Research Assistant, Biological and Biomedical Systems, UMKC School of Science and Engineering

Hiring Department University of Missouri - Kansas City School of Science and Engineering Department of Biological and Biomedical Systems Dr. Spletter's Lab Genetics and Muscle Development UMKC is rated R1 by the Carnegie Research Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Job Description A Research Assistant position in genetics and muscle development. Animals have many different types of muscles that differ in their morphologies and contractile abilities. During development, muscle cells regulate gene expression and alternative splicing to fine‑tune their contractile ability, and defects in this process lead to muscle disease. My lab is interested in understanding how RNA binding proteins, which regulate RNA processing, contribute to muscle‑type specific development and function. We investigate this question in the powerful genetic model organism Drosophila melanogaster, the fruit fly, which shares muscle structural components as well as the mechanism of contraction with vertebrate muscle. We employ a variety of techniques, including classic genetics, live imaging, confocal microscopy and immunohistochemistry, bioinformatics, mRNA‑Seq, mass spectrometry, molecular biology and protein biochemistry. Seeking a Research Assistant who is excited to investigate muscle development and RNA regulation, who is interested in gaining experience with diverse laboratory techniques, and who is organized, reliable and works well on a team. The successful candidate will execute an independent research project within the interests of the lab, in addition to working with other team members and supporting lab operations. Duties and Responsibilities Learning, implementing, documenting, and teaching new techniques. Assisting laboratory personnel (technicians, postdocs, and graduate students) with experiments. Performance of standard molecular and biochemical techniques including PCR, Western blotting, cloning, immunohistochemistry, sample dissection, confocal microscopy, sequencing. Performing independent research once proficiency is demonstrated. Documenting all experiments. Interpreting and analyzing the results of experiments. Planning the next set of experiments in consultation with the supervisor. Presenting and discussing experiments with supervisor and entire laboratory. Laboratory maintenance including dishwashing, autoclaving, general lab maintenance, ordering, fly stock maintenance, fly food preparation, buffer preparation, and laboratory organization. Other tasks as directed by the supervisor. Qualifications The successful candidate is expected to have a bachelor's or master's degree in biology, biochemistry, genetics or a similar field. They will have experience with molecular cloning, Drosophila husbandry, protein biochemistry, muscle dissection and isolation, bioinformatics, confocal microscopy and live imaging. Image analysis experience with CellProfiler, ImageJ, Python, R, and Spectronaut is beneficial. Candidates are expected to have solid organization and communication skills, a strong work ethic, and scientific writing experience. Salary and Benefits Salary is determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to, the individual's particular combination of education, skills, and experience, as well as organizational requirements. As a UMKC Research Assistant you have the opportunity to expand on your education using the remarkable tuition discount for employees. This position is eligible for University benefits. As part of your total compensation, the University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental and vision plans, retirement, and educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses. For additional information on University benefits, please visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website at Equal Employment Opportunity The University of Missouri is an Equal Opportunity Employer. To request ADA accommodations, please call the Office of Equity & Title IX at View phone number on click.appcast.io. #J-18808-Ljbffr University of Missouri-Kansas City