Undergraduate Research Assistant: Muscle Cell Culture

The Muscle Biology Lab at Oakland University is seeking a motivated undergraduate student to join our research team as an Undergraduate Research Assistant with a focus on muscle cell culture for Fall 2026 / Winter 2027, with the potential to extend further.  

Our laboratory studies the biology of skeletal and cardiac muscle, including the molecular mechanisms that regulate muscle growth and muscle loss.  We use a variety of molecular and cellular biology techniques, including real-time PCR, Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, animal models, and cell culture.

This position is particularly suited for a student interested in gaining hands-on experience with cell culture research.

Primary Responsibilities:

Maintain and culture muscle cells

Assist with muscle cell culture and differentiation into myotubes

Perform routine cell culture tasks, including media preparation, cell maintenance, passaging, and cryopreservation

Assist with experiments involving muscle cells and cellular responses to experimental treatments

Prepare buffers, media, reagents, and other materials for experiments

Maintain accurate and organized laboratory records

Follow laboratory protocols and maintain a clean and organized workspace

Assist graduate students and the PI with laboratory experiments

Learn and apply basic molecular and cellular biology techniques.

Preferred Qualifications and Requirements

Prior lab experience or cell culture experience is a plus but not required; training will be provided

Minimum commitment of 10 hours per week

Reliable, responsible

Interest in cell biology, molecular biology, physiology, biomedical research, or muscle biology

Strong attention to detail and ability to follow protocols carefully

Abillty to work independently after appropriate training

Flexibility in scheduling is required: cell culture experiments often require work at specific time points and cannot always be performed during standard business hours.  Students should be willing and able to occasionally adjust their schedule, including working on weekends when necessary, to maintain cell cultures and complete experiments properly, given the nature of the work. 

To Apply

A resume and a brief statement of interest explaining why you are interested in gaining research experience in cell culture and biomedical research is required.  Applications without the statement of interest or with generic statements will not be considered.