School of Medicine

Established in 1930, Duke University School of Medicine is the youngest of the nation's top medical schools. Ranked sixth among medical schools in the nation, the School takes pride in being an inclusive community of outstanding learners, investigators, clinicians, and staff where interdisciplinary collaboration is embraced and great ideas accelerate translation of fundamental scientific discoveries to improve human health locally and around the globe. Composed of more than 2,600 faculty physicians and researchers, nearly 2,000 students, and more than 6,200 staff, the Duke University School of Medicine along with the Duke University School of Nursing, and Duke University Health System comprise Duke Health, a world-class academic medical center. The Health System encompasses Duke University Hospital, Duke Regional Hospital, Duke Raleigh Hospital, Duke Health Integrated Practice, Duke Primary Care, Duke Home Care and Hospice, Duke Health and Wellness, and multiple affiliations.

 

 

 

Occupational Summary

Provide leadership and expertise in the design, execution, and supervision of complex research activities, including planning, organizing, conducting, and communicating research studies within the overall scope of a research project at Duke University.

 

Work Performed

Independently lead, coordinate, perform, and supervise advanced cell and molecular biology procedures that include: 1) establish and execute protocols to maintain, grow, and test immortalized cell lines to examine basic biology; 2) establish and execute Biosafety level II protocols to isolate and culture human cells from fluids (blood/plasma) and tissue biopsies (e.g. tumor, muscle); 3) establish and execute protocols to safely maintain and grow cancer cell lines for orthotopic injection into animals to effectively develop tumors; 4) establish protocols for cloning and mutation of DNA sequences to develop genetically modified organisms and cells with plasmid overexpression, short-hairpin or small-interference RNA, and CRISPR/Cas9; 5) establish protocols to develop, produce, isolate, and validate recombinant proteins and use site-directed mutagenesis to modify single or multiple amino acid sequences in proteins to mimic post-translational modifications or disease-causing mutations, 6) establish and execute protocols to produce, purify, and titrate viral constructs (adeno-associated virus, adenovirus, and lentivirus) for transduction in animals and cultured cells; 7) isolate cells using FACS, validate, and perform relevant tests; 8) establish and maintain all aspects of regulatory compliance with Duke OESO and Institutional Biosafety Committee for advanced cell and molecular biology procedures; 9) analyze and interpret data providing conclusions or suggestions for subsequent steps with potential solutions to technical and biological challenges; 10) train and supervise research technicians and postdoctoral fellows on technical and regulatory compliance aspects of advanced cell and molecular biology techniques; 11) write methods and results for manuscripts and assist the PI and research trainees with addressing reviewers comments on aspects from advanced cell and molecular biology.

 

Independently lead, coordinate, perform, and supervise basic cell and molecular biology and biochemistry that include: 1) extract, isolate, and measure mRNA and protein abundance using tissues and cells from animals and humans; 2) immunoprecipitation and co-immunoprecipitation assays with tissues and cells from animals and humans; 3) enzyme activity assays with tissues and cells from animals and humans; 4) train and supervise research assistants and technicians on technical and regulatory compliance aspects of basic cell and molecular biology techniques.

Lead, coordinate, perform, and supervise basic and advanced histology and microscopy in cells and tissues including: 1) sectioning tissues (cryo and paraffin); 2) fixing and staining cells and tissues; 3) brightfield, fluorescence, and confocal microscopy; 4) training and supervision of postdocs, research assistants, and technicians on technical and regulatory compliance aspects of basic cell and molecular biology techniques; 5) monitor use of and charges by microscopy core facility.

 

Lead, coordinate, perform, and supervise basic and advanced procedures in live animals that include: 1) injections (subcutaneous, tail-vein, intraperitoneal, intrapleural, intracardiac, retro-orbital, mammary gland); 2) oral gavage (anesthetized and conscious); 3) daily supply and check of research dietary or pharmacological interventions; 4) survival surgeries (e.g., laparotomy, thoracotomy); 4) train and supervise research assistants and technicians on technical procedures and regulatory compliance with IACUC and DLAR.

Coordinate the schedule of experiments and laboratory personnel, assign staff to specific procedures, and oversee preparation and execution of tests of exercise capacity, glucose tolerance test, blood pressure, and tissue harvesting and processing for histology, muscle contraction, and mitochondrial metabolism in animal models of aging, heart failure, breast cancer, and Barth Syndrome; assign lab staff for data analysis and oversee timely execution and presentation of results in lab meeting and documentation in laboratory notebooks.

Coordinate the schedule and execution of experiments with Core facilities, assign lab staff (postdocs, research technicians, or assistants) to transport animals to/from core facility, oversee transfer of data from core facility to Ferreira laboratory and Ortho archives, assign lab staff for data analysis and oversee timely execution and presentation of results in lab meeting and documentation in laboratory notebooks.

 

Coordinate with clinical research staff and Ferreira lab staff the schedule and execution of muscle biopsy or blood sample collection, oversee and execute collection and appropriate transfer of samples from DSSI/PRIME Lab or Duke Ambulatory Surgery Center to LSRC for long-term storage and tests of mitochondrial respiration, single cell biophysics, histology, and cell isolation for projects involving human subjects and testing dietary and pharmacologic interventions in patients with heart failure (collaboration with Dr. Senthil Selvaraj), rehabilitation in older individuals with frailty (collaboration with Dr. Todd Cade), and mechanisms and treatment for myopathy in women with triple-negative breast cancer that undergo neo-adjuvant chemotherapy and mastectomy (collaboration with Dr. Rebecca Knackstedt).  

Discuss research questions and hypotheses with PI and postdocs to determine experimental needs (cell type, animal model, genetic vs pharmacologic intervention) to elucidate mechanisms and treatment of cardiomyopathy and skeletal muscle weakness, design relevant protocols, and establish processes and operations for execution of experiments, and delegate to (where appropriate) and supervise execution by research technicians and assistants.

 

Assess the timeline and progress of projects focused on mechanisms and treatment of cardiomyopathy and skeletal muscle weakness in heart failure, aging, Barth syndrome, and breast cancer to prioritize and supervise the work of postdocs, technicians, and grad or undergrad research assistants to meet the project goals within pre-established timelines that comply with funding agencies.

Write Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) protocols to maintain, recover, or expand and coordinate, oversee, and execute genotyping to verify genetic integrity of cryopreserved and live animal colonies carrying floxed, deletion, or truncated mutation in ATF3, Nox2, Nox4, Tafazzin, Sirtuins, Isocitrate Dehydrogenase, and methionine sulfoxide reductase that will reach over 11,000 mice for successful project completion and submission of grants that will exceed $5M, and facilitate delivery of research products and reports to funding agencies (Barth Syndrome Foundation, National Institutes of Health, American Heart Association). 

 

Maintain detailed and up-to-date documentation of experiments, animal procedures, DEA controlled substances inventory, and protocols in Electronic Laboratory Notebook (ELN, LabArchives). Supervise, frequently check, and guide all members of the research team to make detailed and updated ELN records a top priority. 

Coordinate and lead semiannual IACUC and annual OESO inspections of laboratory space, documentations, and procedures. Correct any potential deficiencies promptly and communicate with inspectors.  Establish work procedures; select sources of information and specific data; set up and perform interviews and inspections with appropriate authorities or subjects and prepare correspondence to locate the specific data required.

 

Join principal investigator and postdocs in brainstorming sessions focused on idea development and pilot study design for grant proposals based on recent results of projects or organizational meetings to discuss the interpretation of results and the preparation of manuscripts for publication.

 

Coordinate and supervise the training and schedule for the use of Ferreira laboratory equipment by staff from other labs collaborating with principal investigator on projects in mice focused on muscle regeneration and fatty infiltration (Shihuan Kuang, PhD), peripheral nerve regeneration (Neill Li, MD), muscular dystrophy (Mai Elmallah, MD), and sarcoma (Stephen Skapek, MD).

 

Manage a lab budget of over $300,000 ensuring that all expenses are coded and accounted for appropriately.  Supervise inventory, maintain records of reagents, and ensure that lab is stocked as needed at all times. 

 

Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so classified.

 

 

 

Minimum Qualifications

 

 

Education

Work requires a bachelor's degree in botany, biology, zoology, psychology or other directly related scientific field.

 

Experience

 

Work requires four years of research experience. A related master's OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE degree may offset required years of experience on a 1:1 basis, e.g., a two year master's degree in lieu of two years of experience.

 

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

 

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

 

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.