Senior Scientist – Oncology Research, Functional Pharmacology | FTC

Senior Scientist – Oncology Research, Functional Pharmacology | FTC 7 months

Join to apply for the Senior Scientist – Oncology Research, Functional Pharmacology | FTC 7 months role at Immunocore
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Location of role: Oxford, UK

Department: Oncology Research

Key Responsibilities: The incumbent is expected to have strong working knowledge deriving deep mechanistic immuno‑biology insight into our therapeutic platforms and disease indications of strategic interest, and play a pivotal role in generating pharmacology data on new drug formats/platforms, dissecting drug MOA and immunophenotyping response and resistance mechanisms. Should also demonstrate emerging knowledge of drug development process. To build advanced in vitro assays to model the tumour microenvironment (TME) and test hypotheses.

To establish combination screening workflows designed to explore the pharmacology of agents, including standard‑of‑care anti‑cancer drugs, on target/disease biology and immune cell activation and redirected killing.

• Pharmacology:
  Lead projects and collaborate with colleagues to build pharmacology data on new drug formats (e.g. TCRm, multi‑specifics) and effectors (including immune checkpoint‑/cytokine‑enhanced drugs and alternative cell effectors (e.g. myeloid)).
• Immunophenotyping:
  Play a key role in the establishment of a suite of in vitro assays for immunophenotyping drug MOA and response/resistance relationships.
• Combinations:
  Establish drug libraries and screening workflows for investigating drug combinations. Explore the effect of these agents (including standard‑of‑care therapeutics) on target/disease biology and drug efficacy/MOA. Ensure data packages support clinical line‑of‑sight. Identify clinically actionable combination therapy opportunities designed to debulk tumours and enhance therapeutic immune response.
• Targeting TME:
  Identify and test novel strategies to block/reprogram me immune (e.g. MDSC, TAMS, T‑regs) or stromal cell (e.g. CAF) subsets that generate suppressive TMEs.
• Disease models:
  Generate patient‑stratified in vitro models of disease that accurately model drug target biology and complex disease TMEs. Utilize in pharmacology screens.

• Collaborate with colleagues to build a deep knowledge around drug targets and cancer indications of strategic interest to Immunocore.
• Proactively contribute to internal project / programme team meetings. Generate and communicate knowledge and data packages to solve complex problems and help inform go / no‑go decisions.
• Establish and support collaborations with both internal and external partners / key opinion leaders to accelerate oncology research and pharmacological studies.
• Keep up to date with scientific literature and the latest developments in applicable research fields.
• Contribute to peer reviewed publications and patents.
• Contribute to internal and external conferences.
• Provide technical training and mentorship to support and empower team members.

• Strong working knowledge and understanding of immunology and cancer cell biology.
• Significant prior pharmacology experience, testing the effects of therapeutic molecules and combinations on tumour biology, immune cell activation and cancer cell killing.
• Broad experience with a broad range of immunoassay techniques, including isolation of primary human immune cells and proficiency in lymphocyte (T‑cell, NK) and myeloid (TAMs, MDSC) functional assays and endpoints (measuring proliferation and cytokines, flow cytometry, ELISA etc.).
• Experienced in generating in vitro models of cancer that model complex TMEs through immune and/or stromal cell co‑culture.
• Capable in the genetic modification of cancer and/or primary human immune cells (e.g., CRISPR, lentiviral transduction, si/shRNA). Evidence of applying GM in vitro models to answer biological hypotheses. Strong molecular biology and biochemistry skills (DNA cloning, mutagenesis, western blotting, protein purification).
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

• High throughput screening.
• 3D in vitro modelling experience (e.g., organoid, spheroid, tissue slice, organ‑on‑chip).
• Experience…