The Levi Laboratory is seeking a Research Faculty at the assistant professor level with a PhD. 

Once established, the preferred candidate will be expected to compete and secure internal and extramural research funding at the local-regional and national levels.

The laboratory holds NIH, CPRIT and DOD awards across a diverse portfolio including musculoskeletal injury, repair and regeneration as well as  muscle fibrosis, lymphatic biology and cancer biology.

The Levi lab’s mission is to improve the lives of people living with skin and musculoskeletal injuries and diseases through rigorous science and compassion. Current projects in the Levi laboratory are related to the molecular biology behind tissue fibrosis and the repair and regeneration process in tendon, muscle, and bone. The laboratory integrates multiomics-based approaches with investigations of musculoskeletal development, homeostasis, repair, and regeneration. The laboratory uses transgenic animal models combined with bioinformatic approaches to understand the cell-cell interactions that occur within the stem cell niche under physiological conditions, and strives to understand how these divergent signaling mechanisms may guide future therapeutic strategies to promote faithful repair of damaged tissue.

The researcher will support ongoing molecular biology bench and animal work within the laboratory related to tendon injury/fibrosis, muscle injury/fibrosis, or bone/tendon/muscle regeneration. The ideal candidate should be highly detail-oriented and have a strong collaborative approach. Training will be provided on many lab techniques, but previous experience working with mice and molecular techniques is highly preferred.

Expectations

• Routine molecular bench work combined with the use of animal models
• Animal handling, injections, modified diet maintenance, surgeries, and sample collection
• Downstream processing
• Histology, immunofluorescent stain and confocal imaging, flow cytometry, and work with cell cultures and single-cell and bulk RNA sequencing

Experience and Education

Ph.D. degree with major coursework in field of assignment and five years of research experience in field of assignment, including at least two years at the level of senior research associate or equivalent or

Job Duties

• Animal breeding, genotyping, handling, and surgery
• Molecular biology techniques, including but not limited to PCR, qPCR, western blotting, RNA/DNA extraction, cloning, CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, and next-generation sequencing
• Flow cytometry and mass spectrometry
• Histology pipeline from tissue harvest to embedding, sectioning, staining, and confocal microscopy
• Plan, organize, coordinate, direct, and personally participate in assigned scientific research projects
• Design and execute experiments to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying biological processes
• Determine specific goals or objectives to be attained and assign and review work of subordinates
• Plan and develop standard operating protocols for experimental protocols
• Review and analyze resulting research data
• Revise techniques or approaches to work problems that are indicated as necessary by research data
• Compile, write, and submit research results to supervisor
• Prepare or assist in preparation of research papers, reports, and abstracts for publication as one of the coauthors
• Design, develop, or adapt equipment used in experiments or research to obtain desired results
• Plan and supervise training of technicians and other laboratory personnel with respect to proper laboratory techniques, the use of laboratory equipment, and safety procedures
• May confer with industrial, governmental, or other groups concerning progress or results of research project
• Perform other duties as assigned
• Maintain a respectful laboratory environment
• Maintain a clean and functional workspace
• Analyze and interpret experimental data using relevant software and statistical methods
• Stay current with advances in molecular biology research and contribute to the development of new methodologies and techniques
• Prepare research findings for publication in scientific journals and present results at conferences and meetings, including weekly laboratory meetings and reading/writing clubs
• Contribute to grant writing and fundraising efforts to support research activities
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to contribute molecular biology expertise to research projects and initiatives
• Assist in the training and supervision of junior laboratory personnel, including technicians, graduate students, and postdoctoral fellows

UT Southwestern Medical Center is committed to an educational and working environment that provides equal opportunity to all members of the University community.  As an equal opportunity employer, UT Southwestern prohibits unlawful discrimination, including discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, or veteran status.

This position is security-sensitive and subject to Texas Education Code 51.215, which authorizes UT Southwestern to obtain criminal history record information.

Appointment rank will be commensurate with academic accomplishment and experience. Consideration may be given to applicants seeking less than a full-time schedule.

To learn more about the benefits UT Southwestern offers, visit https://www.utsouthwestern.edu/employees/hr-resources/