Job Specifications
Site: Beech Court, Styal, Manchester, SK9 4LD
About Us: Pebble have developed the LIVING-ORGAN system, which involves removing organs and tissues from the body and attaching them to life-support systems which replicate in-vivo physiology. This is at the cutting edge of physiology, surgery and biomedical engineering, that crosses critical care, surgery, physiology, immunology, dissection and an understanding of associated anatomy. Pebble do not use laboratory animals, meaning this platform is a 3Rs system.
Job Description: Academic Placement Student (including night shifts)
We are looking for an academic placement student to join our energetic team and help run our normothermic machine perfusion experiments. Due to the nature of our workload, work is based on a rota system which includes both days and nights. A full induction programme is provided, and new team members will complete a full training programme before being added to the rota. The position is paid (£750/month bursary).
This is an opportunity to join a rapidly growing small-medium enterprise (SME) focused on fast tracking innovations to clinical practise. Our client portfolio incorporates a range of different experimental requirements, from gene therapies to trauma development models. As such, you will gain first-hand insight into how the industry works and be exposed to a host of different projects that will provide you with a wide range of employable skills.
You will be involved in a range of specialised projects that will lead to discussions around experimental design and planning, enabling you to gain experience of writing up laboratory protocols. Our work focuses on normothermic machine perfusion which is a niche field that requires extensive training. This will cover all stages of the process, from cell saving blood (isolating red blood cells) to performing challenging surgical techniques, which includes tissue dissection and an understanding of associated anatomy.
These experiments often require sample collection (blood, urine, tissue etc) that require processing and appropriate storage. Training will be provided to help you understand how to correctly handle, label and store different samples to ensure they can be traced. You will also be expected to keep a laboratory notebook and provide updates on the progress of the study during laboratory meetings.
Our placement students are the core of the PBL team, and they get to work with an extensive range of academic and clinical experts’ day-in and day-out. Given the nature of perfusion experiments, they are very labour-intensive meaning that group dynamics and teamwork are critical. These will be rapidly developed in an industrial setting, helping you develop key characteristics and skills to be included in your future CV.
As an integral part of the team, the candidate will be observed and well supported, with staff on hand to answer any questions or concerns. You will be assigned a line manager (Senior Scientist) who you can speak to in confidence at any time and scheduled one to one meetings carried out to review progress and provide feedback.
Main Responsibilities
Prepare solutions for perfusion experiments (weighing out chemicals, mixing solutions, assessing pH)
Assist in building normothermic perfusion circuits (including setting up blood cell saver machines)
Draw up all therapeutics required for the experiment
Perform blood cell saving on experiment days
Assist all aspects of normothermic machine perfusions (including set up, monitoring, performing arterial blood gases, sample collection and post-experiment clean down)
Labelling and storing samples as required (this may include centrifuging and aliquoting for storage, snap freezing in liquid nitrogen, storing in OCT etc)
Record all data and results in specified forms (paper and electronic) with accuracy and responsibility
Maintain laboratory stock levels and equipment, including liaising with the stock control manager
Organise and store all chemical substances, fluids and compressed gases according to safety instructions
Read relevant literature to ensure an understanding of the work and to assist in protocol development discussions
Attend laboratory meetings to discuss experimental plans and provide an update from previous experiments
Attend monthly presentations and contribute when assigned a topic
Assist in all other laboratory maintenance and tasks, as required
Ensure that all safety guidelines are strictly followed and maintain a clean and orderly environment
Training
A full training schedule will be prepared for the candidate during their apprenticeship, which include:
Porcine anatomy
Normothermic machine perfusion (kidneys, liver, limbs, human blood).
Cell saving
Leukocyte depletion
Arterial blood gas analysis
Surgical techniques including dissection and suturing
Pipetting
Sample processing and storage, including centrifuge use, liquid nitrogen, OCT etc.
Protocol development and planning
Experimental documenta