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Job Description / Duties

This position aims to hire a senior scientist as the laboratory undergoes growth and expansion. This senior scientist will coordinate, in partnership with Dr Decaluwe, the murine projects within the laboratory. He/She will guide and orchestrate multiple research projects pertaining to anti-viral immune responses, and help develop new research themes in the laboratory, in addition to mentoring graduate students and performing experiments alone or in collaboration with members within and outside the laboratory.

Project
Dr. Hélène Decaluwe's laboratory focuses on the role of cytokines and their signaling pathways in regulating T lymphocyte responses during chronic viral infection or cancer. The laboratory is particularly interested in the mechanisms involved in regulating immune checkpoints, receptors known to inhibit the function of T lymphocytes during persistent viral infection and tumor development. Interestingly, inhibition of these inhibitory receptors has been shown to significantly enhance the function of cytotoxic lymphocytes and the elimination of the infectious agent or tumor. New therapeutic approaches are therefore under development to treat patients with these various conditions. In the laboratory, we aim to elucidate the various mechanisms that induce the expression of these inhibitory receptors and to identify new therapeutic approaches to inhibit them.

To address the various scientific questions of the laboratory, we have developed numerous transgenic mouse models that constitutively express molecules of interest, or conversely, do not express these molecules. These mice are then infected with persistent viruses or injected with tumor cells, and the immune response is prospectively studied. The candidate must therefore be highly comfortable with animal experimentation, ranging from the generation of transgenic and conditional KO mouse colonies to the handling and experimentation on these mice using the most recent technologies. The candidate must also be proficient in handling Biosafety Level 2 containment and have an excellent understanding of cell culture, viral production, and titration. Experience with handling tumor cells is an asset. The candidate must also be very autonomous in flow cytometry, particularly in multicolor cytometry (10-14 fluorochromes) (using LSR Fortessa, HTS, FACSCantoII, Sony ID7000 Spectral platforms), since the analysis of CD8 T lymphocytes in various organs (lymph nodes, spleen, lungs, liver) is primarily performed by this technique.

Job Description
Under the supervision of the laboratory director, the incumbent will manage the smooth operation and coordination of numerous ongoing research projects. He/She will perform the following tasks:
• Planning, organizing, and conducting research using mice and cultured cells
• Supervision of junior lab members, teaching techniques, experimental support, data analysis support, assistance in organizing and coordinating experiments, mentoring and assistance in preparing oral or poster presentations, mentoring and proofreading of scientific manuscripts in English
• Management of transgenic and immunodeficient mouse colonies, importing new colonies, coordination, and management of mouse transfers to infected zones, ensuring the smooth operation of experiments in infected zones, monitoring the use of mice for experimentation and breeding, coordination and assistance with genotyping of various strains
• Supervision and independent handling/experimentation on animals (blood draws, injections, infections, gavage, sacrifice, isolation of various organs, etc.)
• Development, improvement/optimization, validation and knowledge transfer to team members of research protocols in cell culture and flow cytometry
• Formulation of scientific hypotheses, decision-making, planning, organization, and autonomous execution of own experiments with little supervision
• Analysis of results, written and oral presentation of results, active participation in the preparation of results for presentations and publications
Critical review of manuscripts, mentoring and correcting student manuscripts, independent writing of manuscripts
• Contribute to the development of new research projects and activities, actively participate in writing grant proposals, and seek new funding opportunities.

Qualifications / Required Skills

Requirements and Skills
• PhD degree in Immunology (virology or biomedical sciences considered) • Five years of experience in immunology if Ph.D. in another field
• Five years of experience in animal handling
• Experience in animal colony management
• Experience in cell biology
• Expertise in cell culture, multiparametric flow cytometry, and cell sorting
• Proactive and capable of autonomy and initiative in work
• Time management and coordination skills, ability to prioritize responsibilities
• Strong team-working skills and good interpersonal relationships
• Ability to work under pressure, take on new challenges, manage stress, and assist others in workload management
• Ability to design, to organize, and coordinate scientific research projects.
• Ability to investigate, gather, and analyze data and draw conclusions from this data.
• A demonstrated passion for research and a certain personal investment, flexibility in work schedule
• Communication in English, especially written, is an important asset

Additional Information

CV + COVER LETTER
Your application should include your CV and a cover letter explaining your background and your interest in the position. A cover letter is mandatory. To officially apply, please use our recruitment website to apply online: http://www.chusj.org/fr/Emplois-benevolat/Emplois-disponibles
Reference Number: CAT5-23-7954
Start of Display: November 1, 2023
End of Display: December 15, 2023

Salary: Employment Conditions Union of employees of the CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center (SECR) Salary scale: Level 4 - between $31.02 per hour and $46.09 per hour

Contact Information

To officially apply, please use our recruitment website to apply online: http://www.chusj.org/fr/Emplois-benevolat/Emplois-disponibles

If you are interested in this position, you can also reach Dr. Decaluwe by email at helene.decaluwe.hsj@gmail.com.

Employer Profile

CHU Sainte-Justine Research Center is a leading mother-child research institution affiliated with Université de Montréal. It brings together more than 200 research investigators, including over 90 clinician-scientists, as well as 500 graduate and postgraduate students focused on finding innovative prevention means, faster and less invasive treatments, as well as personalized approaches to medicine. The Center is part of CHU Sainte-Justine, which is the largest mother-child center in Canada and the second most important pediatric center in North America. More on research.chusj.org