Research Specialist
A position is available in the WNPRC Genetics Services Unit overseen by Dr. David O'Connor at the AIDS Vaccine Research Laboratory. Genetics Services is a research service unit that specializes in fee-for-service high-throughput genotyping of immune loci in nonhuman primates (NHP). Understanding NHP genetics is essential for unlocking the secrets of AIDS immunity, organ transplant tolerance, and susceptibility to infectious disease. The applicant will provide technical assistance to help design experiments and develop improved technologies for understanding the relationship between genetics and disease, while working with other laboratories that provide NHP samples for advanced analyses available only through Genetics Services.
Duties include but are not limited to the following:
- High-throughput isolation of nucleic acids and preparation of templates for DNA sequencing.
- Operate deep DNA sequencing instruments including an Illumina MiSeq and PacBio Sequel.
- Analyze large deep DNA sequencing datasets for Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC) genotyping as well as additional immunologically important genomic regions such as TRIM5, killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR), and Fc gamma receptors (FCGR).
- Assist with the preparation of genotyping reports and presentations.
- Evaluate new technology platforms for MHC allele discovery and genotyping.
- Assist with the development and evaluation of new methods for analyzing and curating sequence data for immune gene families such as MHC, TRIM5, KIR and FCGR.
- Assist with administrative components such as purchasing, budget preparation, and project logistics.