Summary

Dr. Alexandra Stevens at Texas Children's Hospital/Baylor College of Medicine is seeking a research technician for work in mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance for pediatric hematologic malignancies, primarily acute myeloid leukemia. Our laboratory goals are to identify mechanisms of chemotherapy resistance and to harness that knowledge to develop and evaluate novel treatments for childhood hematologic malignancies. We focus primarily on understanding chemotherapy resistance in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia, a childhood cancer with poor survival despite intensive and toxic treatments. Current projects are focused on evaluation of novel agents and on identifying therapeutically relevant characteristics of leukemia initiating cells.  
 
The successful applicant for this position will be a motivated, organized, and team-oriented individual who is comfortable working with mice to model pediatric hematologic malignancies. Prior experience in flow cytometry, apoptosis assays, qPCR, immunoblotting/immunochemistry, kinase and phosphatase assays, cell cycle analysis, and murine models of disease are helpful but not required.  

Job Duties

• Prepares, conducts, and designs laboratory research experiments - for example - conduct flow cytometry and compensation, extraction of RNA, thawing of irreplaceable primary patient samples, produces reliable consistent data, and analyzes data.  
• Conducts literature searches related to experiment conduct and presents and records data in order to support research related decision making. Accurately reports and documents all results of experiments.  
• Networks within the Texas Children’s Hospital and Baylor College of Medicine systems to identify the most efficient and cost effective approaches to accomplishing the goals of the laboratory. 
• Constant evaluation of the success of experiments and laboratory techniques to improve laboratory related processes.  
• Provides well-reasoned suggestions for improving the standard operating procedures of the laboratory. 
• Orders supplies as needed.
• Interfaces with clinical providers - nurses, doctors.  
• Works with members of the clinical research team. 
• Performs other job related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a Basic Science or related field. Four years of related experience may substitute for degree requirement.
• One year of relevant experience.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in basic science or a related field.
• Prior experience in flow cytometry, apoptosis assays, qPCR, immunoblotting/immunochemistry, kinase and phosphatase assays, cell cycle analysis, and murine models of disease are helpful but not required.
• Excellent knowledge of English, both oral and written.