Research Assistant (JD-0122-002)

BACK GROUND
The Oxford University Clinical Research Unit (OUCRU) is a large-scale clinical and public health research unit, with sites offices in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi in Vietnam, Jakarta in Indonesia and Kathmandu in Nepal. In Vietnam, we are hosted by the Hospital of Tropical Diseases (HTD) in Ho Chi Minh City, and the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases (NHTD) in Hanoi. OUCRU-Nepal is hosted by the Patan Academy of Health Sciences, and in Indonesia we exist in partnership with the Eijkman Institute as the Eijkman-Oxford Clinical Research Programme (EOCRU). As a Wellcome Africa Asia Programme, we have received considerable support from Wellcome since our establishment in 1991.
OUCRU's vision is to have local, regional and global impact on health by leading a locally driven research programme on infectious diseases in Southeast Asia. Priority is given to health issues important to the hospitals where we work, and to the countries as a whole where we operate: Vietnam, Indonesia and Nepal. All work is intended not only to benefit the patients seen daily at our host hospitals, but also to help improve patient care throughout Southeast Asia.
Our main focus of work is in COVID-19, Dengue, Infections of the Central Nervous System, Influenza, Malaria, Tetanus, Influenza, HIV and Tuberculosis (TB).
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JOB SUMMARY
The TB group's major research interests are improving TB diagnosis and treatment by carrying out clinical trials of new diagnostic tests and therapeutic approaches. We also aim to understand how genetic variations in both host and pathogen influence disease presentations, treatment responses and outcomes. We are in collaboration with three hospitals in Vietnam (the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital and National Lung Hospital) and overseas institutions (Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Washington, California, Harvard, Melbourne, Radboud, Stellenbosch) to conduct clinical and laboratory studies.
The successful candidate will be a member of the Cell & Molecular Biology team and work closely with the team leader (Dr. Trinh Thi Bich Tram) to help deliver ongoing studies in the TB group. The post holder will be responsible for performing a range of laboratory techniques, analysing data and presenting results in group meetings. The post holder will also support sample collection and data entry for studies in the group.
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KEY TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES
The Research Assistant will work in these areas:

• Perform cell line culture and human monocyte isolation from blood samples to prepare cells for TB infection
• Perform infection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis into cells in Biosafety Level 3 (BSL3) Laboratory
• Perform cellular/immunological assays: ELISA, Bio-Plex, flow cytometry and fluorescence-spectrophotometer
• Perform molecular techniques, such as DNA extraction, PCR, cloning, sequencing
• Perform diagnostic tests for tuberculosis, comprising classical and modified or molecular techniques
• Analyse data and present in group meetings
• Specimen reception and data entry
• Learn new skills to contribute to new studies
• Other duties may be assigned when needed

Training will be provided in the techniques currently used in the laboratory and working in BSL3. Once trained the successful applicant will be expected to develop new techniques for future aspects of the research.