Cell Assay Lead​/Senior Scientist - Blue Sky Kinases

Cell Assay Lead/Senior Scientist - Blue Sky Kinases

Location:

Memphis, TN

Category:
Laboratory Sciences & Support

Department:
Structural Biology

Shift: Weekday Day

Position Type:
Full Time

Scheduled Weekly

Hours:

40

Job

We are looking for an experienced cell biologist to participate in our exciting studies of the human protein kinome. This Lead/Senior Scientist position is part of the Blue Sky Initiative “Seeing the Invisible in Protein Kinases” e Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. As a member of the Cell‑Based Assays team, the candidate will use molecular biology, biochemistry, and cell culture skills to translate novel insights regarding kinase structure and regulation in vitro into functional effects in cells.

The work is diverse, providing an opportunity to study multiple kinases, perform background research, and optimize cell‑based assays with many different cell lines or primary cells. The assays validate structural findings and discover new kinase‑mediated biology.

The Blue Sky Initiative is an interdisciplinary project in the Department of Structural Biology and is supported by US $50 million in institutional funding. This large‑scale project leverages ultra‑high field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), complemented with cryo‑EM, X‑ray crystallography, data‑science and computational approaches, to characterize the conformational landscape of the human kinome. Knowledge of kinase conformations is then used to identify new biology, understand disease‑associated mutations, and discover novel therapeutic opportunities.

• Research kinase‑mediated signaling pathways, kinase targets or kinase‑dependent phosphorylation events, and cellular outcomes of such pathways for assigned kinase projects.
• Identify appropriate cellular assays and cells to perform structure‑guided analysis of kinase signaling output and cellular phenotypes related to structure‑guided perturbations in kinase regulation or function.
• Develop strategies and plans for implementing cell‑based assays, including evaluation of protein phosphorylation, protein interaction, protein localization, RNA abundance (qRT‑PCR), protein ubiquitination, and protein abundance.
• Develop strategies and plans for implementing cell‑based phenotypic assays, including viability, apoptosis, autophagy, migration, or differentiation.
• Perform optimization and troubleshooting of cell‑based assays.
• Perform statistical analysis using graphing software or R scripts.
• Interpret, analyze, and communicate cell‑based assay results within the Cell‑Based Assays team and with collaborators on specific kinase projects.

• Experience in the analysis of protein kinases and phosphorylation‑dependent signaling events or pathways.
• Expertise in culturing a variety of cell types, such as cancer cell lines, primary cells, mouse embryo fibroblasts, inducible human pluripotent cells, immune cells, neuronal cells, and muscle cells.
• Expertise in multiple methods for exogenous protein expression.
• Proficiency in presenting experimental design and results using PowerPoint or similar software.
• Experience with mouse models (preferred but not essential).

• Cloning, PCR, and qRT‑PCR
• Sterile technique
• Cell transfection, transduction, or infection to exogenously express proteins transiently or for cell line generation
• Quantitative immunoassays such as ELISA, Alpha
  
  LISA, and Mesoscale Discovery
• Immunoprecipitation and Western blotting
• Protein‑protein interaction analysis, such as proximity ligation, FRET, or Nano Bit assays
• Flow cytometry and fluorescence‑activated cell sorting (FACS)
• Reporter gene assays
• Phenotypic assays such as viability, apoptosis, proliferation, migration, colony‑forming, autophagy, endocytosis, secretion, or differentiation assays
• Microscopy including immunofluorescence, live‑cell imaging, subcellular localization, colocalization analysis
• Cellular fractionation

• Creative and results‑driven with strong critical thinking and the ability to learn quickly
• Hardworking, well‑organized, flexible, and capable of multitasking efficiently in a fast‑paced environment
• Collaborative and efficient member of teams with…