Research Associate, CBP Del Rio Lab

About the Role

A full-time Research Associate position is available to support an NIH-funded R01 project investigating the neural mechanisms underlying cardiorespiratory regulation. This role involves conducting and supporting experiments to define neuronal activity and neural mechanisms involved in cardiorespiratory regulation. The research is conducted in modern laboratory space equipped with state-of-the-art systems for integrative physiology, neural recordings, and fiber photometry within the collaborative research environment of the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Key Responsibilities

• Perform research experiments under the direction of the PI and contribute to the development and optimization of experimental protocols.
• Conduct in vivo fiber photometry experiments to assess neuronal activity in rodent models.
• Perform in situ brainstem neural recordings and related neurophysiological experiments.
• Perform rodent handling, surgical procedures, physiological monitoring, experimental preparation, and post-procedural care.
• Maintain mouse and/or rat colonies, including breeding, record keeping, and genotyping.
• Perform histological, molecular, and other endpoint analyses.
• Process, analyze, interpret, and organize complex physiological and neurophysiological datasets.
• Troubleshoot experimental procedures, instrumentation, data acquisition systems, and analytical workflows.
• Maintain laboratory equipment, experimental supplies, inventories, and records.
• Participate actively in laboratory meetings and individual meetings with the PI, including presentation and interpretation of experimental results.
• Contribute to the preparation of figures, scientific manuscripts, abstracts, presentations, progress reports, and grant applications.
• Assist with training and technical guidance of junior laboratory personnel and students.
• Follow established quality control, quality assurance, animal-use, biosafety, and regulatory procedures, including appropriate documentation.
• Assist with maintaining laboratory regulatory, animal-use, and research compliance documentation.
• Perform other research-related duties as assigned.

Requirements & Tech Stack

• Bachelor’s degree in biology, neuroscience, physiology, biomedical sciences, or a related field with substantial relevant research experience.
• Experience with rodent models.
• Experience with in vivo physiology.
• Experience with neurophysiology.
• Experience with fiber photometry.
• Experience with electrophysiology.
• Experience with stereotaxic procedures, or related experimental approaches.
• Experience with quantitative data analysis.
• Experience in neuroscience, physiology, integrative physiology, or a related biomedical field.
• Experience with rodent handling and in vivo experimental procedures.
• Experience with neurophysiological techniques such as fiber photometry, electrophysiology, neural recordings, stereotaxic surgery, or physiological data acquisition.
• Experience with quantitative analysis of physiological or neurophysiological data.
• Experience in training or providing technical guidance to students and junior laboratory personnel.
• Conducting experiments with increasing independence, troubleshoot technical problems, and maintain accurate research documentation.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in biology, neuroscience, physiology, biomedical sciences, or another related scientific field with substantial relevant research experience.
• Skills:
• Analytical Skills
• Organizational Skills
• Time Management Skills
• Written and Verbal Communication Skills

Preferred Qualifications:

• Education: MS or PhD in neuroscience, physiology, biology, biomedical sciences, or a related field from an accredited institution.