A Research Tech II position is available in the Dr Ait Ali lab of the University of Pittsburgh, Ophthalmology Department.

Bachelor's degree in Sciences, Molecular biology preferred.

1 year research experience required

Performs a variety of laboratory experiments and procedures. Prepares specimens. Oversees supply management. Operates and properly maintains equipment.

Responsibilities:

* Bibliographic research and experimental design to validate scientific hypothesis

• General laboratory organization: writing protocols, inventories, purchases, safety documentation, optimizing technique

• Design and implementation of experimental workflows. Troubleshooting and Validation of methods and design

• General knowledge about antibody selection, gene target selection, cell culture in the scale of tens to hundred million cells for quantitative profiling experiments, cell harvest, lysis, protein extraction, solubilization, fractionation and protein biochemistry.

• Teaching of students: teaching general cell culture skills and lab management and safety regulations

• Cell line maintenance, passaging, cryostorage, and harvesting; aliquot preparation, mycoplasma test, Bacteriophage detection, and preparation of aliquots

• Model organism: mouse (Mus musculus), retina extraction and embedding in OCT compound, ear punching and tailing of mice. Dissection of organs and cryostorage. Injections (intracardiac, subcutaneous, intraperitoneal, retroorbital), anesthesia, euthanasia, PCR for genotyping.

• Western blot, BCA assay, Ca measurement assay, Protein extraction from cells, quantification, trypsin digestion.

• Nucleic acids extraction, purification and quantification, PCR, cDNA synthesis, RT-PCR.

• Software/Databases Excel, Image J, NCBI, Ensemble, Primer 3, Prism, Photoshop. Adobe Illustrator, snapgene.

Must be able to move about the lab bench area and list up to 25lbs