Preclinical Team Staff Research Scientist & Manager

The Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology seeks to recruit an experienced Staff Research Scientist and Manager to establish and manage a preclinical cell therapy research team. Much of the institute’s research is focused on developing and applying platforms for CRISPR-Cas9 manipulation in primary human T cells to explore genetic mechanisms that regulate T cell functions and work toward therapeutic engineering of cells to treat cancer, HIV, primary immune deficiencies, and autoimmune diseases. We use various engineered mouse models for preclinical studies of immune cell function and immunotherapy development as well as a variety of in vitro assays to assess T cell phenotype and function.

We are seeking a Staff Research Scientist to build and manage a team of 2-3 research technicians engaged in a pipeline to assess candidate genetically modified T cell therapy products in standardized in vitro and in vivo models. Ideally, the successful candidate would also be interested in extending our library of assays and models as needed to suit the needs of the organization as we continue to develop cell therapies across a range of indications, including multiple cancers as well as models of autoimmunity and transplantation.

This individual will report to Alex Marson, Director, Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology. They will manage a pipeline of in vitro and in vivo assays and be responsible for the generation of high-quality data packages assessing T cell product performance across T cell product optimization. They will build benchmarking datasets and SOPs for standard in vitro and in vivo assays in cell-based immune therapies for cancer and autoimmunity. This position will require experimental benchwork as well as project management and oversight.

About Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology

To harness the immense potential offered by immunotherapies, the Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology combines emerging biomedical technologies at the intersection of human immunology, genomics, CRISPR genome engineering, computational biology, and synthetic biology.

This institute’s scientists deepen knowledge of how DNA sequences control cell functions in the human immune system. Their discoveries will enable the next generation of immunotherapies for cancer, autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and other inflammatory diseases.

This institute is the result of a close partnership between Gladstone Institutes and the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). With lab space both at Mission Bay and Parnassus, it creates a unified community across the two campuses and combines UCSF’s world-class immunology and planned cell therapy efforts with Gladstone’s expertise in the host-pathogen interface, iPS cells, computational biology, and CRISPR gene editing technologies.

Key Responsibilities include:

• Designing and cloning chimeric antigen receptors, gene circuits and donor templates

• Engineering T cells using viral and non-viral gene editing technologies, including retroviral vectors, AAV, RNA/RNP electroporation

• In vitro characterization of engineered T cells, using techniques such as:

  • Multicolor Flow Cytometry analysis of engineered T cells to assess activation, cytokine production, differentiation, exhaustion

  • Repetitive stimulation assay

  • Killing assay

  • Proliferation assays using dye dilution and cell expansion

  • Cytokine production assays - intracellular cytokine stains and supernatant measurements

  • Suppression assays by engineered Tregs

• In vivo characterization of engineered T cells, using techniques such as:

  • Adoptive transfer of T cells in mice

  • Serial tracking infused T cells in peripheral blood

  • Analyses of infused T cells in various lymphoid (spleen, LN, bone marrow) and non-lymphoid tissue (liver, lung, gut, etc)

  • Xenogeneic (human T cells in mouse) and allogeneic (murine T cells in mouse) GvHD models

  • Graft rejection in humanized mouse models

  • Treg suppression of GvHD and graft rejection

  • Xenograft cancer mouse models

• Supervision of maintenance of mouse colonies / mouse husbandry for in vivo assays

• Budget tracking and reporting for individual projects / products executed by the preclinical team

• Management of a small group of research technicians, including experimental training

• Data centralization/standardization - maintenance of high-quality benchmarking data and SOPs as well as production of high-confidence data packages to support pre-IND filings

Required Qualifications:

• PhD + 3 years postdoctoral research experience

• Expertise in T cell engineering, including CAR and/or TCR engineering

• Expertise in gene editing technologies

• Expertise with in vivo mouse models of immune responses including humanized mouse models

• Highly motivated, ambitious, possess strong planning and organizational skills and brings innovation/creative thinking about science

• A strong commitment to building and maintaining a positive work environment

• Interest in developing and teaching new mouse experimental techniques for institute labs

• Demonstrated ability to manage individuals or small teams of researchers.

• Experience managing parallel projects and keeping timelines across a complex organization

• Strong time management skills and experience prioritizing various projects

Preferred Qualifications:

• Industry experience

• PhD + 5 years postdoctoral research experience

• Expertise in gene targeting

• Experience with protocol optimization, troubleshooting, and SOP development

• Experience managing research project budgets

Additional Information:

• This is an on-site position at Gladstone Institutes and the Parnassus campus of UCSF

• The Gladstone-UCSF Institute of Genomic Immunology is committed to improving diversity, equity, and inclusion in the genomic immunology field, from trainees to faculty, and is an equal opportunity employer.

Hiring Range:

$100K-$140K

• Title and salary will be commensurate with education and experience.
• Gladstone is an equal opportunity employer.