Research Associate - Molecular Epidemiology and Genomics of TuberculosisDepartment: Department of PathologyEntity: Medical CollegeLocation: Nairobi, Kenya
IntroductionEstablished in 2004, the Aga Khan University Medical College in East Africa seeks to provide high quality education for health professional leaders who will then go on to become reputable specialists generating a positive and lasting impact in the lives of their patients and in the communities they serve. Our goal is to produce health professional leaders through our unique training programmes, building strong research programmes, supporting the best practice in the delivery of health services, and contributing to the broader community through strategic partnerships regionally and globally. We aspire to build for the youth of East Africa, a medical college of international quality, providing them with the opportunity to get the best health professional education that is relevant and has impact across East Africa, and indeed, in the world.
The Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine at the Aga Khan University, Medical College, East Africa is deeply committed to providing excellence in teaching and training residents in the disciplines of Anatomical and Clinical Pathology, basic and translational research, scholarship and diagnostic services of the highest standard in the region. We boast a team of highly trained and skilled technical personnel and expert-specialist faculty involved in collaborative and multidisciplinary research.
Job SummaryThe Department of Pathology is seeking a Research Assistant to support laboratory and bioinformatics workflows in a retrospective study investigating the prevalence, genomic diversity and antimicrobial resistance of animal -adapted Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (aMTBC) strains. The role contributes to understanding zoonotic transmission and multidrug resistance within a One Health framework.
Responsibilities• Retrieve and culture archived TB isolates.• Perform PCR screening for RD9 gene extract • Coordinate procurement and management of study supplies and maintain inventory; to ensure availability of materials.• Conduct flow-cell QC, sequencing runs, variant calling, phylogenetic analysis• Maintain lab records and isolate metadata.• Assist in preparation of figures, tables, and manuscript outputs.• Participate in stakeholder liaison meetings. • Support manuscript development and contribute to dissemination activities • Ensuring the confidentiality and security of the collected data.
Requirements• Master of Science in Molecular Biology, Microbiology, Genomics, Bioinformatics, or any other relevant qualification.• A minimum of two years’ experience working with clinical teams is an added advantage.• Measurable hands on wet lab experience working with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), including TB culturing, sample processing, biosafety level workflows, and handling of clinical isolates.• Proven proficiency in molecular diagnostics techniques such as DNA extraction, PCR, qPCR, gel electrophoresis, and preparation of libraries for Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) sequencing.• Experience performing quality control of DNA/RNA samples, optimization of extraction protocols, and troubleshooting of lab assays in high containment environments.• Familiar with foundational bioinformatics approaches, including FASTQ data handling, basic command line workflows, sequence quality assessment, and introductory analysis pipelines for pathogen genomics.• Ability to integrate wet lab and genomics workflows by coordinating sample preparation with downstream sequencing and preliminary data interpretation.• Strong documentation and adherence to biosafety protocols when working with high risk pathogens.