Research Associate – Pouladi Lab

UBC; Vancouver; On-site; CAD 95,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of British Columbia's Pouladi Lab is seeking a fixed-term full-time Research Associate to advance neurobiology research using both mouse and human pluripotent stem cell models. Reporting to Dr.

Mahmoud Pouladi, the role emphasizes histology, genome editing, organoid differentiation, and preclinical studies, with a focus on collaboration and rigorous experimental design. Candidates should hold an MD/PhD with 5+ years of postdoctoral experience and a strong background in histology

Qualifications

• MD/PhD in Anatomy, Histology, or Pathology with a focus on neurobiology and 5+ years of postdoctoral experience.
• At least 10 years' experience in laboratory research involving mouse models.
• Expertise with histology techniques including immunofluorescence, IHC, ISH, TEM, Golgi staining, and brain imaging.

Responsibilities

• Develop and analyze novel mouse and human pluripotent stem cell models of genetic neurological disorders.
• Analyze brain development defects in mouse models of genetic disorders.
• Preclinical therapeutic studies in human pluripotent stem cell and mouse disease models.
• Perform and supervise behavioral and histological analyses of mouse models to elucidate disease pathophysiology.
• Differentiate human pluripotent stem cells into neural cell types and organoids.
• Maintain and analyze brain tissue cultures and primary neuron cultures.
• Perform CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing and related knockdown/overexpression experiments.
• Conduct electrophysiological recordings (MEA).

Job description

Job Title

Research Associate – Pouladi Lab

Job Description

The UBC Department of Medical Genetics seeks to be an inspiring and productive community of scholars; an outstanding provider of knowledge, technical expertise, and compassionate care for our patients; contributors to the scientific advance of our discipline; and a credible and respected source of information and advice to society at large. While focusing on areas of genetic medicine that we deem to be particularly important, we view diversity of approach and techniques to be an essential strength of our Department.

We acknowledge that the University of British Columbia Faculty of Medicine and its distributed programs, which include four university academic campuses, are located on traditional, ancestral and unceded territories of Indigenous peoples around the province.

The Department of Medical Genetics at The University of British Columbia (UBC) invites applications for a fixed-term full-time Research Associate.

Reporting to Dr. Mahmoud Pouladi, the successful candidate will hold an MD/PhD in Anatomy, Histology, or Pathology with a focus on neurobiology and 5+ years of postdoctoral experience and have:

• At least 10 years' experience in laboratory research involving mouse models.
• Expertise in histology such as immunofluorescence staining, immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridisation (ISH) labelling, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Golgi staining, dye tracing for anatomical brain connectivity mapping, whole brain 3D structure staining, clearing and imaging.
• Animal husbandry and related skills such as weaning, tailing, mouse behaviour testing, perfusions, tissue microdissection, in vivo delivery in the nervous system, in utero electroporation, and stereotaxic injections.
• Expertise in molecular biology techniques such as Western blotting, PCR, quantitative PCR, molecular cloning, Co-IP, and ChIP/CLIP.
• Expertise with ex vivo / in vitro cell culture techniques such as organotypic brain slice culture, brain tissue transplantation, primary cell culture, cell line culture, transfections, and lentivirus infection.
• Experience working with human pluripotent stem cells and their neural differentiation.
• Experience using genome editing using CRISPR/Cas9 in immortalized and human pluripotent stem cell lines.

Responsibilities include:

• Development and analysis of novel mouse and human pluripotent stem cell models of genetic neurological disorders.
• Analysis of brain development defects in mouse models of genetic disorders.
• Preclinical therapeutic studies in human pluripotent stem cell and mouse disease models.
• Performing and/or supervising behavioral and histological analyses of novel mouse models of genetic neurological disorders to elucidate the pathophysiology behind the disease, including managing mouse lines and carrying out relevant procedures such as behavioural experiments, microinjection, tissue collection, various types of sectioning, and staining.
• Differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells into neural cell types and organoids.
• Maintenance, expansion, and analysis of cell line, brain slice, and primary neuron cultures.
• Perform CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing, lentivirus infection shRNA, and transfection to knockout, knockdown, or overexpress to regulate gene expression levels.
• Electrophysiological recording, such as multi-electrode array (MEA)

The University of British Columbia is a global centre for research and teaching, consistently ranked among the top 20 public universities in the world. Since 1915, UBC's entrepreneurial spirit has embraced innovation and challenged the status quo. UBC encourages its students, staff and faculty to challenge convention, lead discovery and explore new ways of learning. At UBC, bold thinking is given a place to develop into ideas that can change the world.

Our Vision: To Transform Health for Everyone.

Ranked among the world's top medical schools with the fifth-largest MD enrollment in North America, the UBC Faculty of Medicine is a leader in both the science and the practice of medicine. Across British Columbia, more than 12,000 faculty and staff are training the next generation of doctors and health care professionals, making remarkable discoveries, and helping to create the pathways to better health for our communities at home and around the world.

Equity and diversity are essential to academic excellence. An open and diverse community fosters the inclusion of voices that have been underrepresented or discouraged. We encourage applications from members of groups that have been marginalized on any grounds enumerated under the B.C. Human Rights Code, including sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, racialization, disability, political belief, religion, marital or family status, age, and/or status as a First Nation, Metis, Inuit, or Indigenous person. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however Canadians and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority.