Research Assistant

About the role

The University of Iowa Health Care is seeking a Research Assistant (RA) to support the Geerling laboratory's mission of investigating neural circuits that control homeostatic functions, including sodium appetite, thirst, hunger, arousal, gut motility, autonomic control, and neuroendocrine control. This position offers opportunities to help develop new experimental methods and to run experiments using established protocols.

Responsibilities

• Supports the Geerling laboratory's mission by investigating neural circuits that control homeostatic functions.
• Helps develop new experimental methods and runs experiments using established protocols, including stereotactic brain surgeries and implants in mice, pharmacologic injections and infusions in mice, and a variety of behavioral, histologic, physiologic, and chemical assays.
• Conducts high-quality transcardial perfusions of experimental mice.
• Performs brain dissections, formalin fixation, and sucrose cryoprotection of brain.
• Performs brain tissue sectioning on a freezing-stage microtome (or cryostat or paraffin microtome).
• Implements immunofluorescence and immunohistochemical staining of tissue sections.
• Performs Nissl counterstaining, tissue dehydration and clearing.
• Lables mRNA in tissue using protocols for RNAscope fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and DAB in situ hybridization (ISH).
• Mounts tissue sections and coverslips glass slides.
• Documents all steps for all protocols, including dates, times, chemical numbers, lot numbers, etc.
• Performs timely, high-quality tissue imaging (epifluorescence and brightfield) on a whole-slide-scanning microscope, laser-scanning confocal microscope, or light-sheet microscope.
• Communicates with PI about necessary cases, magnification, and types of imaging required for each experiment.
• Communicates with PI and other Geerling lab staff about experimental plans, mouse needs, reagent needs, equipment use, and any other practical matters in a timely manner so that reproducible, rigorous experiments can proceed with maximum efficiency.
• Collects, analyzes, summarizes data; prepares reports; contributes to manuscripts, publications.
• Keeps well-organized laboratory task list and separate, formal laboratory notebooks that are compliant with UIowa and NIH/federal requirements (including dates and times, animal details, surgical anesthesia, experimental details, stapled or taped datasheets, etc.).
• Presents results in slide-format at weekly lab meetings.
• Drafts and edits text, tables, graphs, and figures for scientific publications.
• Aids PI and other lab members in preparing graphs, charts, tables, and figure-panels for grant applications and manuscripts, when needed.
• Authors and co-authors publication-quality manuscripts for submission to high-impact, peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Requirements

• Excellent interpersonal skills and abilities to communicate (written and spoken) effectively with coworkers, collaborators, supervisors, vendors, and other colleagues.
• Ability to work efficiently and productively with a multidisciplinary team (e.g., undergraduate and graduate students, medical students and residents, postdoctoral fellows, clinician-scientists).
• Evidence of dedication to completing tasks and willingness to work at agreed upon times.
• Eagerness to seize opportunities for innovation, experimental productivity, and publication.
• Initiative to find new ways of maximizing efficiency, innovation, and productivity.
• Previous experience with Microsoft Office and basic computer graphics software like FIJI/Photoshop.
• Some experience with vector-based graphic design tools (e.g., Illustrator, Canvas, or Inkscape) and with basic programming languages (Python, R) is preferred.

Qualifications

• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• A degree in neuroscience, biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics, engineering, or medicine is preferred.
• Solid foundation of basic biology, chemistry, anatomy, physiology, and neuroscience knowledge.
• Experience with engineering or coding.
• Strong work ethic and analytic abilities.