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 research 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.

• Design and conduct the experiments related to the project with the help of the mentor and other team members of the Heczey Lab. The evasion strategies are novel, and we have developed and preliminary tested these new approaches in preclinical in vitro models of cancer.  The new techniques involve cell-state specific, bidirectional modulation of gene expression in cancer-redirected T cells.
• Analyze the data and present the evolving results at weekly laboratory meetings and research seminars of the Center for Cell and Gene Therapy.
• Record experiments and the findings in electronic laboratory notebook.

• Master's degree in Basic Science or a related field.  Experience in lieu of degree will not be accepted.
• Three years of relevant experience typically as a Research Assistant, Research Technician or Postdoctoral Fellow/Associate.

• PhD in immunology, genetic engineering or related fields.
• 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).

Baylor College of Medicine requires employees to be fully vaccinated -subject to approved exemptions-against vaccine-preventable diseases including, but not limited to, COVID-19 and influenza.

Baylor College of Medicine is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action/Equal Access Employer.

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