Join a team delivering innovation in precision medicine

Vesigen Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics enabled by engineering naturally existing vesicles for delivery. Vesigen’s patented technology, called ARMMs (ARRDC1 Mediated Microvesicles), can be used to precisely deliver a wide range of payloads, including gene editing complexes, proteins, and RNAs in vivo. Our team of seasoned drug hunters is committed to leveraging the novel ARMMs technology to develop transformative medicines and address unmet medical needs.

Responsibilities

• Work closely with executive management team to prioritize and advance preclinical drug development programs from concept through IND submission
• Articulate vision, strategy and performance metrics for platform and drug discovery arms at Vesigen
• Manage all ARMMs engineering and drug discovery functions to develop existing programs, establish go/no-go decision points, introduce new programs, and to identify new opportunities to expand scope of current programs
• Lead scientific activities with strong attention to rigor and differentiation to permit advancing drug candidates as first-in-class/best-in-class therapies for diseases with unmet need
• Track literature and identify opportunities to introduce new design strategies and/or applications for ARMMs
• Implement and help inform intellectual property strategy, working closely with executive management and IP teams
• Work with CROs, academic collaborators, and other biotech/pharma companies
• Assist in projecting resources and financial budgets to support discovery programs from the exploratory stage through the development stage to clinical

Qualifications

• PhD/MD with strong background in Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Virology, Immunology, Pharmacology, or related field
• 10+ years of experience in drug discovery, platform development, or combination thereof in biotech or pharma
• Proven track record leading teams in platform development and/or drug discovery settings – experience with viral and/or non-viral delivery and/or platform builds desirable
• Demonstrated expertise and track record in drug discovery in a range of therapeutic areas, ideally from conceptualization through lead optimization and candidate selection
• Track record of excellence and scientific expertise as demonstrated by peer-reviewed publications
• High level of rigor and attention to detail, and ability to think out of the box and innovate
• Strong leadership, communication skills, and ability to perform at a high level in a fast-paced environment

What we provide:

• Competitive pay
• High-quality and inclusive medical, dental, and vision coverage options
• Deductible fully funded HSA for medical expenses and dependent care expenses
• Paid Life, LTD, and STD insurance coverage
• 401k Program
• ACI Employee Assistance Program
• 15 paid holidays, including a winter shutdown week
• 15 days PTO (accrued)
• Unlimited Sick Time Off
• Free parking or subsidized commuter passes

Vesigen Therapeutics is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

Vesigen Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics enabled by engineering naturally existing vesicles for delivery. Vesigen’s patented technology, called ARMMs (ARRDC1 Mediated Microvesicles), can be used to precisely deliver a wide range of payloads, including gene editing complexes, proteins, and RNAs in vivo. Our team of seasoned drug hunters is committed to leveraging the novel ARMMs technology to develop transformative medicines and address unmet medical needs.

Vesigen is seeking a talented and highly motivated Scientist II/Sr Scientist to join our team and contribute to the development of the company’s exciting ARMMs technology across multiple disease areas. The ideal candidate will have an established background in molecular biology, vector design and optimization, membrane protein biology, and antibody engineering. This is an opportunity to innovate and impact preclinical drug discovery efforts in a dynamic biotech start-up environment.

Responsibilities:

• Expression construct design and optimization to evaluate engineering of ARMMs intraluminal payloads and targeting moieties (eg, antibodies, receptor ligands, etc…), including other vesicle surface-associated modifications.
• Custom design of vectors to enable rapid swapping of elements for optimization of transgene expression or to alter other elements, such as linkers.
• Execute and oversee testing of constructs by transient transfection using approaches such as PEI, lipoplex, or electroporation

Develop appropriate assays to evaluate new constructs and strategies to modify various ARMMs properties.

• Contribute to design of assays to support platform and discovery activities, as they relate to vector design, including appropriate evaluation of transgene expression, payloading/surface modification of ARMMs, and determination of particle potency.
• Analyze and present experimental progress and results in team meetings.
• Collaborate across research function and with process development team to enable transfer of knowhow and scale-up of engineered ARMMs production.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in molecular biology, protein biochemistry, virology or related life sciences field and 0-5 years of hands-on industry experience strongly preferred. B.S./M.S. with 10 or more years of relevant experience will also be considered for the role.
• Excellent understanding of membrane protein structure and antibody engineering including scFv (single chain variable fragment) and nanobodies.
• Previous experience in molecular mechanisms of virus-host interactions highly desirable
• Extensive experience in molecular biology and with relevant online tools and software packages eg: SnapGene or similar software.
• Experience with construct design, introduction into the model system/cell line, including transfection, transduction, and electroporation.
• Strong background in cell-based assays and readouts by flow cytometry, qPCR, Western Blot, ELISA, and high-content imaging.
• Experience in and/or commitment to training and mentoring junior team members
• Ability to collaborate effectively within a fast-paced, multidisciplinary environment.
• Excellent organizational skills and record keeping.
• Good written and oral communication skills and the ability to multitask with an evolving workload.
• Motivated, self-starter with enthusiasm to learn and contribute.

What we provide:

• Competitive pay
• High-quality and inclusive medical, dental, and vision coverage options
• Deductible fully funded HSA for medical expenses and dependent care expenses
• Paid Life, LTD, and STD insurance coverage
• 401k Program
• ACI Employee Assistance Program
• 15 paid holidays, including a winter shutdown week
• 15 days PTO (accrued)
• Unlimited Sick Time Off
• Free parking or subsidized commuter passes

Vesigen Inc., is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

Vesigen Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics enabled by engineering naturally existing vesicles for delivery. Vesigen’s patented technology, called ARMMs (ARRDC1 Mediated Microvesicles), can be used to precisely deliver a wide range of payloads, including gene editing complexes, proteins, and RNAs in vivo. Our team of seasoned drug hunters is committed to leveraging the novel ARMMs technology to develop transformative medicines and address unmet medical needs.

Vesigen is seeking an analytical and highly motivated Scientist to join our Ocular and CNS Drug Discovery team to help drive ophthalmology-centric preclinical programs with the company’s ARMMs technology. The candidate will play a significant role in the entire spectrum of the drug discovery process including ideation, target identification & validation, and disease-related biomarkers.

Responsibilities

· Expand, strengthen, and fine-tune our current ocular biodistribution datasets in diverse in vivo models using multiple routes-of-administration and payloads/modalities. You will conduct routine subretinal/intravitreal surgeries in rodents on-site and manage CROs for specialized surgeries in large animal models.

· Conceptualize, design, and execute experiments independently.

· Maintain accurate experimental records and study reports. Ensure that discovery work and data collection are conducted with utmost attention to quality and ethical standards and, in compliance with regulatory and QC guidelines.

· Routinely implement histology, non-invasive diagnostics, electrophysiology, and behavior assays to assess ocular biodistribution, toxicological outcomes, and efficacy.

· Work closely with colleagues in biology, computational biology, and therapeutic discovery group for design and screening of ARMMs for ocular drug candidates. You will be part of a group effort and help select appropriate assays, and in vitro, ex vivo & in vivo screening criteria. You will participate in the screening campaigns and importantly, help generate high-confidence data that are substantiated by in vivo findings.

· Facilitate and maintain relationships with CROs, external academic groups, and scientific and key opinion leaders. Coordinate study design and execution, manage timelines, and data quality control. Analyze and present findings to various stakeholders.

· Present research findings to the Vesigen Leadership and various stakeholders

· Attend scientific and industry conferences to engage the broader scientific community.

Qualifications

· Ph.D. in Ophthalmology/Neuroscience/Neurobiology with relevant surgical experience or a Ph.D. with 2+ years of relevant experience in industry or academia.

· Deep expertise and understanding of degenerative pathophysiology, animal models, and an experience in using these animal models to assess therapeutic outcomes.

· Experience in conducting in vivo, ex vivo, and in vitro experiments – in ophthalmology using intravitreal and subretinal routes of administration.

· Ability to conduct in vivo studies using rodent model systems. An ideal candidate will demonstrate a deep understanding of comparative ocular anatomy, pathophysiology, proficiency and independence in the laboratory, experience in ocular drug delivery, small animal surgical skills in ophthalmology, and a proven ability to complete ocular drug discovery projects.

· Proficiency in histology (including sections and flatmount preparations of the retina and the RPE), immunohistochemistry, and cell culture is expected. Hands-on experience with confocal imaging, quantitative image analysis, and quantitative RNA in situ hybridization is highly desirable but not an absolute must.

· Demonstratable experience of working independently as well as a member of the team on scientific projects.

· Excellent communication and organizational skills.

· Ability to quickly learn and pivot as guided by data. Candidates with a strong background in CNS drug delivery and discovery, surgery, and an understanding of retinal anatomy & physiology are welcome to apply.

What we provide:

• Competitive pay
• High-quality and inclusive medical, dental, and vision coverage options
• Deductible fully funded HSA for medical expenses and dependent care expenses
• Paid Life, LTD, and STD insurance coverage
• 401k Program
• ACI Employee Assistance Program
• 15 paid holidays, including a winter shutdown week
• 15 days PTO (accrued)
• Unlimited Sick Time Off
• Free parking or subsidized commuter passes

Vesigen Therapeutics is an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.

Scientist II/Sr Scientist, Immune Modulation

Vesigen Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics enabled by engineering naturally existing vesicles for delivery. Vesigen’s patented technology, called ARMMs (ARRDC1 Mediated Microvesicles), can be used to precisely deliver a wide range of payloads, including gene editing complexes, proteins, and RNAs in vivo. Our team of seasoned drug hunters is committed to leveraging the novel ARMMs technology to develop transformative medicines and address unmet medical needs.

We are seeking a highly motivated and detail-oriented scientist to join our team and contribute to developing and optimizing the company’s exciting ARMMs platform toward a novel immunotherapy program. The ideal candidate will be an enthusiastic, innovative individual with a scientific background in immunology who will thrive in our fast-paced, entrepreneurial team environment.

Responsibilities:

• Reporting directly to CSO/VP of drug discovery, you will work closely with the executive team and research team members to articulate novel approaches to treat diseases of inflammation/fibrosis using ARMMs.
• Independently design and execute experiments predominantly in in vitro settings (tissue culture, flow cytometry, western blotting, ELISA, etc).
• Collaborate closely with in vivo pharmacology team to identify appropriate disease models and design studies.
• Process and analyze tissues from in vivo experiments using appropriate methodologies.
• Identify new opportunities/targets by review of published literature and outline experiments to evaluate and triage new therapeutic approaches.
• Analyze, interpret, and present data at internal forums to peers, the executive team, and scientific conferences.
• Have/develop solid grasp of landscape of well validated targets in immune modulation space as well as relevant external expertise.

Qualifications:

• Ph.D. in immunology, immune modulation, or related discipline.
• 2+ years of experience in Pharma, Biotech, or as a postdoc in an academic setting
• Excellent understanding of both the adaptive and innate immune responses and corresponding roles in promoting diseases of inflammation and fibrosis across different tissues – must include previous experience working on lung and/or liver disorders.
• Previous experience and understanding in approaches to modulate the immune system and/or the tumor microenvironment to treat cancer are desirable.
• Previous experience in the development of cell and/or gene therapy modalities to treat immune disorders is desirable.
• Team player as evidenced by working in cross-functional teams in industry or collaborative efforts in an academic setting.

What we provide:

• Competitive pay
• High-quality and inclusive medical, dental, and vision coverage options
• Deductible fully funded HSA for medical expenses and dependent care expenses
• Paid Life, LTD, and STD insurance coverage
• 401k Program
• ACI Employee Assistance Program
• 15 paid holidays, including a winter shutdown week
• 15 days PTO (accrued)
• Unlimited Sick Time Off
• Free parking or subsidized commuter passes

Vesigen Therapeutics is an equal-opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran, or disability status.