Research Scientist, Cancer Biology and Osteosarcoma, Levi Lab

• WHY UT SOUTHWESTERN?
• Design and execute hypothesis-driven studies addressing osteosarcoma initiation, growth, heterogeneity, invasion, metastasis, cancer-associated pain, and treatment response.
• Investigate tumor-intrinsic signaling and tumor microenvironment interactions, including neural, neuropeptide, adrenergic, immune, stromal, and vascular mechanisms.
• Perform molecular and cellular assays such as DNA and RNA extraction, PCR and qPCR, western blotting, ELISA, cloning, gene perturbation or CRISPR-Cas9 approaches, and next-generation sequencing workflows.
• Use flow cytometry and cell sorting to identify and isolate malignant, immune, stromal, and vascular populations from tumors and metastatic tissues.
• Evaluate candidate therapeutics and pathway inhibitors in vitro and in vivo using appropriate controls, dose and time-course studies, blinded outcome assessment, and reproducible statistical analysis.
• Maintain accurate experimental records; manage cell lines, mouse colonies, human tissue samples, reagents, and datasets; and ensure compliance with institutional biosafety, animal-use, and human-subjects requirements.
• Develop, optimize, document, and train others in standard operating procedures that improve rigor, reproducibility, efficiency, and data quality.
• Analyze and interpret data using relevant statistical, imaging, and bioinformatics tools; troubleshoot unexpected results; and revise experimental approaches based on evidence.
• Prepare figures, manuscripts, abstracts, presentations, progress reports, and grant materials, and present work at laboratory meetings and scientific conferences.
• Research experience in cancer biology, sarcoma biology, bone biology, tumor microenvironment biology, cancer neuroscience, metastasis, or a closely related field.
• Hands-on experience with mammalian cell culture and functional cancer assays, ideally including osteosarcoma models, pharmacologic perturbation, and three-dimensional spheroid, organoid, or extracellular matrix systems.
• Experience with mouse cancer models, preferably orthotopic xenograft or syngeneic models, longitudinal tumor measurements, bioluminescence imaging, drug administration, survival studies, and metastatic burden assessment.
• Proficiency in molecular biology methods such as PCR, qPCR, western blotting, nucleic acid isolation, cloning, gene knockdown or knockout, CRISPR-Cas9 editing, and library preparation for next-generation sequencing.
• Experience with multicolor flow cytometry, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, and analysis of heterogeneous tumors or metastatic tissues.
• Experience generating or analyzing single-cell RNA sequencing, bulk RNA sequencing, spatial transcriptomic, or other multiomic data. Familiarity with R, Python, Seurat, Scanpy, or related tools is advantageous.
• Understanding of cancer cell signaling, cell-cycle control, apoptosis, angiogenesis, immune and stromal biology, extracellular matrix remodeling, and mechanisms of invasion, metastasis, and treatment resistance.
• Experience with rigorous experimental design, power and sample-size considerations, randomization, blinding, data visualization, statistical analysis, and transparent reporting.
• Ability to mentor and supervise junior research personnel while fostering a respectful, inclusive, collaborative, and accountable laboratory culture.
• Demonstrated ability to plan and advance multiple projects with increasing scientific independence.
• Strong critical thinking, troubleshooting, organizational, and project-management skills.
• Excellent scientific writing, oral communication, figure preparation, and data-presentation skills.
• Ability to collaborate across disciplines and communicate effectively with basic scientists, clinicians, computational researchers, trainees, and external partners.
• Commitment to research integrity, reproducibility, responsible data stewardship, laboratory safety, and respectful mentorship.

None flagged.