Director, IBD Research - Gastroenterology

Ferring Pharmaceuticals is a globally recognized, research-driven, biopharmaceutical company with 70 years of history. Headquartered in Switzerland, Ferring is privately owned with over 6000 employees in nearly 60 countries. Within Ferring, the Global Drug Discovery and External Innovation (GDDEI) organization has an aggressive growth agenda to drive scientific excellence and build an early pipeline. The research focus is to discover transformational medicine and advance most promising science, internal or external, in the fields of reproductive medicine & maternal health, uro-oncology, and GI/microbiome.

People Come First at Ferring. The Ferring Philosophy places people at the heart of what we do. This guides our relations with patients, physicians, employees, and other stakeholders. We invite you to share our passion for people and the power of science.

The Ferring Research Institute was established in San Diego, California in 1996. More than 80 people work at its state-of-the-art research facility located in the heart of the Southern California biopharmaceutical community.

Summary:

Candidate will be responsible for the conception and implementation of new research project ideas for the Ferring Gastroenterology therapeutic area based upon integration of biomedical knowledge, understanding of disease pathophysiology, current and emerging medical practice, and commercial considerations.

As part of Global Drug Discovery and External Innovation, the Gastroenterology Research TA is committed to developing new treatments for autoimmune diseases like inflammatory bowel disease. 

Responsibilities:

• Work with the leadership team to set the strategy of the Gastroenterology TA
• Cultivate effective partnerships throughout the global Ferring Gastroenterology group including the clinical development and commercial teams
• Create a strong organizational alignment for new Gastroenterology research programs through effective presentation of scientific and business cases to key decision-makers within Ferring
• Manage a project portfolio generated in-house and through external collaborations that are aligned with Ferring’s Gastroenterology strategy
• Identify and evaluate external opportunities for the Gastroenterology TA
• Keep up-to-date in the Gastroenterology space by attending scientific conferences, reading relevant literature, and publishing novel research findings

Requirements:

• Ph.D. in a relevant scientific field
• 8-12 years of industry experience in target identification and drug discovery for inflammatory bowel disease
• Strong background in the (patho) physiology of the GI tract as indicated by an outstanding publication record and presentations at national conferences
• Experience managing small teams as well as direct supervision of laboratory personnel
• Proven track record of leading innovative projects as indicated by advancement of ideas through multiple stages of preclinical development
• Experience working in cross-functional scientific teams with understanding of chemistry, pharmacology, and ADME/PK disciplines
• Experience with current state-of-the-art and emerging technologies including flow cytometry, LICOR, Luminex, MSD, RNAseq as well as in vitro and in vivo disease models including gut-on-a-chip, intestinal organoids, adoptive T cell transfer mouse models and transgenic models
• Capable of developing a strong translational network of academic partners in the Gastroenterology area
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, oral and written
• Ability to blend into the Ferring culture and embrace the Ferring philosophy

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