Job Description

About Us:
The Wyss Institute’s mission is to transform healthcare and the environment by emulating the way nature builds. We harness the imagination of academia and the focus of industry to translate ground-breaking technologies into commercial products that solve big problems. We support research that universities, companies, and venture capital firms don’t fund because they view it as too risky. We prefer to use the word “challenging,” and we love challenges. For more information discover our technologies, catch up on our recent news, or watch our latest videos.



About you:
You are a collaborative, impact-focused problem solver who wants to be part of a dynamic team dedicated to creating and commercializing novel approaches to global challenges in healthcare and sustainability. You want the opportunity to explore your scientific interests and apply your knowledge to tackle ambitious projects in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial-minded environment with resources and support from top-notch scientific, operations, and administrative professionals. You enjoy working with highly motivated, diverse teams and leveraging your expertise to create innovations that can change the world.



About the Role:
The Wyss Institute’s Brain Targeting Program (BTP), co-led by James Gorman, M.D., Ph.D. and Donald Ingber, M.D., Ph.D., is developing brain delivery technologies that enable development of safer and more effective brain-targeted therapeutics for diverse brain diseases. Our brain delivery platform enables these therapeutic advances by dramatically improving transport of drugs across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) into the brain. We are looking for a talented Scientist to support the discovery and validation of our antibody brain shuttles and to lead the development of our brain shuttle-mediated oligonucleotide platform. Reporting to the Principal Scientist, you will work closely with our team using both in vitro cellular systems and in vivo humanized mouse models to optimize oligonucleotide delivery.

What you'll do:
Support in vitro and in vivo validation of brain shuttles, using protein and cell binding assays, and in vivo brain and blood pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) studies in mouse models.
Lead brain shuttle-mediated ASO delivery platform development.
Choose and adapt ASO production approaches from the public domain and prepare material either in-house or with a CRO.
Perform conjugation of ASOs with antibody shuttles, with traditional or novel conjugation chemisty(ies).
Design mouse studies for shuttle-ASO validation; prepare and analyze mouse tissues and blood for PK/PD analysis.
Select appropriate mouse disease models and validate novel shuttle-ASO fusion drugs in models of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, ALS and others.
Develop, validate, and perform various protocols including confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, cell-based assays, plate-based ELISA assays, and others.
Analyze and interpret experimental data, learn new skills, troubleshoot, and contribute intellectually to projects.
Present data and results at meetings internally and externally.
Perform support activities and lab maintenance as assigned, and function in a team-oriented environment with other scientists and staff at the Institute as well as external collaborators.
Supervise and train junior scientists, academic trainees, and others
Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and cultural awareness through actions, interactions, and communications with others

What you'll need:

Bachelor’s degree in neuroscience, biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, or related field.
A minimum of 5 years of experience with ASO chemistry and conjugation, cell culture, rodent handling, and molecular and cellular biology techniques such as ELISA, western blotting, confocal imaging, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS), or related experience. Advanced education may count towards years of experience.

Desirable skills:

PhD in neuroscience, biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, or related fields strongly preferred.
Industry experience preferred.
Experience with ASO conjugation, including development and optimization of conjugation protocols.
Ability to work independently as well as to collaborate with a multidisciplinary group.
Commitment for diversity, inclusion and cultural awareness through actions, interactions, and communications with others.