As a UW employee, you have a unique opportunity to change lives on our campuses, in our state and around the world. UW employees offer their boundless energy, creative problem-solving skills and dedication to build stronger minds and a healthier world.

UW faculty and staff also enjoy outstanding benefits, professional growth opportunities and unique resources in an environment noted for diversity, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits and natural beauty.

The Department of Bioengineering has an opening for a Temporary Research Scientist 3 position who will utilize biochemical, biophysical, and microfluidic assays to study the molecular basis of how inflammatory conditions activate the blood protein von Willebrand factor (VWF). The long-term goal is to identify therapeutics that inhibit VWF selectively in the presence of oxidizing agents that are released during the inflammatory response. The position will also involve interacting with potential blood donors.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Research Activities
• Develop and implement an ELISA-type assay to study the binding function of VWF and VWF domains to platelet surface receptor GpIbalpha. Specifically, the goal of the assay is to compare the binding function of VWF and VWF constructs under normal and oxidizing conditions in the absence and in the presence of drug molecules intended to inhibit VWF.
• Develop and implement an ELISA-type assay to study the binding of VWF domains to each other comparing normal and oxidizing conditions.
• Implement a dynamic flow assay to study the binding of VWF constructs to blood platelets or beads coated with GpIbalpha comparing normal and oxidizing conditions in the absence or presence of drug molecules.
• Express and purify recombinant proteins needed for the experiments such as VWF domains constructs and platelet surface receptor GpIbalpha, perform Western blot, and maintain needed mammalian cell lines.
• Perform differential scanning fluorimetry assays to study the thermodynamic stability of VWF domains.
• Recruit blood donors and isolate blood platelets to be used in experiments.

Lab Support
• Coordinate experiments with mass spectroscopy team.
• Train and mentor graduate and undergraduate students.
• Present project results at lab meetings and write manuscripts.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Master’s degree bioengineering, biochemistry, biophysics, chemistry or related field.
• Two or more years’ experience in a related area or equivalent combination of education/experience.
• Extensive demonstrated experience designing and carrying out ELISA-type binding assays, analyzing the data and interpreting the results.
• Demonstrated experience with dynamic flow assays using microfluidic devices, analyzing the data and interpreting the results.
• Demonstrated experience with protein expression and purification using mammalian cell culture lines.
• Demonstrated experience with wet laboratory procedures such as Western blot, gel assays, and PCR.
• Experience coordinating experiments with mass spectroscopy teams and interpreting the results.
• Experience training and mentoring graduate and undergraduate students.
• Experience preparing oral presentations and collecting the results into manuscripts

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Doctoral degree in bioengineering, biochemistry, biophysics, chemistry, or related field.
• Minimum of two years' postdoctoral research experience working in a bioengineering, biochemistry or biophysics area.
• Experience recruiting potential blood donors and obtaining samples from them at a clinic, then purifying blood platelets from the samples and using them in a microfluidic assay.
• Experience with ristocetin induced platelet agglutination (RIPA) assay.

Application Process:

The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter, and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.