ADC Biochemist
General Summary
Southern Research is seeking a dynamic biochemist, molecular biologist, or chemical biologist with a passion for drug discovery and engineering therapeutic antibodies. The selected candidate will be pivotal in accelerating and broadening our drug discovery pipeline by providing state of the art Biological approaches to engineering, expressing, and purifying monoclonal, bi-specific, Fabs, and nanobodies for therapeutic programs including, oncology and infectious disease. Candidates with a strong track record of recombinant antibody expression from multiple expression platforms and purification are encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will support ADC and other bioconjugate programs to deliver molecules and reagent tools for early stage drug discovery. The candidate will be expected to collaborate with chemists, computational chemists, biologists, and HTS teams to propose strategies and future directions to meet project and departmental goals.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
- Lead efforts to discover and advance antibodies showing desired function at therapeutic targets
- Recombinant antibody (e.g.monoclonal, Fab, bi-specific, and nanobodies) expression, purification, from multiple expression platforms (e.g. mammalian, BacMam, and bacterial)
- Contribute to the design and modification of expression constructs.
- Establish and perform protocols for Ab screening and characterization including RNA isolation from PBMCs, Ab library construction, plate-based assays for Ab screening (ELISA, iQue Screener, BLI, etc.).
- Perform in vitro assays to characterize antibody function.
- Analyze data from in vivo studies to evaluate safety and efficacy.
- Work with computational scientists and molecular biologists to optimize and humanize antibodies.
- Establish and perform efficient methods for the above, including applying automated methods.
- Work across departments and functional roles to meet project goals and timelines.
Requirements/Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelors or master’s degree in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Protein Chemistry or related field and 10 years’ experience OR PhD degree and 3-5 years' experience in antibody discovery and characterization
- Possess knowledge and experience in early stage antibody drug development
- Excellent communication skills, written and verbal
Physical Demands
This position requires significant physical abilities including (but not limited to):
- Standing, walking or climbing for extended periods of time
- Ability to sit for extended periods of time without being able to leave the work area
- Lifting, pulling, or pushing objects
- Perform repetitive activities
- Fine motor skills and manual dexterity
- Ability to perform work utilizing a computer for extended periods of time
- Ability to utilize required PPE in lab environment
- This position is a laboratory environment and requires the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) including:
- Safety glasses
- Laboratory coats
- Nitrile and latex gloves (vary based on tasks)
Certifications, Licenses & Registrations
None required