353893
Twin Cities
Research-Researchers
Full-Time
Regular
9742R6
Acad Prof and Admin
Researcher 6 – Cardiothoracic Surgery Division, Department of Surgery
Job code 9742R6
Department Description:
The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery is devised of several sections and sub specialties including Adult Cardiac Surgery, Heart Transplant Program, Lung Transplant Program, VAD Program, General Thoracic Surgery, and Congenital Heart Surgery. This lab focuses on detection of graft antigen-specific CD4+ T cells in blood, pleural fluid, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and tissue from lung transplant recipients. We collaborate with core facilities and other investigators who provide tetramer contsruction, as well as immunologic expertise utilizing tetramers to detect and characterize antigen-specific CD4+ T cells using flow cytometry analysis that align with our work. We have extensive experience in this arena and collaborate with investigators in the Center for Immunology who have a productive publication record.
Job description
The position is for an R6 level scientist in the lung transplant immunology laboratory under Principal Investigator Stephen Huddleston, MD PhD in the Division of Cardiothoracic surgery in the Department of Surgery at the University of Minnesota. The laboratory is a collaborative effort with the laboratory of Marc Jenkins, PhD in the Center for Immunology. The qualified candidate will work independently to develop the application of peptide:human leukocyte antigen tetramers to detect, quantify and characterize the phenotype of alloreactive CD4+ T cells in the blood, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and tissue of lung transplant recipients. This will require expertise in transplant immunology, as well as basic science immunology in order to identify relevant peptides, engineer and develop the tetramers, perform the sample/preparation, culture cells in vitro, perform tetramer enrichment and antibody staining, and analysis with flow cytometry. Data will be analyzed using FlowJo and GraphPad Prism, and the findings from tetramer staining will correlated with clinical events. Communication with the laboratory and principal investigator will be at weekly laboratory meetings, and presentations at the Center for Immunology SuperGroup will occur each year. Abstracts will be submitted to national and international transplant meetings, and data will be published in high impact journals. The qualified candidate will supervise students and surgery residents in the laboratory, lead and direct all members of the laboratory, manage the budget and finances, and modify laboratory practices and procedures to improve efficiency and quality of research.
Duties/Responsibilities:
Duties will also include:
* Conducting a large transplant immunology research project and coordinate the analysis and evaluation of blood, bronchoalveolar fluid, and tissue samples from transplant recipients using advanced antibody staining and tetramer enrichment with flow cytometric analysis in order to quantitate cell numbers and kinetics of expansion after transplant.
* Reporting on all phases of the project from inception, through planning of experiments, analysis of results of staining experiments, and formulation of conclusions to guide future planning of additional experiments.
* Troubleshooting highly complex and novel methodologies that have never before been used in transplant immunology will be required.
* Developing immunologic reagents by using peptide synthesis, tetramer construction, and in silico prediction of relevant peptide epitopes.
* Characterization of cell phenotypes at various timepoints will be required.
All of this will require the candidate to develop a suitable panel of compatible fluorophores. Additional analysis of data using GraphPad Prism will then direct future staining experiments.
* On a weekly basis, the qualified applicant will update and advise the Principal Investigator and others in the laboratory, as well as collaborators in the Division of Cardiothoracic surgery and the Center for Immunology on progress in the laboratory including the development of novel techniques and the experimental results obtained from this work.
* Additional meetings with collaborators will focus on the development, optimization, and utilization of peptide:HLA tetramers for the detection and characterization of alloreactive CD4+ T cells, as well as correlation with transplant outcomes such as primary graft dysfunction, acute cellular rejection, antibody mediated rejection, and chronic lung allograft dysfunction.
Required Qualifications:
* Advanced degree with substantial research and publication record.
* Knowledge in standard immunology laboratory techniques (Sample collection and processing using Ficoll gradient, cell/tissue culture, ELISA, western blot, antibody staining and tetramer enrichment, protein biding assays, flow cytometry, fluorescent microscopy, tetramer construction and peptide exchange).
* Ability to connect and communicate well within a team environment involving clinical and PhD investigators.
* Mastery of advanced concepts and the development of original solutions will be require as there is no clear standard in the field. This will require that the researcher analyze experimental flow cytometry data with FlowJo software from direct ex vivo staining, as well as in vitro expanded CD4+ T cells.
* Management of the financial and budgetary aspects of the laboratory research projects will be required, often serving in the role of a Principal Investigator. Furthermore, the qualified candidate will control and evaluate expenditures of research funds under the general direction of the Principal Investigator.
Preferred Qualifications:
* Ph.D. in a microbiology, virology or immunology; Three years research experience appropriate to the area of assignment; OR, Any equivalent combination of experience, training and/or education
* Anatomy, immunology, virology, medical terminology, sterile technique, tissue culture, general laboratory maintenance, quality control and quality assurance procedures and ethics.
* Immunologic techniques including ELISA, antibody staining and tetramer enrichment, flow cytometry, fluorescent microscopy, tetramer construction and peptide exchange
* Cell-Based Approaches
* Experience in blood banking
* Expertise with FlowJo and GraphPad Prism.
* Expertise with Excel spreadsheet and database management
* HIPPA Training
To learn more about the Department of Surgery, please visit:
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