Scientist/Scientist II, T Cell Therapeutics

Position - Scientist/Scientist II, T Cell Therapeutics

Mission Statement

Through single-cell biology, computational biology, and artificial intelligence, Immunai is reprogramming the immune system to develop improved drugs and therapeutics.

Background

Immunai was founded in December 2018. We are a multidisciplinary team of immunologists, genomics technologists, computer scientists, engineers, mathematicians and operators singularly focused on solving an audacious challenge. Backed by some of the leading scientific minds in immunology, oncology, and single cell genomics, we are up for the challenge.

Immunai has begun the process of mapping millions of immune cells and their functions in order to build a proprietary data set for clinical immunological data. The immune system mapping will play an important role in boosting R&D efforts in developing targeted therapies for different diseases. The company noted that the immune system consists of trillions of cells that are divided into different cell types that perform different functions. Because of the complexity of the system, it can be difficult to determine how drugs will interact with the immune cells. This increased understanding can be used to boost clinical response to different cellular therapies.

Immunai’s mission is to map the immune system with neural networks and transfer learning techniques informed by deep immunology knowledge. We developed the tools and knowhow to help every immuno-oncology and cell therapy researcher excel at their job. This helps increase the speed in which drugs are developed and brought to market by elucidating their mechanisms of action and resistance.

Location - NYC, USA

For details - www.immunai.com, info@immunai.com

Responsibilities

• Establish in vitro assays to screen and evaluate biological activity of antibody drug candidates using cell lines and primary immune cells, including but not limited to generation of custom cell lines, establishing reporter assays and complex multicellular immune assays
• Assess potency and define the mechanism of action of biologics (mAbs, bispecifics, fusion proteins) in primary human immune cell populations and co-culture systems
• Interface with an in vivo pharmacology team to design and execute in vivo tumor studies to evaluate biologic activity in the tumor microenvironment, including detailed characterization of tumor immune infiltrates through single cell sequencing
• Interface with an in vivo pharmacology team to develop and implement appropriate PK/PD models to enable a clear understanding of the relationship between dose and functional effects in vivo
• Interface and closely work with a protein engineering team to develop novel first-in-class biologics and generate data enabling selection of lead clinical candidate
• Develop robust data packages that define a clear understanding of the impact of drug candidates on disease-relevant biology
• Author in vitro and in vivo biology study reports to support regulatory filings

Qualifications

• Scientist: PhD in Immunology or biomedical sciences with at least one year of postdoctoral experience in academia or industry related to immuno-oncology
• Associate Scientist: M.S./B.S. in Immunology or related field, with 4 years of post-graduate experience, preferably including industry
• Prior experience of immuno-oncology drug development including immunocytokines or bispecifics is preferred
• Adept in the isolation and culture of primary human and murine immune cells including T cells, monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells
• Well versed in immunological assays including but not limited to ELISA, Luminex / Legendplex and multicolor (10 colors) flow cytometry
• Experienced with mouse tumor models and phenotypic characterization of tumor immune infiltrates
• Knowledge and experience in preclinical and IND enabling studies is preferred
• Adept in ambiguous situations, flexible and comfortable making decisions using minimal available data
• A proven ability to work cross-functionally and adapt to changing priorities while managing multiple commitments with accuracy and efficiency to meet deadlines
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, ability to prioritize and meet deadlines in a fast-paced and multi-cultural environment

Desired Personal traits

• You want to make an impact on humankind
• You prioritize “We” over “I”
• You enjoy getting things done - with super high quality
• You collaborate effectively with people of diverse backgrounds and cultures
• You have superior skills and experience, and constantly strive to be world-class in what you do
• You constantly challenge your own assumptions, pushing for continuous improvement
• You have a growth mindset
• You make decisions that favor the company, not yourself or your team
• You are candid, authentic, and transparent