University College London
Job title:
Research Fellow Role in Bioprocessing and Biomanufacture of Cell and Gene Therapies
Company
University College London
Job description
About us We are recruiting a proactive, collaborative, and highly motivated Research Fellow to join the Cell and Gene Therapy Bioprocessing Group at UCL and lead research in Bioprocessing and Biomanufacture of Gene Therapy Products. The successful candidate will play a pivotal role in advancing scalable production processes for mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (LNP) formulations, focusing on their application in innovative in vivo CAR-T therapies and other cutting-edge gene therapy approaches.The role will involve developing and optimising bioprocesses for the production of mRNA-LNPs at multi-litre scales, addressing critical challenges in manufacturing, including improving efficiency, consistency, and product quality. This work will play a crucial part in enabling scalable and reproducible processes for next-generation gene therapies.UCL Biochemical Engineering’s cell and gene therapy research benefits from an investment exceeding £10m, with a focus on gene delivery, non-viral technologies, and bioprocessing for advanced therapeutics. The Research Fellow will join the CGTB group, which comprises over 10 doctoral researchers and four postdoctoral Research Fellows. This advertised role will further expand the group, offering the successful candidate opportunities to manage and lead projects and activities within the wider team, contributing to the development of transformative technologies in gene therapy.About the role The primary role of the Research Fellow will be to lead and execute experimental studies focused on the bioprocessing and scalable production of mRNA and lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) for gene therapy applications. This will involve developing and optimising manufacturing processes, investigating critical process parameters, and improving the efficiency, consistency, and quality of mRNA-LNP formulations.Key responsibilities will include the development of scalable protocols for mRNA synthesis and purification, formulation and characterisation of lipid nanoparticles, and the integration of these processes into continuous and large-scale production workflows. The role will also require expertise in bioreactor operations, upstream and downstream processing, and quality control methodologies.The candidate will establish and optimise new assays and experimental protocols to evaluate product stability, encapsulation efficiency, and gene delivery efficacy. Familiarity with current Good Manufacturing Practice (cGMP) standards and regulatory requirements is essential, as is an understanding of the commercial landscape of mRNA-LNP-based therapeutics.In addition to leading their research programme, the Research Fellow will play a central role in managing and supporting projects within the CGTB Group. This includes mentoring doctoral students, collaborating with external industrial and academic partners, and contributing to the development of new initiatives in the field of mRNA and LNP bioprocessing.About you To succeed in this role you will have:
- A PhD awarded (or about to be) in a relevant subject. This may include biotechnology, biochemical engineering, or molecular biology with relevance to bioprocessing, analytics, and an interest in scalable manufacture of mRNA-lipid nanoparticle (LNP) therapeutics for gene therapy applications.
- Experience in mRNA production, LNP formulation, and characterisation for in vivo gene delivery applications.
- Training and experience in bioprocess development, including the use of bioreactors for scalable production.
- Experience with product characterisation assays, including particle size analysis, encapsulation efficiency, mRNA integrity (e.g., gel electrophoresis), and biological activity assays such as in vitro transfection and gene expression analysis (e.g., qPCR, ELISA).
What we offer As well as the exciting opportunities this role presents, we also offer some great benefits some of which are below:
- 41 Days holiday (27 days annual leave 8 bank holiday and 6 closure days)
- Additional 5 days’ annual leave purchase scheme
- Defined benefit career average revalued earnings pension scheme (CARE)
- Cycle to work scheme and season ticket loan
- Immigration loan
- Relocation scheme for certain posts
- On-Site nursery
- On-site gym
- Enhanced maternity, paternity and adoption pay
- Employee assistance programme: Staff Support Service
- Discounted medical insurance
Visit https://www.ucl.ac.uk/work-at-ucl/rewards-and-benefits to find out more.Our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion As London’s Global University, we know diversity fosters creativity and innovation, and we want our community to represent the diversity of the world’s talent. We are committed to equality of opportunity, to being fair and inclusive, and to being a place where we all belong.We therefore particularly encourage applications from candidates who are likely to be underrepresented in UCL’s workforce.These include people from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds; disabled people; LGBTQI+ people; and for our Grade 9 and 10 roles, women.You can read more about our commitment to Equality, Diversity and Inclusion here : https://www.ucl.ac.uk/equality-diversity-inclusionAvailable documents
Expected salary
Location
North West London
Job date
Fri, 20 Dec 2024 02:48:32 GMT
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