Advanced Research Assistant in Molecular Cytogenetics
Salary range is £21,485 to £28,489 per annum dependent on experience.Closing Date: 3rd February 2012
The role involves the preparation and labelling of DNA from bacterial cultures, tissue culture, preparation of metaphase spreads, fluorescence in situ hybridisation and digital microscopy for the fluorescence imaging of multi-colour chromosome images. The successful candidate will be responsible for assay development, interpretation and output of data in specific projects.
- 70-07; Advanced Research Assistant; 05-01-12.pdf
(PDF, 19kb)
Essential Skills
The successful candidate will have a degree in biological sciences, evidence of laboratory proficiency and independence gained through either a higher degree or significant post-graduate working experience, and have a knowledgeable and skilled approach to performing molecular cytogenetic studies. Experience in performing molecular cytogenetic techniques, basic data analysis and interpretation of the results is also required. Applicants should have expertise in basic molecular biology techniques, be capable of day-to-day direction of own research programme and have the ability to select protocols or to develop new protocols where needed. Excellent communication skills are required to allow the presentation of relatively complex data in simple terms and explain these to others less experienced.
Ideal Skills
Willingness to learn new techniques; Experience in the field of molecular cytogenetics; Supervisory/coaching skills.
Other information
The Molecular Cytogenetics Group provides state-of-the-art molecular cytogenetic services to the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute. In particular, we support the sequencing of large genomes such as zebrafish, mouse, pig and man by mapping DNA sequences onto metaphase chromosomes, interphase nuclei and DNA fibres using fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH). Other projects involve the use of multi-colour FISH to identify chromosome rearrangements in human cancer cell lines and in mouse models of cancer, Karyotype analysis of human and mouse ES and iPS cells, characterisation of genomic structural variations by Molecular Combing, PCR, sequencing, whole-genome amplification, and animal cell culture.