Sr. Staff Scientist (TERM) - Castiglione Lab

Position Summary:

The Sr. Staff Scientist (TERM) will be part of Professor Gianni Castiglione’s Laboratory in the Department of Biological Sciences, with a focus on Ophthalmology. This position will aid the Castiglione lab’s investigations into preclinical ophthalmic research and animal models. The Sr. Staff Scientist (TERM) is an essential position, responsible for conducting independent research and training new students. The duties will include specialized ocular microsurgery, primary retinal cell isolation and culture, and molecular biology techniques. Substantial experience with specialized procedures, including subretinal injection, intravitreal injection, and retinal dissections. The position is full-time, with renewal contingent on funding and performance.

About the Work Unit:

The Department of Biological Sciences has an excellent staff to facilitate issue resolution involving personnel, financial management, supply and equipment orders proposal submission, and infrastructure. The faculty in the department carry out diverse research projects and often collaborate with other members within the department and in nearby departments. This department covers a broad spectrum of biology, from molecules and cells to tissues and organisms to populations and ecosystems. Award-winning faculty and graduate students teach and carry out research in Biochemistry, Structural Biology and Biophysics, Cell Biology, Genetics, Molecular Biology, Computational Biology, Evolutionary Biology, Ecology, Developmental Biology, and Neurobiology.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

Duties and Responsibilities

• Animal Models & Ocular Microsurgical Techniques:
  • Perform subretinal and intravitreal injections in mice
  • Conduct retinal and choroidal dissections on human donor eyes, non-human primates, mice, and rats.
  • Perform fresh ocular tissue collection, biopsies, and retinal sectioning
• Tissue, Cell Culture & Primary Cell Isolation:
  • Establish, maintain, and distribute primary isolation and culture of photoreceptors, and retinal pigment epithelial cells from human donor eyes.
• Molecular Biology:
  • Perform RNA extraction from retina, choroid, and cells.
  • Execute cDNA synthesis, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and DNA sequencing.
  • Conduct protein extraction, BCA protein assays, Western blotting, and ELISA.
• Daily Lab Operations & Training:
  • Train and mentor grad students, postdocs, and new laboratory personnel in ocular microsurgical techniques, dissections, cell culture, and qRT-PCR.
  • Design and perform experiments independently.
  • Develop expertise with research literature in our field.
  • Maintain a high level of intellectual engagement in the research project.
  • Maintain detailed notebooks and well-organized data.
• Other duties as assigned.

Supervisory Relationships:

The Sr. Staff Scientist trains and mentors grad students, postdocs, and new laboratory personnel in lab protocols and procedures. This position reports administratively to the department Administrative Manager and functionally to the Principal Investigator.

Education and Certifications:

• A Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree from an accredited institution or a PhD in Biology, Cell Biology, Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry or related field or an equivalent combination of education and relevant research experience (e.g., five years of research experience in lieu of a degree) is required. 

• Certification as a Certified Ophthalmic Assistant (COA) by the Joint Commission on Allied Health Personnel in Ophthalmology (JCAHPO) is highly preferred.

Experience and Skills:

• Extensive experience with ocular microsurgery, including subretinal and intravitreal injections is required.  
• Experience establishing primary human retinal pigment epithelium cell cultures from human donor eyes is required.
• Experience with molecular biology techniques including RNA extraction, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting is required.
• Extreme attention to detail and organizational abilities is required.
• Ability to function independently as well as part of a team is required.
• Ability to maintain a detailed lab notebook and experimental documentation is required.