Summary

The Heczey Lab believes that the development of the next-generation of cell therapies will be based on in-vivo (inside the body) genetic engineering of cells which can overcome the immune escape mechanisms employed within the tumor microenvironment to safely and effectively cure patients with cancer. The post-doctoral associate will be part of an energetic team within the combined translational laboratories of the Advance Innate Cell Therapy Center of Texas Children\'s and the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy of Baylor College of Medicine. This position will focus on developing evasion strategies to overcome immune escape of tumors. Specific targets to accomplish this goal are informed by our two ongoing clinical trials treating patients with CAR T cells. The project will implement tumor triggered regulatory circuits to protect the engineered cells from exhaustion and enhance their survival with the tumor microenvironment.

Job Duties

• Designs and conducts the experiments related to the project with the help of the mentor and other team members of the HeczeyLab.
• Analyzes the data and presents the evolving results at weekly laboratory meetings and research seminars of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy. The details of the experiments and the findings will be recorded in electronic laboratory notebook.

Minimum Qualifications

• MD or Ph.D. in Basic Science, Health Science, or a related field.
• No experience required.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in immunology, genetic engineering or related fields.
• Great fund of knowledge of tumor immunology principles.
• Understanding basic genetic engineering techniques (transfection, retroviral / lentiviral transduction, transposition, CRISPR-Cas9).
• Viral particle assembly.
• Protein purification.
• Excellent aseptic cell culture technique.
• Enthusiasm and a willingness to learn in a fast-pace, collaborative environment.
• Strong organizational skills, record keeping, and interpersonal communication skills (verbal and written).