Head of Biology
Apply NowCompany: Superluminal Medicines, Inc.
Location: Waltham, MA 02453
Description:
About Superluminal Medicines:
Superluminal Medicines (Superluminal) is a generative biology and chemistry company revolutionizing the speed and accuracy of how small molecule medicines are created. The Company's platform aims to create candidate-ready compounds with unprecedented speed using a combination of deep biology, computational and medicinal chemistry, machine learning, and proprietary big data infrastructure. We are expanding the team of talented scientists who seek to build the future of small molecule drug discovery with creativity and innovation.
About the Role:
Superluminal is seeking an experienced and passionate Senior Director/VP of Biology to advance a pipeline focused on membrane receptor biology - initially GPCRs - while expanding into ion channels, transporters amongst others. The candidate will work with Superluminal's diverse scientific team to leverage latest advances in biology, medicinal chemistry, machine learning and computational biology to discover the next generation of medicines for high unmet need diseases. We are seeking a candidate with the following qualities/qualifications.
Responsibilities
Qualifications:
Superluminal Medicines (Superluminal) is a generative biology and chemistry company revolutionizing the speed and accuracy of how small molecule medicines are created. The Company's platform aims to create candidate-ready compounds with unprecedented speed using a combination of deep biology, computational and medicinal chemistry, machine learning, and proprietary big data infrastructure. We are expanding the team of talented scientists who seek to build the future of small molecule drug discovery with creativity and innovation.
About the Role:
Superluminal is seeking an experienced and passionate Senior Director/VP of Biology to advance a pipeline focused on membrane receptor biology - initially GPCRs - while expanding into ion channels, transporters amongst others. The candidate will work with Superluminal's diverse scientific team to leverage latest advances in biology, medicinal chemistry, machine learning and computational biology to discover the next generation of medicines for high unmet need diseases. We are seeking a candidate with the following qualities/qualifications.
Responsibilities
- The successful candidate will have primary oversight over pipeline biology/pharmacology activities leading to clinical candidate selection - from target selection through establishment and validation of all assays required for hit identification and lead optimization.
- Be a critical member of the Discovery Leadership Team, creating and executing research strategies for multiple discovery programs with clear go-no/go decisions, helping assess and develop Target Product Profiles for programs under consideration.
- Direct, manage, develop, and empower a team of internal and external scientists in biology and pharmacology; outline and communicate research goals, design key studies, and analyze data
- Together with your team, manage and interact directly with external CROs focusing on preclinical mechanism of action studies, compound screening, in vivo efficacy experiments, reagent generation, assay development / validation and computational biology activities.
- Collaborate with translational and clinical scientists to identify and validate biomarkers and indication selection for clinical development.
- Leverage a network of external scientific advisors, academic collaborators, and consultants to develop and execute research activities.
- Overall, have a very hands-on role with respect to your direct contributions to our Discovery efforts, while being an outstanding leader and collaborator, a creative problem-solver, and a role model for your reports and across the organization.
Qualifications:
- Ph.D. and post-doctoral work in a Pharmacology, Cell Biology or related field and 10+ years of relevant industry experience including advancing small molecule programs from discovery through IND-enabling studies.
- Strong background in membrane biology research, with a thorough understanding of molecular pathways important in GPCR signal transduction, mechanistic pharmacology of diverse, targeted GPCR therapeutics, predictive biomarkers, and preclinical PK/PD efficacy relationships as they relate to small molecule discovery.
- A very high level of motivation and a proven record of accomplishment (e.g., a strong publication record in top-tier journals, biology project leader, development candidate nominations).