Faculty.Instructor.Research - Full-Time

The University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology/Oncology is seeking a qualified Research Instructor to assist with Cancer Immunology research in the laboratory of Dr. Jing Hong Wang (http://www.pmi.pitt.edu/person/jing-h-wang-md-phd). The Research Instructor will work closely with the principal investigator to study the mechanisms of tumorigenesis using head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) as models. We employ genetic and immunological approaches to better understand the interplay of cancer and the immune system. Our HNSCC studies focus on why certain individuals can eradicate cancers while others succumb to cancer progression and why different individuals respond differentially to anti-cancer therapy. The goals of our research program include: (1) define the cellular and molecular mechanisms of immune evasion during cancer development; (2) develop more effective cancer immunotherapy, with a focus on HNSCCs. A Doctoral degree in immunology or cancer-related field is required, as well as at least 4 or 5 years of post-graduate research experience. An advanced understanding and experience with standard molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, and tissue culture methods are required. We use mouse models extensively, and prior experience with mouse models is required. The Research Instructor will be expected to perform and conceptualize experiments on several projects focused on elucidating mechanisms of immune evasion during cancer development. This will include data collection and analysis of basic molecular biology techniques such as DNA/RNA isolation, PCR amplification, RT-qPCR, Western blotting, chromatin immunoprecipitation, flow cytometry, and cell culture techniques such as gene overexpression/knockdown and CRISPR/Cas9 gene targeting. The Research Instructor will also help to design and develop new experimental protocols to study the mechanisms of heterogenous anti-cancer immune responses. He/she is expected to participate in the preparation of manuscripts and grant proposals. He/she will also assist in training/supervising postdocs, graduate students, and other staff members of the lab. He/she will help the PI evaluate the performance of lab members and provide constructive and valuable feedback to other members of the lab. Ability to collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team and excellent verbal and written communication skills are a must. A PhD in immunology or a related field with a minimum of 4 years of experience in an immunology or cancer biology laboratory is desired. An equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted for the education/experience listed. Willingness to work with pre-clinical mouse models is required. Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) and GraphPad Prism, as well as a willingness to learn new software such as Adobe Illustrator, is expected. Interested applicants can apply at join.pitt.edu Requisition #24007237.