Research Assistant Lab

Company Description

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Job Summary: The mission of the Department of Nutrition at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health is to improve human health through better nutrition and lifestyle. The Department strives to accomplish this goal through research aimed at an increased understanding of how diet influences health at molecular and population levels, the development of nutritional strategies, informing policy, the education of researchers and practitioners, and the dissemination of nutrition information to health professionals and the public.

The Nutritional Biomarker Lab is a core facility within the Department of Nutrition, specializing in assays to measure a variety of physiologically-relevant biomolecules. Fatty acids, antioxidants, and lipoproteins play significant roles in human health, and the quantification of these important molecules provide insights into metabolic and inflammatory processes that underpin a variety of pathologies.

Job-Specific Responsibilities: We are seeking a Research Assistant (RA) to help with assessing fatty acids from large patient studies. The RA will be performing solvent-based extractions of fatty acids from human samples, performing GC-FID characterization of FA constituents, and then analyzing chromatographic data to measure relative levels of key FA’s. Following data analysis, results are compiled into reports for review with the lab manager.

Tasks associated with routine GC maintenance, monitoring of consumables used, and efficient chromatography data analysis will be key to this role.

The successful Research Assistant may also have opportunities to learn assessments of carotenoids/antioxidants and lipoproteins using HPLC-based methods and immunoassays, respectively. Other lab-related tasks may be assigned. This position will require a candidate with a willingness to learn chemical instrumentation and the requisite assays for measuring essential biomolecules and immunoassays such as ELISA or using chemical analyzer, all while gaining insights to the operations of a Harvard core facility and contributing meaningfully to a collaborative study.

Strong communication skills and a superlative work ethic are desired for the analyst in this role.

Basic laboratory bench skills should include working with a variety of solvents, pipettors, and preparation of solutions. Familiarity with chemistry lab instrumentation such as gas chromatography, HPLC, and/or capillary electrophoresis are desirable. Strong proficiency with Excel, Word, and familiarity with various Office programs and PC-based operating systems are essential. The candidate will be required to work in a BSL2-level environment, handling small volumes of frozen human-derived samples while using the appropriate personal protective equipment Additional duties and responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Organic phase extraction from human blood, human tissues, and food products
• Operation and maintenance of GC-FID and other chromatography instruments such as HPLC
• Conduct an ELISA assays
• Operate and maintain chemical analyzers
• Integration of…