Research Assistant IV - Novel Anesthetic Discovery

About us:

The Wyss Institute’s mission is to transform healthcare and the environment by emulating the way nature builds. We harness the imagination of academia and the focus of industry to translate ground-breaking technologies into commercial products that solve big problems. We support research that universities, companies, and venture capital firms don’t fund because they view it as too risky.  We prefer to use the word “challenging,” and we love challenges. For more information discover our technologies, catch up on our recent news, or watch our latest videos.

About You:

You are a collaborative, impact-focused problem solver who wants to be part of a dynamic team dedicated to creating and commercializing novel approaches to global challenges in healthcare and sustainability. You want the opportunity to explore your scientific interests and apply your knowledge to tackle ambitious projects in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial-minded environment with resources and support from top-notch scientific, operations, and administrative professionals. You enjoy working with highly motivated, diverse teams and leveraging your expertise to create innovations that can change the world.

About the Role:

The Wyss Institute is seeking a Research Assistant to join a multi-institute scientific program focused on the development of novel anesthetics. Currently, no anesthetic compound can safely be used in the absence of strict vital sign monitoring and physiological maintenance. There is therefore an unmet need for anesthetics that can be used in situations where medical experts and sophisticated monitoring equipment are not available, such as on the battlefield, in the context of natural disasters, and in remote areas. Our goal is to develop a new class of drugs that can induce general anesthesia without compromising the patient’s vital functions and without requiring an anesthesiologist or life-support and monitoring equipment.

In this role, you will contribute to research studies involving Xenopus embryos and tadpoles, with a concentration on novel anesthetics discovery. Reporting to the Senior Scientist I, you will support behavioral screening and data analysis, as well as contribute to the development of analytical methods, data acquisition, and analysis using HPLC and mass spectrometry systems. You will utilize existing experimental setups to measure and quantify key behavioral metrics associated with achieving general anesthesia. Additionally, you will help quantify the chemical properties of novel anesthetic compounds and their biodistribution in Xenopus tadpoles using HPLC and advanced mass spectrometry techniques.

What you'll do: 

• Perform in-vivo high-throughput behavioral screening experiments in Xenopus tadpoles.
• Contribute to the development of analytical methods in collaboration with senior staff, as well as data acquisition and analysis using mass spectrometry systems
• Accurately document experimental observations and protocols and write or update standard operating procedures
• Conduct data analysis using existing pipelines (in R, Python, and MATLAB) and prepare publication-quality visualizations for presentations and publications.
• Maintain a high level of professional expertise through continuous engagement with scientific literature.
• Independently prepare technical reports, summaries, protocols, and quantitative analyses; support the preparation of grant applications and publications.
• Serve as a resource for troubleshooting experimental setups, and mentor and train other lab members if needed
• Contribute to team objectives by undertaking additional duties as required
• Demonstrate a commitment to the Wyss Institute’s community values of courage, collaboration, innovation, impact, diversity, and respect through actions, interactions, and communications with others

What you'll need:

• A bachelor’s degree in neuroscience, biology, biomedical engineering, or a related field is required.
• At least three years of lab research experience, including 1 or more year of experience with small animal handling and experience using programming languages for data analysis, is required. Advanced education may count towards years of experience.

Desirable Skills:  

• A master’s degree in neuroscience, biology, biomedical engineering or a related field is highly desirable.
• Experience with using MATLAB or python for data analysis is desirable.
• 2 or more years of experience performing behavioral experiments using small animal models such as Xenopus tadpoles or zebrafish larvae is highly desirable.
• Experience with widefield, confocal, and two-photon microscopy and image acquisition.
• Experience with analytical chemistry and mass spectrometry workflows.
• Experience with tissue sample collection, preparation, and storage for analysis.
• Ability to implement, troubleshoot, or independently develop analysis pipelines and written code is desirable.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong documentation and attention to detail.
• Exceptional organizational skills, technical writing abilities, record-keeping, and the capacity to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.