Director, Translational Medicine & Biomarker Science, Immunology

Director, Translational Medicine and Biomarker Science, Immunology

Jnana Therapeutics , a wholly owned subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical,is a clinical-stage biotechnology company leveraging its next-generation

RAPIDchemoproteomics platform to discover medicines for highly validated, challenging-to-drug targets to treat diseases with high unmet needs. Jnana is focused on developing first- and best-in-class oral therapies to treat a wide range of diseases, including rare diseases and immune-mediated diseases. Jnana’s lead program, JNT-517, targets an allosteric site on the phenylalanine transporter SLC6A19 and is a potential first-in-class oral approach for the treatment of PKU, a rare genetic metabolic disease.

Located in Boston, Jnana brings together scientific leaders in small molecule drug discovery and development, and a highly experienced management team. For more information, please  and follow us on Twitter/X andLinked

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At Jnana, you'll join a diverse, passionate team dedicated to advancing therapies for challenging diseases. Our collaborative, purpose-driven culture fosters innovation, urgency, and belonging—making Jnana a great place to work!

We are seeking a Director-level physician-scientist (MD, MD/PhD) with deep expertise in translational research, immunology, and biomarker strategy, and a strong background in early clinical development. This is a Boston-based role embedded within Jnana's discovery team, focused on supporting our discovery-stage immunology programs by integrating clinical and human biology insights into actionable preclinical and translational strategy.

As a Director of Translational Medicine and Biomarker Science, you will play a key role in shaping how we design and implement innovative biomarker plans, build data-driven go/no-go decision frameworks, and prepare for first-in-human (FIH) studies for novel immunology targets.

• Lead clinical translational and biomarker strategy for late discovery-stage programs, primarily in immunology.
• Design and implement biomarker plans that enable early decision-making, patient stratification, and FIH study design.
• Provide clinical and translational insight into preclinical data, helping teams define and validate mechanistic hypotheses.
• Collaborate closely with discovery biology, pharmacology, and nonclinical safety teams to evaluate new targets and shape development paths.
• Act as a strategic interface with Early Development colleagues, contributing to early clinical planning and ensuring effective implementation of translational insights.
• Stay at the forefront of biomarker innovation by leading or contributing to scientific collaborations, academic partnerships, and internal strategic forums.

• MD or MD/PhD with training in immunology, clinical pathology, or related field. Board certification in Rheumatology or other immunology-relevant discipline is a plus.
• At least 2+ years of industry experience in translational medicine and early clinical development, with strong working knowledge of drug discovery, biomarker, and translational tools. Experience in a biotech or early-stage setting strongly preferred.
• Proven ability to design, lead, and implement biomarker strategy in First-in-Human through Proof of Concept trials.
• Strong conceptual understanding of immunologic mechanisms and translational models.
• Demonstrated ability to connect mechanistic biology with practical clinical endpoints and trial design considerations.
• Experience leading teams, mentoring scientific staff and working effectively in cross-functional environments.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence across functions and levels.
• Experience with small molecules and/or human cell-based translational platforms is a plus.