Cell Assay Lead​/Principal 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

JR7193

We are looking for an experienced cell biologist to participate in our exciting studies of the human protein kinome. This 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 their cell signaling research expertise and knowledge along with cell culture skills to design and perform experiments that translate novel insights into kinase structure and regulation determined in vitro into functional effects in cells.

The candidate will guide junior staff in designing high-quality cell biology experiments, critically review the experimental data generated by the cell biology team, and assist with troubleshooting. The work is diverse, providing an opportunity to study multiple kinases, conduct rigorous background research, and optimize cell-based assays of various types using many different cell lines or primary cells.

The cell-based studies are used not only to validate structural findings but also to discover new kinase-mediated biology or new mechanisms of kinase regulation.

The Blue Sky Initiative “Seeing the Invisible in Protein Kinases” 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 cryoEM, 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 discover new biology regarding kinase function and regulation in cells, understand the structural and functional consequences of disease-associated mutations, and identify 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
• Interface with the cell-based assays team and structural biology researchers, identifying appropriate cellular assays and cells for performing analysis of kinase signaling output and cellular phenotypes related to structure-guided perturbations in kinase regulation or function
• Develop strategies and plans for implementing a wide spectrum of cell-based assays to assess processes either regulated by or regulating kinases, including but not limited to evaluation of protein phosphorylation, protein interaction, protein localization, RNA abundance (qRT-PCR), protein ubiquitination, and protein abundance
• Lead and collaborate with a team of scientists on multiple structure-guided cell biology projects, and provide project direction and guidance to junior staff.
• Work closely with the cell biology team to implement and troubleshoot a variety of cell-based phenotypic assays, including but not limited to viability, apoptosis, autophagy, migration, or differentiation
• Critically review the relevant protein kinase literature, the experimental data generated by the team, and assist the team in designing and performing optimization and troubleshooting of cell-based assays
• Perform cell assay data analyses, including statistical analysis using graphing software or R scripts
• Interpret, analyze, prepare research reports, and communicate cell-based assay results within the Cell-Based Assays team and with collaborators on specific kinase projects
• Contribute to recruiting and growing the team, guiding…