Non-IEL Research Opportunities

Title: Research assistant in Soranno Lab at IU School of Medicine

Overview: Acute kidney injury (AKI) carries serious short- and long-term consequences. While AKI is more common in male and older populations, women and children are not invulnerable to its development. AKI has many causes (dehydration, shock, sepsis, and pharmacologic or illicit drug-induced injury, etc.) and is well known to cause vascular and endothelial dysfunction that link it long-term to chronic kidney disease, heart disease, and cerebrovascular disease. Current projects in the lab include pre-clinical neonatal dialysis, growth and development after pediatric AKI, and growth and development in utero after parent AKI.

Responsibilities: Candidates should be able to commit to 3-5 hours weekly for credit for the Spring 2025 semester in a fast-paced research lab on the IUSM campus in Indianapolis. There may be opportunity to continue past the Spring 2025 semester, but this will be contingent upon satisfactory performance. Responsibilities include assisting with collection of data from research animals, data analysis, and regular presentation at lab meetings. Prior laboratory and animal handling experience is desirable but not necessary. Training will be provided to students. Candidates should have excellent attention to detail, good independent reasoning skills, and a strong enthusiasm for learning.

Apply: Send your resume and a statement of research interest to Dr. Jennifer L. Anderson (anderje@iu.edu) for consideration.

Title: Data entry for research with gender-diverse youth

Overview: My research team is seeking an undergraduate or graduate student for assistance entering data for a research project looking at the presenting needs of gender-diverse youth seeking services from a gender health program. The RA may also be invited to participate in other projects focused on the well-being of gender-diverse youth and their families.

Responsibilities: The RA will work with Dr. Brandon-Friedman and his research team to enter data into an online data program so the data can be analyzed. The research team meets weekly to discuss the ongoing projects and plan the work for the week. All work will be done remotely with no in-person meetings required. Weekly time required will vary depending on the RA’s availability, but we are looking for someone who could work about 5–10 hours a week. This can be flexible if some weeks are busier for the RA. We will work with the RA to meet their availability. As all work is remote, it can be done at any available time other than the required weekly meeting.

Required Skills: Data entry requires attention to detail as the data must be entered exactly as written on the pdf forms. Data entry will include some text and a large amount of ratings on standardized scales.

Additional opportunities: The research team has several projects going that may have other opportunities for an RA. All research focuses on gender-diverse youth in some way. This can include working with their families, school experiences, health care experiences, and mental and physical well-being outcomes. Data analysis is ongoing so RA may have the opportunity to participate in quantitative and qualitative analyses. RA may also be able to participate in the write-up of the work as desired.

Funding: We are actively working to obtain funding to support this position. We project that we may have funding available at some point, but it is not guaranteed.

To apply: Please submit a cover letter detailing your desired learning outcomes, research experience, any experience working with LGBTQ+ youth, your interest in learning about working with gender-diverse youth and their families, and your projected availability. Cover letters should be one to two pages and include enough detail that we are able to assess your fit with our work. Previous experience is not required. Letters should be submitted to Dr. Brandon-Friedman at rifriedm@iupui.edu.

Anasori Group at IU Indianapolis is one of the leading research groups in developing a novel family of two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials called MXenes. These nanomaterials have outperformed other materials in a variety of applications ranging from energy storage and wireless communications to biomedical applications. We are seeking undergraduate students to assist us in creating new nanocomposites for structural applications using ceramics and metals with 2D nanomaterials reinforcement as well as synthesizing novel 2D nanomaterials to add the ever-expansive family. Undergraduate students will work on the synthesis of 2D nanomaterials from their precursor materials, assist in the fabricating nanocomposites and general laboratory protocol, and measure different materials properties such as electrical and mechanical properties.

For students majoring in: ME, MET, BME, ECE, Chemistry, Physics

Interested students may contact Dr. Babak Anasori.

We are seeking highly motivated chemistry, biochemistry or biotechnology/biomedical engineering students who would like to gain laboratory experience in molecular imaging research. Our laboratory designs and evaluates radioactive drugs for real-time imaging of biological processes in disease and during normal development using positron emission tomography (PET). Projects encompass a wide variety of topics in oncology, cardiac imaging, and neuroscience, and involve aspects of organic chemistry, radiochemistry, analytical chemistry, biochemistry, and small animal imaging. Depending on the specific project and student interests, students will perform radiotracer synthesis, quality control analysis, basic in vitro assays to valid radiotracer mechanism, and metabolism and/or animal imaging for measuring radiotracer biodistribution and for disease characterization.

Tasks include performing any or all of the following: synthetic chemistry, radiochemistry (including radioactive material handling), use of automated systems, quality control analysis (HPLC and GC), basic biochemistry assays (ELISA, enzyme assays, Western blot, etc), mammalian cell culture, and/or animal studies (handling of mice and rats, injections, anesthesia, dissection, PET/CT/MRI imaging).

A commitment of approximately 10 hours per week in at least three to four hour blocks is required. Knowledge of basic laboratory techniques and laboratory safety practices, attention to detail, maturity, and ability to follow directions and standard operating procedures also required. Completed or concurrent course work in organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, microbiology and/or biochemistry is a plus.

Interested students may contact:  

Dr. Scott Snyder
Associate Professor
Department Radiology and Imaging Sciences
Ssnyder7@iupui.edu

We are seeking a highly motivated research assistant (RA) to help with work related to tick sampling in south-central Indiana. Funded by the IU Grand Challenge Prepared for Environmental Change project, the RA will also be involved with other ongoing projects in the unit.

Responsibilities: Under the supervision of the principal investigator, the successful applicant will work with other members of the project team collecting tick samples at private residential areas in south-central Indiana. Some travel and occasional multi-day trips may be required, so the research assistant needs a driver’s license and a clean driving record. A vehicle will be provided.

Desirable skills: Although the applicant need not have previous field work experience, the successful applicant should be comfortable working outdoors, in wooded and grassy areas, be well organized and detail-oriented, with strong analytical and interpersonal skills, and be able to work effectively with minimal supervision in the field as part of a larger research project.  Additional training specific to work on these projects will be provided as necessary. 

Duration of appointment: Hourly position, on a per semester basis, which can be extended to multiple semesters contingent upon satisfactory performance, and continued project funding.   

To apply: please submit 1) a brief cover letter describing your research/educational background, why you're interested in the position and the date you are available to start, 2) a resume, and 3) the names and contact information (including email addresses) of two references. 

The IU Fairbanks School of Public Health is committed to building and supporting a diverse, inclusive, and equitable community of students and scholars. Indiana University is an equal employment and affirmative action employer and a provider of ADA services. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ethnicity, color, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation or identity, national origin, disability status, or protected veteran status.

Interested students may contact Dr. Oghenekaro Omodior.

Paid research assistant position available for an undergraduate or master's student. The position will involve helping to run subjects, collecting survey data from participants, data entry, survey creation and proof-reading, and light data analysis. The research is in judgment and decision making, specifically in the areas of consumer economic choices and health decision making. Students in psychology, marketing, or related discipline preferred but others will be considered. To apply, please email a resume and short explanation of why you are interested in participating in research.

Interested students may contact Professor Helen Colby.

The mechanical engineering department in the School of Engineering and Technology is looking for an undergraduate student with a background in chemistry and preferably organic chemistry to assist on a research project with a focus on polymer formation and optical analysis.

Interested students may contact Aaron Berndt.

Students working in the laboratory will participate in ongoing investigation of Amot-lipid membrane interactions. The major goal is to focus on the most relevant features that confer binding specificity leading to morphological changes in lipid structures related to tumor genesis. Students may work on multidisciplinary projects that include molecular biology experiments (e.g. site directed mutagenesis of DNA, cloning, western blots, co-immunoprecipitation) and biophysical experiments (e.g., x-ray crystallography, small angle scattering, dynamic light scattering, fluorescence spectroscopy/microscopy).

Students can either be for work study, capstone, or credit. Students should be junior or senior level chemistry, biology, biomedical engineering, or physics majors. Basic chemistry, biology, physics, or engineering laboratory experience is a plus.

Interested students may contact Dr. Ann Kimble-Hill.

A laboratory in the IU School of Medicine in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology is looking for one to two undergraduate volunteers to assist with general lab protocols and research. Preferred candidates are first- or second-year students pursuing a B.S. degree in biology, chemistry, or a related field.

Our lab has two primary projects and employs a diverse set of experimental techniques. Initial experiments are focused on molecular biology, including PCR, DNA purification, and mutagenesis. Students will also assist in the preparation of general lab solutions and routine experimental techniques.

Interested students may contact Joseph Racca.