Scientist II

Company Description By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Why join the Wyss Institute at Harvard University?

The Wyss Institute’s mission is to transform healthcare and the environment by emulating the way nature builds. We harness the imagination of academia and the focus of industry to translate ground-breaking technologies into commercial products that solve big problems. We support research that universities, companies, and venture capital firms don’t fund because they view it as too risky.  We prefer to use the word “challenging,” and we love challenges.

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Job Description

About the Role:

We are looking for a talented scientist to lead the development and characterization of our antibody brain shuttle compounds and to optimize our shuttles for specific payloads in neurodegenerative diseases. Reporting to the Principal Scientist, you will work closely with our team, Brain Targeting Program (BTP), using both in vitro cellular systems and in vivo humanized mouse models. You will determine brain PK/PD profiles of our shuttle compounds, their biophysical properties, and assess therapeutic applications.

The mission of the Wyss BTP is to develop a robust modular brain delivery platform that is able to deliver large-molecule therapeutics for diverse brain diseases. We aim to help expand the pipeline of CNS drugs by making our platform broadly available to companies, academics and non-profit organizations.

About You:

You are a collaborative, impact-focused problem solver who wants to be part of a dynamic team dedicated to creating and commercializing novel approaches to global challenges in healthcare and sustainability. You want the freedom to explore, to push the boundaries of what is possible, and to use your ambition to tackle challenging projects in a fast-paced, industry-focused environment without a lot of administrative hurdles.

You enjoy working with diverse groups of people and leveraging your expertise to create innovations that can change the world.

What you'll do:

Independently develop, validate, and perform various protocols including confocal microscopy, flow cytometry, cell-based assays, plate-based ELISA assays, and others

Present data and results at internal and external meetings;
Mentor and train less experienced technicians, academic trainees, and others

Lead vitro and in vivo validation of antibody shuttles, using protein and cell binding assays, and in vivo brain and blood pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) studies in mouse models;

In vivo procedures include tail-vein intravenous injection, tissue (brain, blood and peripheral tissues) harvesting and lysate preparation;

Perform ELISAs using various types of samples; analyze and summarize data timely and accurately;

Conduct biophysical characterization of antibodies, including but not limited to affinity determination with SPR, BLI, and stability and purity assessment

Lead one or more projects to engineer and optimize shuttles for specific therapeutic payloads to treat brain diseases.

Perform support activities and lab maintenance as assigned, and function in a team-oriented environment with other scientists and staff at the Institute, as well as with external collaborators.

Qualifications What you'll need:

Bachelor’s degree neuroscience, biology, molecular biology, biochemistry, or related field.

A minimum of 5 years of experience with cell culture, rodent handling,…