Research Associate, Translational Research Fellow - Dept. Ophthalmology Visual & Anatomical Sciences

Job Purpose

Under the direction of the Principal Investigator, provide scientific and technical assistance to complete laboratory based, clinical or population science research. May assist in writing research protocols and in manuscript preparation. Design and perform research protocols independently or as directed through training in more difficult or specialized procedures to meet the needs of the research protocol.

Essential Functions

Perform laboratory based scientific techniques or clinical/population science (human subjects) research. Design and perform experiments, recruit participants for studies by developing surveys and interviewing candidates. Participate in implementing research objectives, ensuring compliance with all legal, regulatory and protocol guidelines. Collect and log laboratory results, clinical outcomes and/or survey data. Evaluate and perform data analysis using graphs, charts or tables. Prepare and present presentations regarding research results. Write scientific manuscripts and other documents for publication. Maintain the laboratory work areas including routine maintenance on laboratory equipment.

Unique Duties

Work with retinal specialists in their retinal clinics to enhance the experience in retinal disease diagnosis, treatment, and patient care. Participate in ongoing clinical studies, including patient recruitment and data collection. Contribute to the design and execution of basic-science and translational projects using animal models and patient samples. Handle IRB and IACUC submission/amendment. Current projects include cornea prosthesis biocompatibility, rabbit retinal transplant, AAV-mediated in vivo VEGF gene knockout.

Qualifications

Education: Bachelor’s degree in a related field preferred. Doctorate (M.D. or Ph.D.) in genetics, neuroscience, molecular biology, biomedical engineering, or related field required for preferred qualifications. Experience: Minimum 2 years job-related experience. Prior research experience in ophthalmology, vision science, neuroscience, biomedical engineering, molecular genetics required. Prior experience in CRISPR preferred. Laboratory techniques such as cell culture, PCR/qPCR, Western blotting, cryosectioning, tissue staining, and immunohistochemistry required. Proficiency with R, MATLAB, or Python required.