Duration: 6-12 months
Starting date: October-November 2021 (Flexible for other dates)
About the Wyss:
The mission of the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University is to transform human healthcare and the environment by emulating the way nature builds. Developed as an alliance between Harvard and other premier academic and clinical partner institutions, Institute faculty and staff collaborate in high-risk, fundamental research and science-driven technology development. A major focus of the Institute is to translate the technologies developed by its faculty and staff into commercial products and therapies through collaborations with clinical investigators and establishment of corporate alliances. For more information, discover our technologies, catch up on our recent news, or watch our latest videos.
Role Description:
The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University invites applications for Visiting Graduate Researcher (student intern) position in the Brain Targeting Program (BTP). The position will focus on the discovery of new gene and protein targets to carry therapeutic and diagnostic payloads into the brain.
The Wyss Institute’s BTP, co-led by Donald Ingber, M.D., Ph.D., and James Gorman, M.D., Ph.D., focuses on developing novel proteomics and transcriptomic techniques to ultimately create antibody-based treatments for neurodegenerative diseases. The BTP uses a discovery platform that leverages novel human Organ Chips and other in vitro models of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) to study the transport of molecules across the human BBB into the central nervous system (https://wyss.harvard.edu/collaboration/brain-targeting-program/). One of its core projects is a target-discovery effort directed at identifying proteins that are highly expressed on the BBB endothelial cell surface and are present at higher levels (“enriched”) in the BBB compared to other organs. These proteins will be evaluated for their potential to transport cargoes across the BBB. The Wyss team is collaborating with several biopharmaceutical companies and other academic institutions to advance the brain transport target discovery program.
Applicants should have knowledge of the brain, understand basic cell biology, and be able to perform some cell culture experiments if required. The candidate will have one primary mentor. The candidate can expect rigorous training, exposure to multiple disciplines and in-depth learning about the BBB and target discovery, preparing them to pursue academic or biopharmaceutical careers.
Key Responsibilities:
- Investigate and interpret scientific literature to identify and classify potential targets
- Analyze transcriptomic and proteomic datasets to evaluate genes/proteins based on various metrics (e.g., abundance, enrichment, literature rating)
- Summarize, present, and share key findings with an interdisciplinary, scientific team in a cogent, organized manner
- Design and execute new experiments, metrics, and methodologies to find novel BBB targets
- Collaborate with other researchers and post-docs to address and solve new challenges and unanticipated problems as they arise
- Work independently, in a detail-oriented, self-driven manner
What you’ll need
- Must hold and/or be enrolled in a MSc degree in the field of Biology, Neuroscience, Bioengineering, or a closely related discipline
- Scientific, Practical, and Interpersonal Skills:
- Soft Skills: communication, adaptability, independent thinking, efficiency, self-drive
- Computer Skills: Microsoft Office (Word, PowerPoint, Excel),
- Scientific Skills: design and implementation of scientific protocols, analysis of scientific literature and datasets, knowledge of proteins / genes / neurodegenerative disorders
Preferred:
- Experience with transcriptomics or proteomics
- Bioinformatic approaches and/or statistical analyses
Where You Can Apply:
Applications, assembled as a single PDF file, should contain a complete resume and a cover letter describing research interests, goals, and why you would be a good fit for this program. Applications should be sent to
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Harvard University is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law. Demonstrates a commitment to diversity, inclusion, and cultural awareness through actions, interactions, and communications with others.