Research Associate – Baylor College of Medicine (BCM)

A full-time position is available immediately in the Ray Lab at the BCM Department of Neuroscience. The Ray laboratory studies how the brain’s regulation of breathing is disrupted in congenital disorders such as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, neurodegenerative disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, and respiratory infections such as COVID-19 using genetically engineered mouse models.  A well rounded candidate with sufficient experience will be trained in new areas of work as needed.

The overarching goal of our laboratory is to understand how the myriad of neurons and glia in our brain are organized into circuits that keep us alive, enable complex behaviors, and how these networks may be disrupted in diseases ranging from sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), the leading cause of neonate death in the United States, to panic disorder, the most common mental illness in the United States, and even in COVID-19. Our lab is in an exciting expansion phase with multiple new funding awards from the NIH.

We are seeking highly motivated and well-organized individuals to work in a high energy and cooperative environment as we aim to study the following areas: Functional Mapping of Central Noradrenergic Neurons in the Control of Breathing, Screening for Genes and Prenatal Exposures in Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, and COVID-19 and the Effects of SARS-CoV-2 Infection on the Nervous System.

https://www.bcm.edu/research/faculty-labs/russell-ray-lab
https://molecularneurobiology.org

Job Duties

• Carries out independent experimental work to include: (40%)
  • Animal physiological testing.
  • Animal behavioral testing.
  • Molecular assays including PCR and recombinant DNA.
  • Histology and microscopy.
  • Data analysis, and figure generation.
• Performs mouse colony maintenance including: (40%)
  • Breeding and weaning.
  • Tissue collection and preparation.
  • PCR based genotyping.
• Assists in lab oversight of the following: (20%)
  • Management and procurement of supply inventory including reagents, consumables, and equipment.
  • Assists in institutional compliance, i.e. IACUC, Environmental safety, and Biosafety measures and reports.
  • Maintains an organized laboratory and workspace with full documentation inside of our laboratory information management system.

Minimum Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Basic Science or a related field.  Experience in lieu of degree will not be accepted.
• Three years of relevant experience typically as a Research Assistant, Research Technician or Postdoctoral Fellow/Associate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Must be highly motivated with a recent PhD in neuroscience, physiology, molecular or cell biology, genetics or related field, with a strong interest and experience in neuroscience.
• Good organizational skills, excellent record keeping, attention to detail, and the ability to work well with others.
• Experience handling and working with genetically engineered lab mice.
• Experience with basic immunohistological laboratory techniques including tissue harvest and processing, thin section microscopy.
• Experience with basic molecular laboratory techniques including PCR, recombinant plasmid DNA.