Principal Immuno-oncology Scientist (Target & Drug Discovery)
Pear Bio
London, UK
Posted on Friday, July 12, 2024
About Pear Bio
At Pear Bio, we are personalising cancer treatment because every cancer is unique. To achieve this, we’ve developed a test that cultures patient tumour samples and matched immune cells, quantifies dynamic cell behaviours during therapy exposure, and predicts treatment efficacy for that patient. The clinical, functional and multi-omics data from this process is used to identify patients with high unmet for target and drug discovery. We are a VC-backed start-up based in London and Boston. To grow our company, we’re looking for a Principal Immuno-oncology Scientist to join our team. Will you be the one?
Job Description
The Principal Immuno-oncology Scientist role will focus on establishing cell-based models and MoA assays designed to validate potential immuno-oncology targets and test the efficacy of immunotherapy candidates. You will get an opportunity to validate novel targets for immunotherapy in-house and advance a therapeutic antibody drug discovery program by liaising with CROs to develop novel therapeutic antibodies, which will be tested through in-house and external workflows. You will be a part of the Target & Drug Discovery team and report directly to the VP of Target & Drug Discovery. You will have access to patient tumour samples and matched whole blood to create 3D cell cultures using Pear’s ex vivo tumour model + computer vision platform. You will also have access to a suite of tools, including confocal microscopes, flow cytometry and Luminex to design assays for immunotherapy development.
Job Responsibilities
- Process primary tissue and whole blood samples
- Select immune cell types to validate the effects of inhibiting the key target(s)
- Characterise immune cell subtypes from heterogeneous populations, especially T cells and macrophages
- Validate the already prioritised target(s) and assess novel antibodies using multiplex assays
- Identify & prioritise epitopes for antibody binding assays
- Conduct mechanism of action and dose-response studies on candidate therapeutic antibodies
- Test immunotherapies using various phenotypic and genotypic assays
- Adapt physiologically relevant 3D models that co-culture cancer, stromal, immune and other cell subtypes
- Characterise 3D cell cultures using microscopy alongside functional and molecular biology techniques
- Collaborate extensively with different teams within the company to perform lead selection assays and supervise junior team members
- Collaborate extensively with external partners for drug discovery
- Report writing, presentations and knowledge transfer
Must-Haves
- PhD in life sciences
- 3-5 years experience in immuno-oncology drug discovery/development in industry (biotech or pharma)Expert in primary immune cell isolation and culture
- Proficient with 3D microscopy techniques like confocal microscopy
- Knowledgeable in a variety of cell profiling and/or sorting techniques like FACS, flow cytometry, mass cytometry
- Experience running immunotherapy dose-response and/or mechanism of action studies (cytokine profiling, ELISA, IF, receptor engagement assays, etc.)
- Self-starter with a track record of innovative experimental design to address challenging biological questions
- Highly collaborative with experience working in multidisciplinary teams
- Managerial experience and a capable mentor of junior technicians and researchers
- Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
- Immunised for Hepatitis B (all three doses received over six months) or willing to accept the first dose of the vaccine before the commencement of work to complete all three doses within six months
Nice-to-Haves
- 3+ years of postdoctoral experience and/or 3+ years of industry experience in a life sciences, immuno-oncology or bioengineering field
- Experience contributing to IND-enabling studies
- Experience with next-generation profiling techniques or multi-omic platforms
- Experience in transfection, CRISPR, CAR-T cell engineering
What’s in It for You
- London office/lab space
- Competitive compensation in line with industry standards
- Stock options in a growing start-up
- 28 days of annual leave, excluding bank holidays and Christmas closure
- Yearly personal development budget, plus the chance to represent the company at international conferences
- An open work environment where your opinions are valued
- High career growth & personal development in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
- The chance to have an impact in shaping the future of an early-stage start-up
- Company perks/discounts via Perks at Work
Please note: We are unable to sponsor work visas at this time. Please confirm your ability to work in the UK without visa sponsorship before applying. The position is not eligible for remote work, so you’ll be expected to be on-site