Principal Research Scientist - Gynecologic Oncology & Reproductive Medicine

The Principal Research Scientist is responsible for providing leadership and support for major initiatives related to gynecologic cancer immunotherapy translational research. This role entails developing and implementing research plans associated with clinical trials in collaboration with the Gyn Onc faculty and institutional collaborators. The individual will monitor the progress of these plans, engage in the analysis and publication of results, and assist with grant applications for intra- and extramural funding. Additional responsibilities include leveraging scientific expertise-experimental, methodological, technical, and analytical-to create innovative solutions for existing and new trials. Identifying and implementing strategies to enhance collaboration across various research groups is a key component of this position. The Principal Research Scientist will participate in cross-functional research teams to design, perform, and interpret assays for in vivo translational projects, working closely with research teams across departmental and platform groups. This role serves as a vital resource for faculty and staff, providing expertise without direct involvement at the bench. However, there will be frequent interactions and collaborations with bench scientists in various cores (e.g., ORION) and departments (e.g., Translational Molecular Pathology), and mentoring responsibilities for gynecologic oncology fellows on relevant research projects.

Project Management and Strategy

• Direct and coordinate translational research projects in immunotherapy, working closely with clinical trial principal investigators (PIs).
• Plan, facilitate, and evaluate research data, revising techniques and approaches to work as necessary.
• Develop short and long-range strategic plans, including maintaining and adjusting translational investigational budgets and annual reports. Identify effective ways to maximize the use of internal and external funding as it relates to in vivo translational research projects.

• Provide administrative oversight in the development and evaluation of large programmatic grants; participate in advisory boards, strategic planning committees, and program retreats.
• Collaborate with the Department's tissue procurement team to maintain an inventory of biospecimens from each clinical trial for correlative studies, ensuring translational aims are met within project timelines.

2. Scientific Expertise and Innovation

• Serve as a subject matter expert on immune monitoring technologies and emerging platforms relevant to clinical trial specimen analysis.

• Provide guidance on translational aims embedded in clinical trials; assist with data analysis, hypothesis generation and testing.

· Learn the natural, history, clinical management, and unmet needs for gynecologic cancers.

• Develop and continually assess standard operating procedures (SOPs) for key translational assays, such as flow cytometry and spatial transcriptomics.
• Assist with the design of IRB protocols, specimen collection methods, analytical methods, and writing clinical trial lab manuals to ensure bio-specimen collection and processing aligns with assay requirements.

• Continually evaluate current processes/products needing improvement and generate innovative solutions using technical expertise.

3. Communications and Collaborations

• Present research findings, prepare detailed scientific documents for publication, and actively submit abstracts and manuscripts related to research outcomes.

· Prepare results and figures for various scientific communications and develop slides summarizing data for internal and extramural presentations.

• Provide significant contributions to grant applications, including drafting scientific summaries, developing figures, and preparing related documents like background, strategy, and ancillary scientific documents (animal welfare, human subjects, resources, equipment).
• Facilitate and coordinate research with collaborators across departments, core facilities and TMP-IL platform.
• Maintain excellent communication with clinical trial management teams, regulatory teams, Gyn tissue procurement staff, core facility clients, clinical and translational investigators, and biostatisticians.
• Collaborate with department research finance staff in translational budget management.
• Develop educational materials and conduct didactics for faculty, trainees, and research staff on best practices for designing translational aims as part of clinical trials.

Other duties as assigned

Onsite Presence: Hybrid Schedule (3 days onsite)

WORKING CONDITIONS

Frequency

Exposure to blood, bodily fluids, and/or tissue
Hazardous Chemicals and Materials
Exposure to animals
Deadlines

Frequent 34-66%
Frequent 34-66%
Frequent 34-66%

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Frequency

Weight

Keyboarding
Reaching
Carrying
Sitting
Handling

Frequent 34-66%
Occasionally 11-33%
Occasionally 11-33%
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Education Required:

PhD in one of the natural sciences or related field or Medical degree.

Preferred Education:

PhD in Immunology or related field.

Experience Required:

Five years of experience in experimental or scientific work.

Preferred Experience:

Three years of post-doctoral experience in translational research, experience in immunology, experience and knowledge in adoptive cell therapy and CRISPR gene editing, experience in collaborating and working with cores and other departments.

Work Schedule:

This individual will work a hybrid schedule which includes 3 days onsite.

It is the policy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. http://www.mdanderson.org/about-us/legal-and-policy/legal-statements/eeo-affirmative-action.html