The Director of the Cancer Biobank participates in project development and implementation with research scientists. The Director ensures that the lab is compliant with all Federal and State accrediting agency requirements for the CSC Cancer Biobank. Provides leadership on strategic and program development, evaluation, and financial management. Implements new strategies for CSC scientific initiatives. Provides scientific oversight and recommendations for cancer research projects and initiatives. Oversees biospecimen procurement, processing, storage, and makes recommendations for improvement within Cancer Biobank. Oversees laboratory maintenance, handling of fresh and frozen biospecimens and all aspects of quality control. May take on specific supervisory activities, and provide administrative leadership, and/or technical expertise. May assist with planning and experimental design for human specimen-dependent research projects. Remains current on literature, best biobanking practices and new technologies required to maintain best biobanking collection, processing and preservation. Manges biobank staff effort and projects with clear lines of communication, collaboration and collegiality with Cancer research staff.
Works directly to oversee all aspects of laboratory operations including process development, validation, and quality control for biological sample collection and storage in good laboratory practice (GLP) environment and ensuring staff compliance with policies and procedures developed in collaboration with CSC management and leadership.
Provides leadership on strategic and program development, evaluation, and financial management, and implements new strategies for CSC scientific initiatives.
Leads effort in specific aspects of cancer research project protocol development, specifically pertaining to biological sample procurement, processing, storage and distribution to investigators.
Oversees compliance with developing and processing biospecimens in accordance with existing and new SOPs.
Ensures compliance with state and federal laws, accreditation, professional and regulatory agency standards including quality assurance and licensing requirements within areas of responsibility.
Oversees process development reports and maintains computer database for each line of business.
Supervises staff to implement SOPs, processes, laboratory information management systems (LIMS) and automation where necessary to promote smooth functioning and efficiency within all aspects of Cancer Biobank operations.
Ensures all activities comply with regulatory guidelines and safety standards.
Leads specific team activities and provides administrative leadership and/or technical expertise.
Develops hypotheses and assists with planning and experimental design in collaboration with cancer center investigators. Reviews and remains current on literature as it relates to best biobanking practices and molecular analyses of human biospecimens.
Oversees biospecimen database accessioning, quality control and retrieval of specimens.
Oversees research pathology, tissue staining and histology procedures that relate to Cancer Center research projects.
In coordination with Cancer Center leadership and management, coordinates all aspects of biobanking to support and develop research programs that require the use of human biospecimens.
Oversees all aspects of Quality Assurance and Quality Control within the biobank and for all human biospecimens collected.
Identifies process improvement areas to assure an efficient and robust clinical research program.
Compiles data and assists with grant proposals, protocol development, scientific publication preparation and presentations.
Maintains strict patient confidentiality according to HIPAA regulations and applicable law.
Participates in required training and education programs.
Reviews staff performance, promotion, and staffing needs.
Leads staff recruitment efforts.
Presents and markets the Cancer Biobank at institutional and national forums, and on the internet.
Oversees budgeting, analysis of expenditures, revenues and financial reporting for the core, and establishing sound financial processes and policies for reducing costs and increasing return on investments.
Serves as a scientific resource for institutional researchers to foster and guide translational research.
Establishes workflows for recording pre-analytical variables for biospecimens and automatic data extraction pipelines for clinical annotation of biospecimens.
Serve on appropriate departmental and institutional committees to further the scientific mission of CSC.
Doctorate Degree Preferred: PhD (or equivalent) degree in pathology-related field, molecular biology, biochemistry or related science/engineering field.
Master's Degree Required: MS (or equivalent) degree in pathology-related field, molecular biology, biochemistry or related science/engineering field
10 years: Experience in GLP or equivalent regulated facility. Must have experience working in a biosafety cabinet and have experience working with human and animal tissues.
Experience with oversight and management of shared laboratory facilities and systematic handling, storage, and retrieval of biological samples.
Experience in research pathology.
Analytical - Ability to apply critical thinking to analyze and interpret information and/or data . Leads process development efforts, validation, and qualification for biological sample procurement, processing, and storage.
Communication - Ability to convey and/or receive written/verbal information to/from various audiences in different formats Excellent writing skill to develop operational documentation and standard operating procedures.
Quality - Ability to provide and/or support a level of work excellence and accuracy; recognize and address flaws or errors that others may overlook Knowledge of good manufacturing (GMP) practices for cellular products. Knowledge of regulatory requirements including Federal, FDA, State, and accrediting agency requirements.
Technical - Ability to apply advanced knowledge of science/learning/specialized intellectual instruction to analyze, interpret or make deductions from varying facts or circumstances. Knowledge in biological sciences and pathology
Technical - Ability to operate mechanical/medical devices and/or equipment. Knowledge of specialized equipment used in biobank, tissue processing or pathology facilities.
Technical - Ability to apply knowledge of information software and/or hardware to provide solutions and/or support. Proficiency with databases. Knowledge of LabVantage biobanking database software a plus.
Time Management - Ability to handle multiple demands and/or manage complex and competing priorities. Excellent project management skills to effectively lead multiple initiatives and research projects.
Management - Ability to motivate, monitor, measure, recognize and improve performance and morale
Working Title: Scientific Director for Cancer Biobank
Providing healthcare for more than 100 years, Cedars-Sinai has evolved into one of the most dynamic and highly renowned medical centers in the world. Along with caring for patients, Cedars-Sinai is a hub for biomedical research and a training center for future physicians and other healthcare professionals. This attracts exceptional talent to Cedars-Sinai, including world-renowned physician-scientists who seek a place where they can both conduct research and see patients--the ideal formula for discovery and its translation into cures. Our patients benefit from access to doctors at the top of their fields, and our researchers have an ideal community in which to study the impact of healthcare challenges, and reflect that knowledge in their research. The greater Los Angeles area in which Cedars-Sinai resides possesses unparalleled cultural and ethnic diversity which offers outstanding opportunities for translational and clinical research and a dynamic environment for medical education.Although community based, Cedars-Sinai is a major t...eaching hospital affiliated with the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). Cedars-Sinai has highly competitive graduate medical education programs in more than 50 specialty and subspecialty areas, a graduate program in biomedical sciences and translational medicine, a clinical scholars program directed towards junior physicians with aspirations to become clinical scientists, and post graduate training opportunities.There are more than 250 full-time faculty members at Cedars-Sinai. The voluntary medical staff, comprised of more than 2,200 specialty board-certified or board-qualified physicians, represent all of the specialties and subspecialties and collaborate with full-time medical staff in the teaching responsibilities of the graduate medical education programs.
