Research Assistant - Parkville, Australia - Murdoch Childrens Research Institute

Murdoch Childrens Research Institute

Verified Company

Parkville, Australia

2 weeks ago

Posted by:

Olivia Brown

beBee Recruiter

Description

Parkville
Attractive Salary $79,920 - $97,330 per annum + Super
12-month Full Time Contract with Australia's largest child health research institute

What's in it for you?

Maximise your pay through salary packaging including entertainment and novated leases
Flexible Working Options
Opportunity to grow and develop within the role
A growing and supportive team working within an energetic and engaging environment
Wonderful onsite facilities available - gym, childcare, cafes, hotel, shops, and bar

The opportunity:

Group Overview

The kidneys are essential organs that maintain fluid balance, blood volume and electrolyte balance.

This is achieved by the 1,000,000 individual nephrons present in each adult kidney, all of which are formed before birth.

In humans, the stem cells that give rise to each nephron are lost before birth, hence any disease or damage after that time results in nephron loss and reduced kidney function.

Each year, more than 4000 Australians will be diagnosed with chronic kidney disease with treatment costing more than $1 billion per annum.

With this rate increasing at 6% per annum there is an urgent need to develop novel therapies for kidney disease.

Around 10-20% of kidney disease is inherited, with this being closer to 50% in children with kidney disease. However, in many instances, the disease-causing mutation is unknown, therefore limiting treatment options.

In our research group, we investigate the genes required for normal kidney development and what happens as a result of genetic or environmental damage during development.

We have developed methods for generating mini-kidneys (kidney organoids) from human stem cells that represent models of the human organ.

We hope to use these kidney organoids to understand kidney disease, to screen for drugs/compounds that may alleviate kidney disease or even generate cells for the treatment of kidney disease.

Position Overview

Your responsibilities include:

Maintaining human pluripotent stem cells and differentiation to kidney cell types and organoids
Performing Cell and tissue culture, immunofluorescent staining, microscopy (fluorescence and brightfield), qRT-PCR, flow cytometry, and general molecular biology tasks as instructed by Dr Vanslambrouck
Performing accurate and orderly digital record keeping and data storage
Assisting in the generation of high-calibre research data for publication, analyses, and presentations
Ordering and laboratory maintenance tasks

About you:

Tertiary qualifications in a relevant discipline of science, with a preference for Masters/Hons graduates
An appropriate level of expertise gained from a combination of experience, training, or professional accreditation
Experience in cell/tissue analyses (immunofluorescence staining, fluorescence microscopy, and quantitative PCR [qRT-PCR])
Experience and/or knowledge of general molecular biology techniques (e.g. RNA extraction, cDNA synthesis)
Demonstrated capacity to work both independently and collaboratively in a team environment

Who we are

At Murdoch Children's Research Institute, we share a powerful vision; to re-imagine the future of child health. We are the home to many life-changing scientific discoveries. We are renowned for our cutting-edge focus on early interventions, improved diagnosis, prevention, and development of potential cures.

Our success is founded on a philosophy of collaboration through a multi-disciplinary approach to solving the toughest questions in child health.

Murdoch Children's is committed to creating a culture of inclusivity, equity and respect that celebrates and values the diverse backgrounds and experiences of our people.

We strive to foster a positive working environment that is underpinned by equal opportunity for all and consideration for the diverse voices of our people and the communities we serve.

Murdoch Children's is a proud member of the Australian Network on Disability and is a committed subscriber to Science Australia Gender Equity (SAGE) and its principles.

To be considered, applicants should submit:
Cover letter
Resume
Responses to 'selection criteria' via the position description

All applicants, please be aware that in line with the Murdoch Children's and VCGS COVID-19 Vaccination Policy, all Murdoch Children's and VCGS workers must be fully vaccinated (boosted), unless a valid medical exception applies.

Closing date: 24 March 2023