Lab Assistant 2 - University of California, Irvine

Founded in 1965, UC Irvine is a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities and is ranked among the nation’s top 10 public universities by U.S. News & World Report. The campus has produced five Nobel laureates and is known for its academic achievement, premier research, innovation and anteater mascot. Led by Chancellor Howard Gillman, UC Irvine has more than 36,000 students and offers 224 degree programs. It’s located in one of the world’s safest and most economically vibrant communities and is Orange County’s second-largest employer, contributing $7 billion annually to the local economy and $8 billion statewide.

To learn more about UC Irvine, visit www.uci.edu.

UCI MIND is an Organized Research Unit focusing on basic and clinical research in the fields of brain aging and cognitive disorders. Our mission is to discover means to improve the lives of people with Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia. UCI MIND is committed to community education with the goals of keeping the community informed of our progress, sharing insights that can help community members reduce their risk for dementia.

To learn more about UCI MIND, visit https://mind.uci.edu/

Under direct supervision of the Principal Investigator (PI), responsibilities are related to a project focused on utilizing novel mouse models of Alzheimer’s disease and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). Recent results from human clinical trials utilizing administration of three different monoclonal antibodies targeting Aβ, aducanumab, and lecanemab, and donanemab have slowed mental decline by approximately 35 percent. Thus, there is increased interest in identifying the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the persistent adverse clinical brain blood vessel responses to passive anti-A immunotherapy. This project will utilize a transgenic mouse model that deposits high levels of brain and vascular Aβ to investigate these immunotherapy-induced adverse events with a mouse monoclonal anti-Aβ antibody, where the human version, bapineuzumab, has previously been shown to have reduced Aβ plaque pathology in patients, as well as induced adverse clinical brain blood vessel responses.

The LA 2 will assist with breeding mouse colonies, setting up cages, tissue collection and PCR analysis for genotyping the transgenic mice, and detailed record keeping. They will also perform survival and terminal surgical procedures in mice. Surgical procedures may include: transplantation of stem cells; drug administration; suturing: and blood/tissue collection. Terminal procedures including euthanasia and cardiac perfusion. Provide appropriate pre- and post-operative care, and behavioral testing. Characterization of brain tissue and minenges will focus mainly on tissue processing for immunohistochemical, histological and biochemical analyses.

Specific procedures will include: In vivo labeling of the vascular endothelium with Lectin-Dylight-649 administered via retro-orbital injection; active (i.m. or s.c.) and passive immunization (i.p. or s.c.) of mice; and the isolation of nuclei from the brain samples for single cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Finally, some stereotactic injections into brain parenchyma and the left lateral ventricle will be performed.

Total Compensation

In addition to the salary range listed below, we offer a wealth of benefits to make working at UCI even more rewarding. These benefits may include medical insurance, sick and vacation time, retirement savings plans, and access to a number of discounts and perks. Please utilize the links listed here to learn more about our compensation practices and benefits.

The expected pay range for this recruitment is $22.66- $23.50 (Hourly).


Required:

• Ability to prepare brain and other organ tissues for immunohistochemistry
• Ability to prepare staining of tissue slices with antibodies and stains for various markers
• Ability and willingness to work with animals (mice)
• Handling lab supplies, equipment, and inventory
• Ability to maintain and organize data records for experiments
• Ability to prepare solutions
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• Effective verbal and written communication skills in English
• Graduation from high school or a General Education Diploma and two years of laboratory experience or two years of college including courses in the natural, physical or social sciences and one year of laboratory experience, or an equivalent combination of education and experience; and knowledges and abilities essential to the successful performance of the duties assigned to the position.

Preferred:

• Ability to process whole slide scanning microscopy of the stained sections
• Ability to process confocal imaging
• Ability to process cell quantifications and counts using Bitplane Imaris software
• Skills in basic or high level computer literacy
• Basic or high level computer skills.
• Previous laboratory experience.
• Experience in animal behavior.
• Experience in histology/microscopy.
• Minimum of bachelors degree in scientific field

Conditions of Employment:

The University of California, Irvine (UCI) seeks to provide a safe and healthy environment for the entire UCI community. As part of this commitment, all applicants who accept an offer of employment must comply with the following conditions of employment:

• Background Check and Live Scan
• Legal Right to work in the United States
• Vaccination Policies
• Smoking and Tobacco Policy
• Drug Free Environment

The following additional conditions may apply, some of which are dependent upon business unit or job specific requirements.

• California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act
• E-Verify
• Pre-Placement Health Evaluation

Details of each policy may be reviewed by visiting the following page - https://hr.uci.edu/new-hire/conditions-of-employment.php

Closing Statement:

The University of California, Irvine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age or protected veteran status.

For the University of California’s Affirmative Action Policy please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/4010393/PPSM-20.

For the University of California’s Anti-Discrimination Policy, please visit: https://policy.ucop.edu/doc/1001004/Anti-Discrimination.

We are committed to attracting and retaining a diverse workforce along with honoring unique experiences, perspectives, and identities. Together, our community strives to create and maintain working and learning environments that are inclusive, equitable, and welcoming.
UCI provides reasonable accommodations for applicants with disabilities upon request. For more information, please contact Human Resources at (949) 824-0500 or eec@uci.edu.