Job description
APPLICATION CLOSING DATE: February 25th, 2024
About Human Technopole (HT)
Human Technopole (HT) is an interdisciplinary life science research institute, created and supported by the Italian government, with the aim of developing innovative strategies to improve human health. HT is currently composed of five research centres: Computational Biology, Structural Biology, Genomics, Neurogenomics, and Health Data Science. The Centres work together to enable interdisciplinary research and to create an open, collaborative environment that will help promote life science research both nationally and internationally.
About the Iorio Lab
Situated in the Computational Biology Research Centre of HT, the Iorio Lab operates at the intersection of biology, machine learning, statistics, and information theory. Our goal is to comprehend and predict how genomic alterations and molecular traits, derived from various omics, contribute to pathological processes, rewire biological circuits, and influence therapeutic responses in human cancers and other diseases.
Our lab has recently been awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant (grant n.101125051), funding the DepSHOCK project. The project focuses on identifying robust transcriptional markers of cancer cell vulnerabilities. These markers will be used together with single-cell transcriptomic profiling of cancer models, to advance personalised medicine and the rational design of anti-cancer combinatorial therapies.
Leveraging prior knowledge from the Cancer Dependency Map , this project will generate post-perturbational transcriptomic datasets at both bulk and single-cell resolution, upon individual CRISPR-based genetic knockouts of relevant cancer dependency genes in associated dependent cancer in vitro models, as well as in a pooled fashion, using scale-limited libraries of single-guide RNAs.
About the position
We are actively seeking a highly motivated Technician / Senior Technician to play a key role in the DepSHOCK project. The selected candidate will be an integral part of the team generating data for this project’s work packages. Additionally, the hired candidate will provide support for the experimental validation of the identified markers, working closely with our external collaborators.
The chosen candidate will work alongside DepSHOCK postdocs, other members of the Iorio Lab, and the HT Computational Biology Research Centre, including computational scientists and bioinformaticians, for the analysis of generated data.
The successful candidate will report directly to the Group Leader, Dr. Francesco Iorio.
HT benefits from accessibility to the HT National Facility for Genomics, providing state-of-the-art and innovative services ranging from high-throughput sequencing to multi-omics technologies.
Key Tasks and Responsibilities:
- Acquiring, maintaining and manipulating a panel of 100 immortalized human cancer cell lines.
- Conducting experiments in cell biology (such as drug screening, cell-viability/apoptotic/clonogenic assays), with a strong emphasis on the development, optimization and maintenance of pipelines for CRISPR-based individual gene knockouts in human cancer cell lines with viability readouts as well as longitudinal bulk RNA-sequencing readouts.
- Establishing and maintaining experimental pipelines for pooled CRISPR screens employing scale-limited single-guide RNA libraries with single-cell transcriptomic readouts.
- Performing Western Blots and immunofluorescence staining for longitudinal proteomic profiling of cancer cell lines upon individual CRISPR-based gene knockouts.
- Collaborating closely with the HT National Facility for Genomics of Human Technopole for all data generation efforts in the DepSHOCK project. Also, supporting DepSHOCK postdoctoral fellows in their research and interactions with external collaborators, particularly in designing, planning, and conducting follow-up validation experiments using more complex in vitro models such as cancer organoids and patient-derived xenografts.
- Ordering reagents, servicing and maintenance of lab equipment.
- Delivering data presentations and reports to the lab as well as preparing summary figures and tables for scientific presentations and manuscripts.
- Liaising with the Centers' Lab Manager and other staff to write risk assessments and ensure that they are regularly updated.
Job requirements
Essential requirements
- Bachelor or Master's degree in a relevant subject, e.g., molecular biology, biotechnology, genetics, biochemistry, or in a related field of the life sciences.
- Experience in laboratories involved in the areas of main responsibilities; for Senior Technician, at least 5 years of proven experience as a Laboratory Technician.
- Experience with functional genomics & genetic perturbation techniques (e.g., CRISPR) including delivery methods, i.e. transfection / transduction / electroporation.
- Fluency in English – HT is an international research institute.
Preferred requirements
- Experience with siRNA, shRNA, antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) and similar technologies and similar technologies.
- Knowledge of plasmid vector design to perform gain and loss of function studies, experience with bacteria manipulation including liquid and solid culture of bacteria, isolation and transformation, and plasmid DNA extraction.
- Experience with handling large-scale projects, is considered advantageous.
- Familiarity with cancer genomics, is considered advantageous.
- Familiarity with 10x single-cell assays, is considered advantageous.
- Basic knowledge of bioinformatics tools and software, is considered advantageous.
Organizational and social skills:
- Ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment and to work independently.
- Excellent organization and communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills demonstrated by the ability to lead and gain the assistance and cooperation of others in a team endeavour.
- 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 Dr Francesco Iorio, [email protected] (this email address should not be used to send applications).
Why Human Technopole
HT seeks scientific excellence, we recruit the best scientific talents through international, open calls.
Our working environment is international, friendly and inclusive. Our scientists work together across disciplines on research topics of biomedical relevance, leveraging synergies between their diverse skillsets and methodological approaches.
We believe that highly diverse teams yield the best and most innovative results.
We engage in outward-facing scientific activities aimed at benefiting the national and international research community. Training is also at the heart of our activity, with initiatives and opportunities for our staff, including scientific courses, conferences and workshops.
Main benefits
- Welfare plans.
- Canteen service.
- Work-life balance provisions.
- Italian language training for foreigners.
- Maternity leave up to 1 year and other support for new parents.
- Counseling.
- Possibility of flexible working hours
- Support for relocation.
- Tax benefits where applicable.
Special consideration will be given to candidates who are part of the protected categories list, according to L. 68/99.
Number of positions offered: 1
Contract offered: CCNL Chimico Farmaceutico, fixed-term 4 years - employee level.
The position is based in Milan.