Assistant Staff Scientist

Job description

This is an NIH grant funded position with Dr. Stuart Ibsen. We are developing an exciting new type of cancer diagnostic test that combines microfluidic and microarray technology to pull cancer-derived nanoparticles straight from plasma. Our long-term goal is to bring nanoparticle-based diagnostics to the clinic for the first time. We are currently hiring for 1-2 highly motivated and enthusiastic researchers with expertise in Engineering or Biology to work in some of the following general areas:
• Development of biological particle separation techniques using dielectrophoresis technology – using microelectrode array chips to recover cancer-derived nanoparticles from circulation (Gustafson, et al. 2021). This novel work will focus on the development and characterization of new nanoparticle recovery techniques using dielectrophoretic forces. These forces are created by microelectrode array devices that act on the unique dielectric properties of different particles (Ibsen et al. 2017). This work includes increasing particle collection efficiency, understanding the types of particles that are collected and how they can be separated, and developing an internal standard appropriate for different particle types. This position will utilize the high-end specialized dielectrophoresis equipment located here at OHSU. This will also involve quantitative fluorescent microscopy imaging, TEM imaging, immunostaining, and particle characterization.
• System automation – continuing development and finalization of an automated system to conduct the dielectrophoresis work. The goal is to automate the dielectrophoresis collection protocol to increase sample analysis throughput. This will involve basic robotics and automation programming in LabView.
• Cancer biomarker panel development – evaluate the nanoparticle associated biomarkers that are collected for their ability to detect pancreatic cancer from plasma samples. Here the goal is to use the developed dielectrophoresis techniques to collect cancer-derived nanoparticles and evaluate their biomarkers for the ability to detect pancreatic cancer.

Selected References:
• Luna, Ramona; Heineck, Daniel; Hinestrosa, Juan Pablo; Dobrovolskaia, Irina; Hamilton, Sean; Malakian, Anna; Gustafson, Kyle T.; Huynh, Katherine T.; Kim, Sejung; Ware, Jason; Stimson, Ella; Ross, Christian; Schutt, Carolyn E.; Ibsen, Stuart . “Enhancement of Dielectrophoresis-Based Particle Collection from High Conducting Fluids Due to Partial Electrode Insulation.” Electrophoresis, In Press (2023)
• Hamilton, Sean; Shea, Delaney; Ibsen, Stuart *, Brasino, Michael*. "On‐chip dielectrophoretic recovery and detection of a lactate sensing probiotic from model human saliva." Electrophoresis, Volume 44, Issue 3-4: pp. 442-449. (2023) *Co-corresponding authors
• Luna, Ramona; Heineck, Daniel P.; Bucher, Elmar; Heiser, Laura; Ibsen, Stuart. "Theoretical and Experimental Analysis of Negative Dielectrophoresis Induced Particle Trajectories." Electrophoresis, Volume 43, Issue 12: pp. 1366-77 (2022) (Cover)
• Gustafson, Kyle; Huynh, Katherine; Heineck, Daniel; Bueno, Jesus; Modestino, Augusta; Kim, Sejung; Gower, Austin; Armstrong, Randall; Schutt, Carolyn; Ibsen, Stuart . “Automated Fluorescence Quantification of Extracellular Vesicles Collected from Blood Plasma using Dielectrophoresis.” Lab on a Chip, Volume 21, Issue 7: pp. 1318-1332. (2021) ( Back Cover )
• Sarno, Benjamin; Heineck, Daniel; Heller Michael J.; Ibsen, Stuart . “Dielectrophoresis: Developments and Applications from 2010 to 2020.” Electrophoresis, Volume 42, Number 5, pp. 539-564 (2021). ( Cover )
• Ibsen, Stuart ; Wright, Jennifer; Lewis, Jean; Kim, Sejung; Ko, Seo-Yeon; Ong, Jiye; Manouchehri, Sareh; Vyas, Ankit; Akers, Johnny; Chen, Clark; Carter, Bob; Esener, Sadik; Heller, Michael."Rapid isolation and detection of exosomes and associated biomarkers from plasma." ACS Nano, Volume 11, Issue 7, pp. 6641-6651 (2017).

• MD, MD/PhD or a degree equivalent to a MD (such as DO, MBBS, MBChB) in a relevant field and 3+ years of relevant post-doctoral work experience
• Specialty: Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Biology
• Excellent communication, analytical and organizational skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team while being collaborative in resolving problems
• Passion for science and inquiry
• Ability to synthesize one’s own results and others to formulate hypotheses
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to maintain effective working relationships
• Must possess energy and drive to coordinate multiple projects simultaneously
• Ability to synthesize scientific projects and communicate science to diverse audiences