Current UC San Diego Health Cellular & Molecular employees who apply by 2/14/2024 will have priority consideration for this position. Recruiters will refer qualified internal candidates after the first 7 days of the job posting. All qualified external applicants and additional internal applicants who apply after the priority date may have further consideration pending the results of the initial review.

UCSD Health Sciences is a $1 billion dollar plus organization encompassing 17 academic departments (15 clinical, 2 basic sciences), 2 preacademic/hospital departments, 2 professional schools (School of Medicine and Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences), 2 hospitals, and various other programs and units all dedicated towards fulfilling the Health Sciences missions. The UCSD Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine (CMM) is one of two basic science units in the School of Medicine where world-class researchers study fundamental cellular processes and pathways using a variety of techniques from classical genetics and fluorescence microscopy to high throughput genomics, systems biology, and crystallography. Our 37 faculty and over 200 postdoctoral scholars, graduate students, and research staff work on the cutting edge of biology, cutting across fields from basic biochemistry and genetics to genomics, systems biology and stem cell biology. The faculty also play a major role in medical and graduate student training, providing educational and programmatic offerings that span several disciplines and provide diversity to meet the interests of a broad spectrum of students and scholars. The diverse mix of ages, backgrounds, and talents creates a robust work environment with challenging career opportunities and a commitment to continued growth potential. We constantly seek to recruit highly motivated, technologically advanced, and deeply interested individuals who are ready to become a part of our dynamic research and educational environment.

The Institute for Network Medicine [www.inetmed.ucsd.edu] unites several research disciplines to develop disruptive solutions, transform life sciences, and technology and enhance the quality of human life. Founded in Mar of 2018, iNetMed houses three centers, which are collaboratively developing new, human-centered approaches to drug discovery and technological innovation. These positions are geared towards "human centered drug discovery:.

Human-Centered Drug Discovery: The world's drug discovery machinery has a tragic paradox. Academic labs, pharmaceutical companies and biotechs have better tools than ever before: supercomputers, genomic sequencers, PCR. Despite these incredible technologies, the drug discovery success rate is lower now than it was in the 1970s. There are two reasons for this: First, the era of 'big data' has not been translated into effective drugs, as was initially expected. Second, current approaches for target discovery rely far too much on inbred animal models (mice, rats, etc.), and drugs that work wonders in these animals. These pre-clinical studies fail far too often, then too late in clinical trials, making the process wasteful and imprecise. To overcome these challenges, iNetMed's two Centers, the Center for Precision Computational System Network (PreCSN) and HUMANOID Center of Research Excellence (CoRE) are working collaboratively to provide an end-to-end new paradigm and platform for drug discovery that begins with target identification (at PreCSN) and ends with target validation in human disease models (at HUMANOID).

The Staff Research Associate will mostly work within the UC San Diego HUMANOID CoRE (humanoid.ucsd.edu), an organoid-based research core that strives to build disease models for testing therapeutics.

Under general supervision, the incumbent will perform standard laboratory procedures with adult human stem cells and primary cells, human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs), including embryonic stem cells (hESCs) and induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs), as well as other experimental procedures. Independently perform a number of standard repetitive laboratory procedures with stem cells, primary cell lines and immortalized cell lines, as needed, with the intent to build disease models that will aid in drug discovery for grand challenges in human diseases that are still without cure.

Use complex molecular biology and microscopy techniques in conduct a number of experimental procedures. The staff research associate will use microscopes, high content imaging, plate-readers, flow cytometers, cell fractionarors, isolators, microfluidic chambers, and available robotics to assay effects of small molecules on stem cells and organoids grown from stem cells will be necessary. The incumbent will independently perform standard experimental protocols in tissue culture to meet the needs of the research projects, providing ideas and rationale to help improve tests that are unsatisfactory.

Perform general lab duties including ordering supplies and equipment repair.

With minimal supervision, the incumbent will edit and maintain database of human tissue and organoids in the HUMANOID biorepository, maintain up-to-date clinic IRBs (Consent forms and IRB protocols), and serve as runner if needed to secure patient-derived tissues from clinics and bring them to the HUMANOID for organoid isolation. The incumbent is expected to have a portion of his effort devoted to pre- clinical animal models of disease and, for that reason, is expected to handle animals for breeding and experimentation and maintain up-to- date IACUC protocols for animal studies. For these tasks, the incumbent will need to use Word, Excel, and PowerPoint software programs and computers. Must be willing to drive/access public transportation as needed. Performs other duties as assigned.

• Working knowledge of molecular and cellular biology or closely related field as typically acquired at a collegiate level or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Fundamental knowledge of LC-MS, seahorse, flow cytometry and Immunohistochemistry.

• Proven experience, knowledge and understanding of sterile techniques and complex mammalian cell culture practices. Knowledge and experience with numerous types of laboratory equipment related to uses, maintenance, and repair. Ability to learn new laboratory procedures quickly.

• Demonstrated knowledge of small molecule library screening and robotics.

• Proven knowledge of various computer software, hardware, standard office equipment and lab equipment.

• Atention to detail, resourceful, capable of handling the changing needs of the research lab.

• Demonstrated knowledge of or experience in bacteriology and bacteria cell competency.

• Proven ability to use mathematical skills to analyze and develop statistical data.

• Demonstrated knowledge of or experience in sterile cell culture techniques for culture of Human Embryonic Stem Cells and other mammalian cells.

• Knowledge of or experience performing repetitive and specialized laboratory experimental procedures. Experience following experimental protocols.

• Strong organization skills. Attention to detail; self-motivated. Ability to learn quickly and adopt lessons from one learning episode to similar situations. Ability to perform a variety of tasks in an extremely fast-paced environment. Use of good judgement relating to constantly changing priorities. Ability to work as part of a large, diverse group.

• Proven experience using microscopy to perform experiments.

• Demonstrated ability to write, amend and renew IACUC protocols and ensure compliance with those protocols.

• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on Background Check results.

• Occasional evenings and weekends may be required.

• Work in environment where biological (including infectious agents and bloodborne pathogens) and chemical hazards are present. Research on the human adult and embryonic stem cell. Lentiviral cultures are used.