The Department of Neurology is seeking a Senior Research Specialist who will play an integral role in research studies conducted in the Brain Signs lab (www.brainsigns.net). The lab conducts translational research involving healthy subjects enrolled in multiple longitudinal studies of aging and Alzheimer’s disease at the Johns Hopkins Alzheimer’ Disease Research Center as well as cross-sectional studies involving patients seen in the Center for Cerebrospinal Fluid Disorders Clinic in the Department of Neurology. The research specialist will focus on conducting specialized assays on blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples from different cohorts as well as develop and optimize new assays. The specialist will also assist in recruiting and consenting research subjects in the clinic. The specialist will ensure all data collected is entered into the appropriate clinical and biospecimen databases. The specialist is responsible for preparing annual IRB reports and changes in research protocol. This position also involves being on call for any potential biospecimen freezer issues after hours and over the weekend which is shared across multiple lab members.
Specific Duties/Responsibilities:
• Performing assays including simple and multiplex ELISAs, Simple Westerns, genomic DNA extraction, genotyping, RT-PCR assays, single molecule analyzer assays and Olink proximity extension assays.
• Enrollment and withdrawal of participants in clinical research studies.
• Interviewing subjects, their informants, consenting subjects and generating annual IRB reports.
• Maintain the biospecimen inventory housed in -80C freezers using Lockbox LIMS and freezer monitoring using the Imonnit remote temperature monitoring system
• Maintain and update the clinical registry using the electronic data capture system - REDCap.
• Maintain logs of weekly/monthly instrument calibration and validation protocols and maintain detailed logs of each instrument.
• Performing cognitive, gait and vision assessments in patients seen in the Center for CSF disorders clinic.
• Coordinating the safe transfer of biospecimens to storage freezers located on site,
maintaining an inventory as well as the monitoring and overseeing the maintenance
schedules of these freezers to ensure the samples will remain viable for any future
analyses. This includes being on emergency call by rotation.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
Minimum qualifications (mandatory):
• Bachelor’s degree in Biology, Neuroscience, Psychology or a related field required.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience in a wet research lab.
• Master's degree, with related graduate research, may substitute for experience to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.
JHU Equivalency Formula: 18 graduate degree credits (semester hours) may substitute for one year of experience. (Master's degree, with related graduate research, may substitute for experience). For jobs where equivalency is permitted, up to two years of non-related college course work may be applied towards the total minimum education/experience required for the respective job.
Preferred qualifications:
• Masters in Biology, Neuroscience or Psychology
• Experience running ELISAs, Western Blots, DNA extraction, genotyping
• Proficiency in the use of common software applications including databases (REDCap, etc.), regulatory applications (eIRB, etc.), clinical computer systems (Epic, etc.), spreadsheets, and word processing.
Special knowledge, skills, and abilities:
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office programs such as Word, Excel, Access, and Power Point.
• The specialist must be willing to learn blood collection by phlebotomy. Appropriate training will be provided.
• Must have a car or be willing to obtain one after joining to ensure lab emergencies can be attended to after hours.
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