Job Summary

Geisinger Medical Center is an academic medical center in central Pennsylvania. The Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery maintains a busy open-heart surgery program that is expanding and building a research enterprise. Recently, Carlo Bartoli, MD, PhD joined the faculty and has relocated his internationally-recognized translational biophysics laboratory to Geisinger Medical Center (link below). The laboratory is independently funded with support from the NIH, congenital cardiology foundations, industry partners, and Geisinger Medical Center. Ongoing projects examine artificial circulation in the fetus to the adult and include ventricular assist device (VAD) design and development, mechanisms of VAD-associated bleeding and thrombosis, novel VAD therapies, and abnormal angiogenesis in children with single ventricle disease. Advancing the field of cardiovascular medicine and training the next generation of leaders in biomedicine are major goals of the laboratory.

Job Duties

Our cardiovascular research laboratory will hire a Research Assistant with a two-year commitment.  The position begins Summer of 2022.  Individuals who plan to attend medical or graduate school in the future are particularly well-suited for our laboratory.  Interest in combined MD/PhD training is preferred. Please send a cover letter and curriculum vitae.

Project Background: Heart failure is a major public health concern. Recently, implantable ventricular assist devices (VADs) have become a standard therapy in patients with life-threatening heart failure. However, altered blood flow patterns with a VAD affect the blood clotting system and predispose VAD patients to dangerous episodes of bleeding and clotting.  Significant evidence from our laboratory over the past decade suggest multiple associations between blood trauma and adverse patient events.  Our research focuses on the biophysical mechanisms of blood trauma and the effects on peripheral angiogenesis, bleeding, clotting, infection, and stroke.

Responsibilities: A research specialist will participate in multiple projects and will gain experience with a variety of cell culture, molecular biology, and histological assays.  Responsibilities will include conducting ex vivo and in vitro experiments, immunoblotting, cell culture, histological staining, microscopy, data organization and analysis, and writing. Additional responsibilities include:

• Assists in day-to-day project activities such as maintaining study documentation, attending and documenting study meetings, etc.
• Conducts data entry and manages computer databases used for data collection.
• Conducts literature searches and fact-finding research to support project development.
• Assists with data collection and data analysis.
• Assists with the development and maintenance of study documents.
• Develops a working knowledge of study protocols.
• Prepares and maintains regulatory documents according to governmental regulations and sponsor requirements.
• Assists with subject visits including obtaining vital signs, performing clinical tests, collecting clinical samples, and data collection.
• Performs recruitment tasks including database searches, patient recruitment calls, recruitment letters, and informed consent discussions.
• Navigates, performs data searches, and schedules appointments.
• Assists with grant submissions and grant funding opportunities and participating in pre-award grant process, as applicable.

Mentorship and Career Development: We are interested in identifying an individual with aspirations for a career in biomedicine and helping them to achieve their career goals.  The individual will work closely with members of our laboratory.  Mentorship will be provided in large part by Carlo Bartoli, MD, PhD, who has established a track record of mentorship and assisted multiple students matriculate in top MD/PhD programs in the United States. 

Our laboratory is a dynamic environment where lab members have access to a variety of research resources at an academic institution. The setting is ideal for motivated individuals who desire an active role in biomedical research with simultaneous exposure to clinical medicine.

Importantly, intellectual plus technical contributions will lead to co-authorship on peer-reviewed publications.  Lab members are encouraged to take a leadership roles on projects in order to earn first-authorship, present their work at conferences, and/or prepare research grant. 

Work is typically performed in an office environment. Accountable for satisfying all job specific obligations and complying with all organization policies and procedures. The specific statements in this profile are not intended to be all-inclusive. They represent typical elements considered necessary to successfully perform the job.

Position Details

Responsibilities: A research specialist will participate in multiple projects and will gain experience with a variety of cell culture, molecular biology, and histological assays.  Responsibilities will include conducting ex vivo and in vitro experiments, immunoblotting, cell culture, histological staining, microscopy, data organization and analysis, and writing.

Education

Bachelor's Degree-Related Field of Study (Required)

Experience

Certification(s) and License(s)

OUR PURPOSE & VALUES: Everything we do is about caring for our patients, our members, our students, our Geisinger family and our communities. KINDNESS: We strive to treat everyone as we would hope to be treated ourselves. EXCELLENCE: We treasure colleagues who humbly strive for excellence. LEARNING: We share our knowledge with the best and brightest to better prepare the caregivers for tomorrow. INNOVATION: We constantly seek new and better ways to care for our patients, our members, our community, and the nation. SAFETY: We provide a safe environment for our patients and members and the Geisinger family We offer healthcare benefits for full time and part time positions from day one, including vision, dental and domestic partners. Perhaps just as important, from senior management on down, we encourage an atmosphere of collaboration, cooperation and collegiality. We know that a diverse workforce with unique experiences and backgrounds makes our team stronger. Our patients, members and community come from a wide variety of backgrounds, and it takes a diverse workforce to make better health easier for all. We are proud to be an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or status as a protected veteran.

We are an Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity Employer Women and Minorities are Encouraged to Apply. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability or their protected veteran status.

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