Research Officer I at icipe - African Insect Science for Food and Health

Overall Purpose of the Job
Handling the following research activities:

• Virus isolation, Arboviruses Surveillance.
• Molecular identification of DNA pathogens from ticks.
• ISFVs colony maintenance in the insectary.
• Conduct ISFV superinfection experiments.

Specific Duties

•  Cell culture maintenance and virus isolation in C6/36 (from Aedes albopictus), Sua 5b (from
• Anopheles gambiae) and Vero cells from monkey kidney.

Tissue culture both in vivo and in vitro

•  Superinfection (re-infecting mosquitoes that are already infected with ISFVs)
•  Micro-injection (genetics to deliver genetic material, such as DNA or RNA, into cells or organisms)
•  Mosquito rearing in the insectary.
•  RNA and DNA extraction from target samples (Ticks and Mosquitoes) and quantification by
• nanodrop.
•  Mosquito and tick sample collection from the field sites - Identification of target arthropods
• (mosquito)

Molecular Screening by PCR

•  Introduction of already cultured Anopheles flavivirus and Wesselsbron virus into Microsporidia
• MB-positive and -negative Sua S1 cell lines individually in different flasks.
•  Support tick-borne pathogen screening and potentially culture

Fieldwork:

•  Support Fieldwork and PREPARE4VBD activities as requested.

Requirements/Qualifications

•  Bachelor of Science in Microbiology or a relevant area.
•  At least 2 years of work experience in a research laboratory.
•  Laboratory safety courses.
•  Experience in mosquito homogenization and virus isolation.
•  Experience in molecular testing of viruses.
•  Experience in molecular detection of pathogens through PCR.
•  Experience in Microsporidia isolation through cell culture.
•  Experience working with the team to meet project objectives.

Other Desirable Attributes

•  Support and lead manuscript preparation as appropriate.
•  Maintain oversight on necessary project supplies.
•  Ability to make decisions within the area of work. Consults the supervisor.

Reporting

• This position reports to the Head of the Molecular Biology and Biosystematics Unit