Postdoctoral Fellow - Cell Therapy

Investigate Cell Therapy - Immuno-Oncology Combinations:

Harnessing novel in vitro and in vivo models in conjunction with clinical translatability to evaluate Mechanism of Action (MoA) of drug combinations in cell therapy

The exciting Postdoctoral Program at AbbVie is designed for experimental research that attains optimal solutions for patients. Participants in the program receive a balance of structured learning and work experience, while being mentored by renowned industry leaders intent on delivering cutting-edge advancements in Discovery and Development Sciences. Postdoctoral positions last 2-3 years and provide the resources and opportunities not just to publish in per-reviewed journals, but also to collaborate with various teams across the organization, from Antibody Engineering to Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics for ascertaining therapeutic index. Successful individuals are poised to successfully compete for internal scientific roles within the organization.

The Cell Therapy team has an exceptional postdoctoral opportunity located at its Bay Area site (ABA), in South San Francisco. The individual will have a defined project investigating novel therapeutic combination strategies for Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-T cell therapies and immune-directed therapies for enhancing efficacy in solid tumors.  The primary role will involve hands-on laboratory work to screen molecules and develop in vitro assays to identify lead combination approaches and understand their mechanisms of action.  The candidate will also work cross-functionally with other teams focused on immune-oncology therapeutics and in vivo pharmacology, to influence and support their project goals and success. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Design and execute in vitro immunological assays to screen novel therapeutic combination strategies with a focus on T cell fitness and function
• Collaborate with the in vivo pharmacology team to design in vivo studies to validate in vitro results.  Develop assays to measure effects in tumor/tissues and execute ex vivo assays
• Collaborate with the in vivo imaging team to develop methods for tracking CAR-T cells after administration to animals
• Interrogate mechanism of action for lead combination of interest.

• Qualified candidates should have recently obtained or will soon obtain a doctoral degree in one of the following fields: Immunology, Cancer Biology, Pharmacology, Vascular Biology, Virology, Cell Biology, Developmental Biology or Molecular Biology.
• Proven experience in immune cell culture, T cell biology and functional assays is a key advantage.
• Demonstrated proficiency in multicolor flow cytometry, PCR, ELISA, Luminex, viral transduction systems.
• Experience with in vivo models/experimentation is a nice to have, but not required
• Motivated and passionate about solving complex immune-oncology problems, and executing and developing in vitro assays
• Strong ability to manage scientific projects in terms of innovative strategy, cross-functional logistics, and transparent communication.
• Track record of strong publication demonstrating the ability to synthesize data and to contextualize research efforts

Three letters of recommendation (including one from the Thesis Advisor) and letter of intent to pursue Postdoc

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