Scientist (T Cell Engineering)

Xap Therapeutics is a start-up biotechnology company which is developing an innovative, synthetic biology driven platform for in vivo cell engineering. The goal of our platform is to drive the delivery of complex genetic algorithms to cells – either fixing them in the case of genetic disease or creating therapeutics in vivo for the treatment of autoimmune and cancer. Based in Cambridge, UK, the company was founded by a group of experienced biotech entrepreneurs with significant funding from well-known US/UK blue-chip VCs.

Xap Therapeutics is seeking a highly motivated Scientist - T Cell Engineering to join the Discovery Research team. This is a unique career opportunity to join our growing company, where you will be working on bringing cutting edge synthetic biology into the clinic. The Discovery Research team is responsible for designing and testing synthetic DNA constructs to target and functionalise our new engineered chassis cell – programming our base “hardware” into a next generation delivery vehicle capable of high efficiency in vivo cell engineering. In addition, the Discovery Research team will work on developing future iterations of the chassis itself, using genome editing to build novel cells with greater functionality. Due to the intrinsic clinical safety of our chassis cell, and the use of an iPSC platform, our work on generating a highly genome engineered cell therapy is limited by our creativity – rather than the safety and technical considerations. Join us to drive the translation of your cutting-edge synthetic biology ideas into new treatments for serious disease.

POSITION: Scientist

REPORTS TO: Head of Discovery Research

SUPERVISES: N/A

JOB PURPOSE: As a key player in team, the Scientist – T Cell Engineering will have responsibility for advancing our platform' ability to deliver complex genetic payloads to T Cells in vivo. These payloads will engender the targeted T Cells with the capacity to treat disease – effectively generating in vivo cell therapies.

The scientist will be responsible for designing and implementing novel strategies that enable the delivery of different gene medicine payloads to T Cells. Additionally, the scientist will develop novel assays to determine the phenotype, efficacy and potency of these T Cells from both a platform and therapeutic perspective.

The initial goal will be the establishment of our gene medicine delivery platform. This platform will consist of both our engineered delivery vehicle itself, and the partner T Cell assay systems that allow us to characterize the functionality of the vehicle in therapeutically relevant settings. Exemplar payloads include CARs, transcription factors and CRISPR. The scientist will work within a cross-functional team, with an eye to rapid platform translation through collaboration with biologists and translational scientists.

The applicant should be comfortable with a fast-paced, dynamic working environment and hold good communication skills to facilitate the necessary close interactions with the internal teams as well as external partners.

Key Responsibilities

• Planning and execution of a wide range of robust experiments, technical studies, and tasks, working independently based on protocols and in line with departmental objectives.
• Assaying of our engineered delivery vehicle using flow cytometry, western blot, ELISA, and immunofluorescence.
• Inform and implement the design of novel genetic constructs for use in T Cell engineering
• Development of robust T Cell engineering platform for the quantification of our delivery vehicles potency
• Development of T Cell functionality assays to determine their functionality and efficacy post engineering
• Cell culture (propagation, banking, characterisation) of cell lines and primary cells.
• Liaise with programme leaders and matrix team members for data exchange and cell culture/experimental planning
• Timely, accurate recording and analysis of results and compliance with data integrity procedures.
• Timely presentation of data to the department and wider company.
• Contribution to critical interpretation of data to draw results driven hypotheses, with influence on project/function direction.
• Working to existing SOPs and risk assessments and contribution to generating new ones as appropriate.
• Adoption of software, instruments, automation, and ways of working which help further improve data robustness & data meta-analysis.
• PERSON SPECIFICATION:
  
  

Education and Experience

• A PhD with experience in T Cell biology (or equivalent experience gained in industry). Engineering of T Cells for the purpose of CAR-T generation with Lentiviral or CRISPR based systems is a plus.
• Knowledge of T Cell differentiation, subtypes, transcription factors involved and their relevance to function.
• Experience handling and culturing a range of cell lines.
• Experience with lentiviral vector design, production and transduction of T Cells
• Preferably, experience with CRISPR based editing of primary human T Cells, both KO and KI
• Experience with genetic approaches for quantifying T Cell engineering outcomes.
• Experience with assays of T Cell functionality and potency, especially in the context of CAR-T.
• Strong experience with flow cytometry-based assays
• Experience with single cell sequencing assay would be a benefit.
• Fluency in spoken and written English.
• Meticulous in record keeping, and able to keep track of and co-ordinate large numbers of ongoing projects
  
  

Skills and Competencies

• An ambitious scientist seeking an impactful role who relishes the opportunities and challenges of working in a start-up biotechnology company.
• Desire to apply and further develop skills and knowledge in a new and novel area of medicine development.
• Scientific drive, technical ability, autonomy & confidence, backed by solid topical knowledge and project experience.
• Ability to adapt easily and take a flexible approach as required in an ever-changing environment.
• Proficiency with critical interpretation of data and implementation into an experimental cascade.
• Communication in a clear, well-structured, and professional manner with key stakeholders within the company on a regular basis.
• Contribution to authoring of technical and science reports which will feed into IND filings.
• Awareness of latest scientific literature in company-relevant projects and general scientific areas.
• Contribution to enable innovation which may result in new intellectual property.