Research Technician / Senior Research Technician in Patient-Derived Organoid Culturing

The Centre for Computational Biology at HT is looking for a Research Technician / Senior Research Technician to culture and manipulate patient-derived organoid cultures for the experiments of the centre’s research groups. We are seeking a highly motivated applicant with expertise in tissue culture and patient-derived models. The successful candidate will be responsible for growing and manipulating cutting-edge patient-derived model systems. The candidate will interact with other members of the centre, including computational scientists and bioinformaticians for the analysis of the data. The post must have a solid molecular biology background, experience with next-generation sequencing and be highly organized and meticulous. They will work closely with a diverse team to formulate and validate hypotheses. Eventual genomic profiling of the systems will be supported by the Genomics Core Facility of HT, which is equipped with the latest cutting-edge sequencing platforms.

Applicants should have a first degree in biological sciences or equivalent, and solid expertise in tissue culture, as well as cell and molecular biology. Excellent organizational and communication skills are essential. The successful candidate will report to the Head of the Centre for Computational Biology, Prof. Andrea Sottoriva.

Key tasks and responsibilities

• Conducting experiments in cell biology, with strong emphasis on development, optimization and application of protocols for organoid cultures applied to human normal and tumour cells.
• Applying, generating, and optimizing protocols for human organoid cultures.
• Maintaining organoid lines generated in the lab and ensuring that all primary human material is stored and processed according to the health and safety and ethics committee guidance.

• Work with the Genomics Core Facility for sample profiling if required.
• Generating reliable data for publication in the projects to which they are assigned and record all data and results in specified forms.
• Helping with genomic library preparation if required.
• Perform meticulous sample tracking, storing and QC.
• Proving technical support and supervision to other laboratory members, including introduction and teaching of new laboratory techniques and support of the use of lab equipment.
• Liaising with the Centre’ Lab Manager and other staff to write risk assessments and ensure that they are regularly updated.

• Master’s degree in a relevant subject, e.g., molecular biology, genetics, biochemistry, or in a related field of the life sciences.
• Considerable experience in laboratories involved in the areas of main responsibilities; for Senior Technician, at least 5 years of proven experience as Laboratory Technician.
• Documented hands-on experience with the application of cutting-edge methods in molecular biology, and cell biology, including human organoids culture, handling human blood material, experience in human tissue processing, histology and immunohistochemistry.

• Experience in sample preparation and tracking, specifically human tissues.
• Experience with genomic techniques, transfection and knockdown experiments (e.g., CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, siRNA, shRNA, antisense and similar technologies).
• Experience with handling large-scale project would be considered advantageous.
• Fluency in English – HT is an international research institute.
• Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment and to work independently.
• Strong interpersonal skills demonstrating by the ability to lead and gain the assistance and cooperation of others in a team endeavor.
• Ability to work in a multi-cultural environment with sensitivity and respect for diversity.

Application Instructions

Please apply online by sending:

i) a CV

ii) a motivation letter in English

iii) names and contacts of 2 referees

For any inquiry about the call, please feel free to contact Prof Andrea Sottoriva at [email protected] (this email address should not be used to send applications).