Research Assistant NEUROLOGY knh

Summary

The Research Assistant I will be positioned within the Khurana Laboratory in the Department of Neurology at Brigham and Women's Hospital and will physically work within the BWH iPSC Neuro Hub (one floor above the Khurana lab). This role is designed to support Khurana Lab‑driven research projects from a human cell‑modeling perspective, with a particular focus on induced pluripotent stem cell‑derived models of neurodegenerative disease.

The RA will serve as a key operational and technical liaison between Khurana Lab scientists and the BWH iPSC Neuro Hub, helping coordinate the generation, maintenance, tracking, and distribution of human iPSC lines and differentiated neural cell types needed for ongoing research programs. The Khurana Lab studies the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying Parkinson’s disease and related neurodegenerative disorders, with a strong emphasis on patient‑derived models, human iPSC‑based systems, neuronal and glial differentiation, synuclein biology, neurotoxicity, and translational disease modeling.

In close collaboration with the BWH iPSC Neuro Hub, under the directorship and mentorship of Dr. Christina Muratore, the RA will contribute to the generation and maintenance of high‑quality human iPSC‑derived cell models and support the use of these models across Khurana Lab projects. The BWH iPSC Neuro Hub provides a centralized resource for the BWH neuroscience research community by acquiring, generating, maintaining, characterizing, and distributing human iPSC lines;

developing novel differentiation methods and techniques; and educating researchers through seminars, consults, and hands‑on support. The Neuro Hub serves as an intellectual and technical center for iPSC research, bringing together investigators across BWH and beyond to share expertise and advance human stem cell‑based approaches to neurological disease. By embedding this RA role within the Neuro Hub, the Khurana Lab aims to strengthen coordination between disease‑focused research programs and centralized iPSC expertise, ensuring high‑quality cell model generation, rigorous documentation, and efficient access to cell resources.

The candidate will work under the co‑supervision of a senior member of the Khurana lab and Dr. Christina Muratore. The majority of training activities, technical guidance, and experimental planning will occur under the direct supervision of Dr. Christina Muratore and Neurohub staff. Depending on project needs and the candidate’s experience, the role will include iPSC culture, cell line maintenance and cataloguing, differentiation of iPSCs into neurons and glia, assay development, cell‑based phenotyping, longitudinal imaging, flow cytometry, molecular biology, data analysis, and careful documentation of cell line inventory, protocols, and experimental workflows.

The ideal candidate will be diligent, highly organized, technically careful, collaborative, and comfortable working across a shared research infrastructure. Provides assistance to the Principal Investigator and Study Team in coordinating research activities that may include conducting a variety of routine experiments with established methodologies, data collection and management, and other research activities as assigned.

• Maintain, passage, catalogue, and culture human iPSC lines used by the Khurana Lab and associated collaborative projects.
• Physically work within the BWH iPSC Neuro Hub while serving as a dedicated Khurana Lab research assistant supporting Khurana Lab‑driven cell model needs.
• Coordinate closely between Khurana Lab scientists and the Neuro Hub for the generation, differentiation, characterization, and delivery of iPSC‑derived cell models.
• Support the differentiation of iPSCs into neurons, glia, and other relevant human neural cell types, including aging and maintenance of differentiated cultures as required by specific projects.
• Assist with the development, optimization, and execution of cell‑based assays relevant to neurodegenerative disease research, including viability, toxicity, phenotypic, imaging‑based, and molecular assays.
• Maintain a master inventory of all available Khurana…