. The department’s research, education, and clinical care earned and have maintained reputations equal to or better than that of any institution in the world. Individual members of our faculty have had a major influence on our specialty both nationally and internationally, including NIH study sections, NIH funding, and FDA and Editorial Boards. Research activities within the department are integrated with and inform clinical practice. For many years, ours has been among the top departments in the United States for NIH research funding in anesthesia.

The Department of Anesthesia provides considerable support and structure for research and research training programs, highlighted by the innovative Pathway to Scientific Independence (PSI).  This program begins at the residency level, incorporating the Research Scholars Track of the Anesthesia Residency, moving through the post-residency NIH-funded T32 training grant, and culminating in faculty positions with mentored research support, ultimately achieving extramurally funded, independent researcher status.

DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Identify the functions or tasks that employees in the job perform. The essential functions should state the purpose of the work and the results to be accomplished, rather than how the function is performed. Of the tasks listed, what percentage of time is devoted to each? The more time employees spend on a function, the more likely it is that the function is essential. Generally, include those functions that account for 10% or more of the work, i.e., key items that contribute significantly to the achievement of the job.  The functions should add up to 100%.

% 

of time

Essential Function (Yes/No)

  

Key Responsibilities

(To be completed by Supervisor)

50

yes

Under supervison, perform experiment supporting the study of pathogenesis of Cerebrovascular disease:

Small animal handling and dissection, organ harvesting

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