Experimental Neuropathology Lab Associate - 134096

UCSD Department of Psychiatry is one of the most innovative and productive academic departments in the country, offering challenging career opportunities in the diverse areas of advanced educational programs, cutting-edge research, and state-of-the-art clinical services. The department is committed to offering a dynamic learning environment and growing opportunities to its talented and dedicated employees.

UCSD Department of Psychiatry, working in conjunction with community based, county-contracted mental health clinics, provides psychiatric services to the underserved populations throughout San Diego county.

Under supervision, the Lab Associate will be responsible for a variety of technical tasks including human brain tissue culture, and brain tissue imaging within the Department of Psychiatry. Duties and responsibilities will include assisting senior lab staff in establishing and working with human brain cell tissue cultures and helping with a variety of in vitro experiments. The Lab Associate will also support with sample preparations and lab works for biomarker assays, DNA/RNA extractions, immunoblotting, immunohistochemistry staining, immunocytochemistry staining of brain cell culture experiments, real-time PCR, metabolic assays, and fluorescent microscopy. Support routine cleaning and maintenance tissue culture room and equipment and general lab area and perform chemical and biohazard waste management. Training in the laboratory techniques detailed above will be provided, but a basic knowledge of basic Biostatistics and Graphpad prism is highly preferable, as well as basic knowledge in molecular biology such as RNA and DNA extraction techniques. The Lab Associate will also assist with data acquisition, analyses, and the preparation for presentation. Assist with other project and miscellaneous tasks as required.

• Theoretical knowledge in Chemistry, Molecular Biology or comparable combination of knowledge in other related field.

• Knowledge and experience in using PCs, general Office software, and image analysis software.

• Experience with experimental procedures in cell culture laboratory, including primary cells.

• Experience with calculation, preparation, dilution of varieties of chemicals, reagents, and buffers.

• Must be able to maintain confidentiality.

• Strong ability to communicate effectively and accurately and show ability to work with others.

• Ability to work after hours and weekend for certain experiments.

• Experience with real-time PCR and RNAseq including library preparation.

• Ability to assist with standard preparation and inventory of chemical reagents, stock solution, and buffers used in immunohistochemistry (IHC) and immunocytochemistry(ICC) , western blotting and all experiments.

• Experience in lab safety procedures and policies.

• Demonstrated experience in molecular biology lab works such as proteins, DNA and RNA extraction techniques.

• Experience labelling cultures and samples; preparing of cell culture plates; preparing of culture media reagents, buffers; routine media change; taking and organizing digital images of cultures throughout experiments; collecting supernatants; extracting proteins, DNA, RNA and fix cells at end-point.

• Experience to perform downstream analyses of specimens including: real-time PCR, immunoblotting, Seahorse assay, microscopy, metabolic assays, and electron microscopy.

• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop, QuantONE imaging analysis software, and Image J software.

• Employment is subject to a criminal background check.

• Occasional evenings and weekends may be required.

• Must be able to work in a behavioral research lab.

• Must be able to work with animal tissues.