Temp- Translational Research Assistant Co-op

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Posted Job Title

Temp- Translational Research Assistant Co-op

Job Profile Title

Temporary Employee - Co-op Worker

Job Description Summary

The Liquid Biopsy Core Laboratory is a translational research laboratory in the Hematology Oncology Division of the Abramson Cancer Center at the University of Pennsylvania. The laboratory’s mission, led by Director Dr. Erica Carpenter, is to identify, capture, and analyze circulating biomarkers to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients. We focus on analysis of cell-free DNA, exosomes, and proteins in blood, pleural effusions, cerebrospinal fluid and other fluid specimens.
We aim to
1) identify markers for early detection of disease and post-therapy monitoring of minimal residual disease
2) develop efficient means to monitor responses to therapy and, thus, clinical decision making
3) investigate cancer genetic phenotyping as a tool for personalized medicine
The focus of the Liquid Biopsy Laboratory is driven by the needs of clinicians and translational scientists and realized through collaborative work with researchers in the Penn School of Medicine, the Penn School of Engineering, and the Center for Personalized Diagnostics. We support numerous interventional clinical trials run at Penn Medicine and also pursue collaborative efforts with industry partners to evaluate new technologies.

Job Description

Position Description:

This is an ideal research assistant position for a student who is interested in a career in the health care or clinical research, and is divided into two components:

1)providing research support in the Liquid Biopsy Laboratory, and

2)providing research support for medical oncologists and other clinical research coordinators in the cancer clinics.

Clinic - You will be the lead biobanking coordinator for one of our major study areas (for example, pancreatic cancer, lung cancer, glioblastoma, etc). You will communicate with oncologists, clinical research staff, and patients as you screen for study inclusion, recruit and consent subjects, and arrange laboratory procedures. There may be opportunities to attend autopsies.

Laboratory – You will learn how to handle human specimens, process and bank samples, and ship samples to collaborators. Training may include plasma collection, harvesting of leukocytes, and DNA extraction. You will learn Good Document Procedure in paper and digital record keeping, how to conduct preliminary analyses, and how to prepare summary figures and texts for manuscripts.

As a part of a highly collaborative team, you will assist and receive support from your colleagues in other study areas, broadening your understanding of several different projects. Excellent organization and communication skills are critical in this position, as daily operations follow clinical schedules.

You will learn how to perform data entry in clinical study databases such as REDCap, VELOS Clinical Trial Management System, patient medical charts, and Excel files, and abstracting data from medical records.

You may also independently design study databases and perform database quality control checks with minimal supervision.

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Department / School

Perelman School of Medicine

Pay Range

$7.25 - $16.00 Hourly Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile. 

Affirmative Action Statement 
Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.

Special Requirements 
Background check may be required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.