PRR Project

Summary

RISE (Rede de Investigação em Saúde) aims to hire a highly motivated and accomplished Assistant Researcher in Nucleic Acid-based Therapies to join its research team. The successful candidate will support and expand a research program focused on developing novel nucleic acid-based therapies targeting various human diseases. Rationale :Early medicines were based on small molecule compounds derived from nature, but many demonstrated a lack of specificity and unwanted side effects. With the advent of molecular medicine, clinicians aimed to target and modulate specific proteins associated with one or more diseases. Amino acid-based therapeutics (e.g., recombinant insulin and antibodies) have gradually dominated the clinical space for decades due to their higher specificity and reduced side effects. Nucleic acid-based therapeutics have only recently come into the spotlight with the regulatory approval of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and the major success of mRNA-based vaccines against COVID-19. Additionally, the pharmaceutical industry is investing heavily in emerging CRISPR-inspired technologies, such as base/prime editors, as well as other RNA-based platforms. Importantly, these therapies can be easily modified to accommodate potential polymorphisms in the individual patient’s genome; thus, leading to the era of truly personalized medicine.RISE is committed to advancing health research in Portugal/Europe and promoting translational research that bridges the gap between basic science and clinical applications. The hiring of an Assistant Researcher in Nucleic Acid-based Therapies aligns with RISE´s mission to strengthen the development of novel therapies targeting diseases in which fellow RISE researchers of basic/clinical science have expertise, including glaucoma, neuroinflammation, and beyond.The Assistant Researcher in Nucleic Acid-based Therapies will play a key role in all aspects of the relevant research projects, including 1) experimental design and execution, 2) keeping up-to-date with the current science and technologies, 3) publication and communication of results, 4) protection of intellectual property, 5) mentoring junior researchers and 6) collaborating with other research groups within RISE and external partners. The academic and industrial expertise of the Assistant Researcher will be leveraged to help identify and characterize novel nucleic acid-based therapies against current and future targets relevant to RISE researchers.This position will allow RISE to further translate the work of its researchers and clinicians into actionable therapies. Importantly, these novel therapeutics may result in intellectual property; thus, providing additional capital to RISE that can then feed back into continued research for all. Scientific Profile ???????:The ideal candidate will have:1) A PhD or equivalent degree in Biotechnology in Human Health or related field.2) A proven track record of peer-reviewed international publications and congress communications, including as primary author, in the fields of nucleic-acid therapy, biotechnology, drug delivery, and basic cellular biology.3) Expertise in developing the technical knowledge and assays needed to identify, and elucidate the functional efficacy of, novel medicines, including quantitative PCR, Western Blotting, ELISA, SELEX, bioinformatics, and flow cytometry (FACS).4) Demonstrated the ability to manage projects from their conception to resolution which includes executing the daily activities and adapting the line of research as the data and science necessitates.5) Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively within a multidisciplinary and multicultural research environment.6) Experience in managing a laboratory and junior researchers.7) Expertise in drug discovery in both academia and industry.8) Established a network of expert researchers with varied skills and resources in academia and industry.