Clinical Research Assistant in Neuromodulation and Neuroimaging (CRISP study)

Mass General Brigham

11d•$20 - $28•Onsite

About The Position

The Holsen Lab in the Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry at Brigham and Women’s Hospital/Harvard Medical School is seeking a full-time post-bac clinical research assistant with a strong interest in neuroscience, psychology, and quantitative methods, including data analysis or computer science. The individual will assist with a clinical trial using both neuromodulation (transcranial magnetic stimulation) and neuroimaging (fMRI) to validate a novel cerebellar satiety network in healthy adults. Under the supervision of Dr. Laura Holsen and a postdoctoral fellow, the post-bac clinical research assistant will carry out a broad range of neuroimaging, biostatistics, and computer science-based research activities and procedures as indicated below. This is a great position for those wanting clinical research experience before applying for graduate school or medical school. Our team has a strong track record of mentoring research assistants who have gone on to pursue medical school or doctoral programs in clinical psychology, cognitive neuroscience, neuroscience, public health, and bioinformatics. You can find out more about our lab at https://holsenlab.bwh.harvard.edu/. Fostering diversity in the scientific research workforce is a key goal of Dr. Holsen and her team. Thus, additional support and mentorship are available for individuals from diverse backgrounds, including those from groups demonstrated to be underrepresented in the biomedical, behavioral, clinical, and social sciences.

Requirements

Have a strong background and interest in neuroscience, cognitive neuroscience, psychology, biology, mathematics, statistics, or computer science
Be in good academic standing with a strong GPA
Strong computer and statistical skills
Programming skills (previous R experience is required)
Comfort with Linux environment
Experience working in REDCap
Experience using R, MATLAB, SPM12, and/or fMRIPrep
Careful attention to details
Good organizational and communication skills
Working knowledge of clinical research protocols
Ability to demonstrate respect and professionalism for subjects’ rights and individual needs
Ability to work independently and as a team player
Analytical skills and ability to resolve technical problems
Ability to interpret acceptability of data results
Working knowledge of data management program
Given that study procedures occur at various locations (study preparation activities at BWH and main study visits at McLean Hospital), a personal vehicle is required for this position.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement strategies to recruit subjects to participate in clinical trials
Interview (prescreen) prospective volunteers, complete consenting procedures, conduct chart reviews, and determine their eligibility to participate in the study with guidance from study clinicians and PIs
Schedule and conduct study visits with subjects, including administering computerized questionnaires and tasks, collecting biological samples, and working alongside MRI techs to collect MRI data
Conduct structured clinical interviews for psychiatric disorders, including eating disorders, mood disorders, and suicidal ideation (training and supervision with clinical psychologist provided)
Review test results and data with the postdoctoral fellow and principal investigators to ensure that protocol requirements are met and that abnormalities are addressed by clinicians
Enter and maintain data collected from medical charts and study databases
Develop meeting agendas, present/guide discussion related to agenda topics, and document meeting notes
Complete applications, periodic reports, and related forms and ensure timely submission to regulatory bodies overseeing the clinical study
Contribute to the collection, coding, management, and analysis of behavioral data
DICOM unpacking, conversion of data to NIfTI (BIDS) format
Creation of bash and R scripts for data organization
Visual inspection of structural and functional data quality
Editing and running MATLAB-based SPM12 preprocessing scripts
Quality assessment of motion for functional data
Editing and running first- and second-level models in SPM12 and fMRIPrep
Create and maintain a variety of study related logs, including billing logs
Use software programs to generate statistical graphs and reports
Assist with formal audits of data and study documents
Assist with submitting IRB amendments and other study-related protocol updates
Assist with preparing abstracts and posters
Upload data to the NIH Data Archive
Prepare detailed agendas and data updates for meetings