Coop, Research Department Of Medicine Gastroenterology

We are seeking a Coop student, full-time, in the Traverso Lab at Brigham and Women's Hospital with a background in drug delivery, chemical engineering, chemistry, and/or material science. Our group is interested in the design of systems for next generation mRNA and cell therapy. Specifically, the student will be involved in the design of materials to make hydrogels for cell implantation, characterization of these materials through physicochemical and biochemical assays, and understanding the interaction between the biomaterial and cells, and designing materials for nanoparticle formulations, mRNA nanoparticle formulation development and its screening in cell culture. Primary responsibilities include materials synthesis and physicochemical characterization, in vitro testing of materials on cells/tissues and in vivo analyses in small and large animals. 

Our research group consists of chemists, biologists, engineers, pharmaceutical scientists, and physicians and focuses on developing clinically relevant solutions to a host of challenges such as infectious diseases and cancer. Hence, our group provides the students the opportunity to engage across scientific disciplines and grow as scientists by conducting research in an exciting environment. 

 The candidate should be a student enrolled in a B.S. program or equivalent in biomedical engineering, material science, chemical engineering, bioengineering or a related field. The candidate should have experience in at least two of the following areas: 

• Mammalian cell culture 
• General biological characterization techniques such as flow cytometry, PCR, western blotting, microscopy 
• Chemical synthesis and characterization techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)/ high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)/ gel permeation chromatography (GPC) etc. 

Training to gain further skills will be available. 

Candidate must have self-motivation and willingness to learn new tools and techniques; strong organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills; ability to work independently and as part of a team; comfort summarizing and reporting results to interdisciplinary researchers; commitment to exceeding standards and producing accurate, high quality work; meticulous attention to detail; practiced documentation skills; and ability to follow safety procedures and maintain a safe work environment.