Lead Scientist - Molecular Biomarkers

Job Description

Based at Alderley Park, Medicines Discovery Catapult is a national facility connecting the UK community to accelerate innovative drug discovery.We provide unique scientific capabilities and act as a gateway to UK resources and expertise, supporting UK SMEsto drive the development and industrialisation of new approaches for the discovery of new medicines.By validating new ways of discovering medicines and driving key talent and expertise across the sector, we will support the UK life sciences industry, SMEs and innovators to deliver growth for the UK economy and maintain the UKs heritage position as a globalleader in medicines R&D.Ultimately, new industrialised technologies are vital for delivering new medicines to patients, faster.In March 2020 Medicines Discovery Catapult was tasked with the challenge of co-ordinating the creation of the UKs Lighthouse Labs network and delivery of one of those labs, based at Alderley Park.The Lighthouse Labs are the biggest diagnostic lab projectever established in British history.Role Purpose:An opportunity has become available for a Lead Scientist in our Biomarkers team. The opportunity to join a world class laboratory team in this high-profile national organisation should provide a fantastic platform for career development.Main duties and responsibilities

• Strategic and technical leadership in molecular profiling relevant to drug discovery and clinical biomarkers.
• Lead, design, and deliver strategies and programs of work to address project needs, particularly in molecular workflows, take forward the development of quantitative and robust predictive and response biomarkers to support key biomarker studies.
• Lead complex collaborative projects with external partners to completion, through effective stakeholder interactions and co-ordination of multiple internal resources.
• Establish and perform assays to robustly measure and quantify; target engagement to inform therapeutically relevant doses and schedules, disease linkage and prevalence data to guide indication selection.
• Develop the state-of the -art molecular capabilities including spatial transcriptomics, next gen sequencing and perform one or more multiplex molecular measurements such as single cell RNA sequencing, exome sequencing and/or whole transcriptome analysis,along with gene expression profiling assays on a range of platforms to a high standard.
• Shape the portfolio of activities in molecular profiling within the workplans of several lab individuals to support translation of candidate molecules into and through clinical trials.
• Experience with analysis of clinical samples, including FFPE and frozen tissue; blood, plasma, PBMCs and serum.
• Process and technology development to improve assays and advance new approaches.
• Identify and develop new project and collaboration opportunities for MDC, through application of technical discipline expertise and external network.
• Molecular profiling and analysisthrough informatics packages would be an advantage.
• Deliver high quality data in a complex and time pressured research team environment.
• Opportunity to manage and supervise scientists and students in developing their skills to develop the overall team.
• Implementation of effective lab processes, experimental records, and safety.
• Contribute scientific insight, innovative assays, to advance technologies.
• Excellent communication and research collaboration skills, working with a wide range of colleagues in range of academic and commercial organisations.

Qualifications and Experience

• The successful candidate will likely possess a PhD in a biological discipline along with substantial biomarkers experience in an industrial or academic setting
• Extensive biomarker and molecular profiling experience, familiarity with use of cells and human tissue specimens
• Preference to have experience of drug discovery, with evidence of introducing new scientific approaches and pushing technologies to the limits of their capabilitys programmes and technology development
• Experience across a range of technology assay platforms, likely to include at least some of: NGS, ddPCR, Nanostring, RT- PCR, protein, DNA and mRNA measurements
• Knowledge of one or more disease areas, with preference for Oncology, Inflammation, Neuroscience, or Infection.
• Experience of working effectively with academic groups and with SMEs.
• Ability to lead multiple projects simultaneously in a highly collaborative and inter-disciplinary environment.
• Ability to communicate effectively with both experts and non-experts in the field.
• Highly effective strategic communication and research collaboration skills, working closely with a wide range of colleagues in range of academic and commercial organisations.
• Strong external reputation in field, evidence by publication record, and wider external impact.
• Track record of innovation and establishing new capabilities.

Closing date: 14th March 2022