Research Assistant Job Listing at Rockefeller University in New York, NY (Job ID 1454)

Description

Organization Overview

Our lab is interested in understanding how the immune system is able to respond to pathogens without jeopardizing its tolerance to innocuous substances,a critical balance that allows us to fend off infectious disease without inflicting damage on our own tissues. We are particularly interested in examining the workings of this process in the intestine,where it is complicated by persistent exposure to a wide variety of antigens from food as well as a flourishing ecosystem of both helpful and harmful bacteria. This work has the potential to further our understanding of autoimmune conditions such as allergies and asthma and also to suggest new ways in which immune cells could be harnessed to neutralize pathogenic viruses and bacteria.
Overview

The intestinal tissue is continuously exposed to large amounts of microbe– and food–derived molecules that can stimulate immune responses. We study how the intestine generates protective responses against invading pathogens (resistance) while absorbing beneficial microbe– and food–derived molecules (tolerance). We are interested in how the epithelium, immune system and enteric nervous system communicate to respond to these different stimuli.  Several cellular and molecular mechanisms exist to ensure robust tolerance induction in the mucosal surfaces, and disruption of such processes often leads to severe chronic inflammatory pathologies such as colitis, Celiac disease and food allergies, and colorectal cancer. We seek to understand how neuroimmune communication facilitates differentiation of responses against innocuous antigens vs pathogens and how this sensation can alter immunological, physiological and behavioral responses particularly in the context of type 2 immunity.

Key Objectives:

• Pathogen Immunity: We investigate into the intricate interactions between the immune system, enteric nervous system and intestinal epithelium and how these coordinate to respond to pathogens like intestinal helminths both to clear the pathogen and to repair the intestine after resolution of infection
• Food Immunity: Understanding how the immune system and nervous system navigates the challenges posed by the diverse range of dietary antigens is one of focus of our research. We aim to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the development of immune tolerance to dietary components while understanding how disruption of steady-state neuroimmune communication can lead to loss of tolerance and allergy.
• Gut-Brain Communication: Determining how type-2 immune responses in the gut are sensed and relayed to the brain.  We aim to study the circuits connecting the gut with the brain, if these circuits differ between allergic and pathogenic immune responses and how these circuits influence behavior and metabolism to respond to different immune challenges

We are seeking motivated and detail-oriented individual to join our research team as a Research Assistant. As a key member of our team, you will play a crucial role in supporting our research and contributing to the understanding of the development and function of the intestinal immune system. Specific projects focus on dissecting the immune responses against gut microbiota, food and cancer, understanding both genetic and environmental drivers of intestinal immune phenotypes, and understanding neuroimmune communication in the context of type 2 immune responses such as helminth infection. The Research Assistant will use mouse models to assess gut immune cells by flow cytometry and RNA-sequencing and will be responsible for animal colony maintenance. Other technical responsibilities may include bacterial and mammalian cell culture (including organoid cultures), ELISA, and immunoblotting, molecular biology techniques such as cloning, RNA/DNA extractions, PCR and single-cell PCRs and imaging techniques including brightfield, confocal, and 2-photon intravital imaging.

Responsibilities include:

• Conduct laboratory experiments and assist in various research projects
• Prepare and maintain accurate research records and documentation in a laboratory notebook
• Operate and maintain laboratory equipment and instruments
• Prepare and aliquot solutions and other chemicals for lab members
• Help with maintenance of animal colonies
• Collaborate with researchers to design and execute experiments
• Analyze and interpret experimental results
• Stay up-to-date with relevant scientific literature

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in biology or related areas
• Must have basic previous laboratory training
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Proficient in using basic laboratory equipment and instruments
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• Ability to follow protocols and standard operating procedure

The Rockefeller University does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to the characteristics listed above.

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on various factors, including but not limited to organizational budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The hiring range provided represents The Rockefeller University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in biology or related areas
• Must have basic previous laboratory training
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills
• Proficient in using basic laboratory equipment and instruments
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills
• Ability to follow protocols and standard operating procedure

The Rockefeller University does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service or other non-merit factor. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to the characteristics listed above.

The salary of the finalist selected for this role will be set based on various factors, including but not limited to organizational budgets, qualifications, experience, education, licenses, specialty, and training. The hiring range provided represents The Rockefeller University's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible compensation at the time of posting.

Responsibilities include:

• Conduct laboratory experiments and assist in various research projects
• Prepare and maintain accurate research records and documentation in a laboratory notebook
• Operate and maintain laboratory equipment and instruments
• Prepare and aliquot solutions and other chemicals for lab members
• Help with maintenance of animal colonies
• Collaborate with researchers to design and execute experiments
• Analyze and interpret experimental results
• Stay up-to-date with relevant scientific literature