Postdoctoral Research Fellow – Defining Parameters For The Development Of Best-In-Class Car-T Constructs

• Suitable candidates will be early career scientists with a recent PhD in immunology, immuno-oncology, or a related field. 
• A working background in CAR-T biology with hands on experience in cell biology, genetic engineering, and assay development is a must.
• Candidate must be able to work permanently in the US Candidates must display an ability to independently design and execute research.  
• In addition to a broad knowledge of immunology and oncology, we are seeking an individual with deep intellectual curiosity, and excellent communication and interpersonal skills. 

Caring for the world, one person at a time has inspired and united the people of Johnson & Johnson for over 130 years. We embrace research and science -- bringing innovative ideas, products and services to advance the health and well-being of people.

With $76.5 billion in 2017 sales, Johnson & Johnson is the world's most comprehensive and broadly-based manufacturer of health care products, as well as a provider of related services, for the consumer, pharmaceutical, and medical devices markets. There are more than 250 Johnson & Johnson operating companies employing over 125,000 people and with products touching the lives of over a billion people every day, throughout the world. If you have the talent and desire to touch the world, Johnson & Johnson has the career opportunities to help make it happen.

Thriving on a diverse company culture, celebrating the uniqueness of our employees and committed to inclusion. Proud to be an equal opportunity employer. Janssen BioTherapeutics is searching for an energetic, highly-motivated Postdoctoral Fellow to enable the development of next-generation, solid tumor-based CAR-T therapies.  CAR-T cell immunotherapies show impressive clinical responses, with two CAR-T cell products approved by the FDA for the treatment of B cell malignancies. However, current CAR-T cells are be engineered from patient-specific T cells, which manifest a number of key shortcomings\: a) inefficient anti-tumor response in solid tumors; b) limited penetration and susceptibility of adoptively transferred CAR-T cells to immunosuppressive TME; c) poor persistence of CAR-T cells in vivo, and d) serious adverse events in the patients. This creates an unmet medical need for novel cellular therapies that can overcome these challenges. Through exploring and leveraging new insights this postdoctoral fellow has the opportunity to answer many aspects of CAR-T cell biology that are yet unexplored and define the parameters for building the best-in-class CAR-T constructs. Moreover, upon completion of the postdoctoral program, the Fellow will have acquired valuable career experience that enables entry into translational academic settings, biotech-related opportunities, and/or continued development in large pharma. 

The Research Fellow will define parameters for CAR-T constructs for the optimal targeting of tumor cells and induction of efficient signaling in CAR-T cell, focusing on CAR binding moieties and exploring strategies to optimize the binding of CAR-T cells to tumors that will lead to efficient signaling for T cell activation. The successful candidate will determine the right affinity of CAR-binding moieties and optimal size of the CAR-T construct for synapse formation, design and evaluate various molecular formats of scFvs for optimal antigen-targeting and discover potential epitopes present on tumor antigens that can be efficiently targeted by CAR constructs.