Research Lab Specialist Senior

The Beamish Lab in the Internal Medicine Department/Division of Nephrology is seeking a Research Specialist to contribute to an NIH-funded research project studying the molecular control of kidney epithelial cell regeneration.

Kidney injury affects up to 20% of hospital admissions, yet there are no available treatments. In the most severe forms of injury, epithelial cells in the kidney are damaged. While surviving cells can regenerate to restore kidney function, the extent of recovery is inconsistent between patients. The focus of our primary funded research project is to clarify the underlying mechanisms that control kidney epithelial regeneration. These studies will reveal new targets for the treatment of this common condition.

More broadly, our lab studies many aspects of kidney pathophysiology, including podocyte biology, metabolism, and mechanisms of acute kidney injury. We also develop novel tools and techniques to study these topics. Our long-term goals are to discover new ways to promote recovery after kidney injury, harness the regenerative potential of kidney epithelia to develop alternatives to dialysis, and prevent progression of kidney disease to kidney failure. We offer a fun and dynamic lab environment with many projects at all stages of development.

The PI is a nephrologist and physician-scientist at Michigan Medicine and the Ann Arbor VA with extensive training in kidney pathophysiology, mouse models of kidney disease, and engineered culture systems.

A cover letter outlining how your experience meets the required position qualifications is mandatory for consideration during the application review process. A CV is also required.

The duties of this position require some effort on nights, weekends, and holidays. This effort will be limited to unavoidable, time-sensitive work only.

• Develop, design, execute, troubleshoot, and analyze experiments independently. This work will require researching and troubleshooting new techniques, validating findings with orthogonal methodologies, and linking multiple experiments to robustly test hypotheses. The successful candidate will meet regularly with the PI to discuss results and prioritize next steps but must be able to function independently.
• Oversee maintenance of a large mouse colony, including breeding, genotyping, administering medications, assisting with mouse surgical procedures, performing post-operative monitoring, collecting samples, and analyzing results, all with assistance of a lab technician
• Oversee day-to-day lab operations (ordering, cleaning, maintenance, etc) with assistance from lab technicians
• Maintain accurate, organized, and detailed records and protocols on cloud storage that can be accessed and utilized by the PI and research team
• Assist with abstract, manuscript, and grant preparation
• Assist with supervision and training of junior lab personnel
• Prepare and update regulatory protocols (animal protocols, IRB, IBC, EHS, etc)

• Minimum Bachelors degree or higher in a biological science with 5 years of laboratory bench experience and a strong track record of productivity.
• Must be able to perform basic molecular and cellular biology techniques without supervision. Examples include isolation of DNA, RNA, and protein from tissue and cultured samples, PCR, Western blot, immunostaining of tissue sections and cell preparations, cell culture.
• Must be experienced working with laboratory mice. Must be able to perform ear-tagging, ear punch/cut biopsy, and intraperitoneal injections independently. Must be willing and able to learn to assist with surgical procedures, post-operative monitoring, and sample collection.
• Must work in an environment with exposure to animals, animal dander, animal byproducts, and bedding materials.
• Physical requirements: ability to reach by extending hand(s) or arm(s) in any direction; finger dexterity to manipulate objects with fingers rather than with whole hand or arm; ability to see and hear within normal parameters, lift, carry, move supplies, computers, glassware, etc: ability to move about workspace, ability to perform delicate microdissection and microsurgeries.

• Masters or doctoral degree with 5+ years of lab experience and a strong record of productivity demonstrated through research publications is strongly preferred.