Head of Translational Genetics

Human Genetics        ·       New York, NY       ·       Full time

Position Details

• Job Title: Head of Translational Genetics
• Location: New York, NY
• Job Category: Human Genetics
• Apply: Apply

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly creative Head of Translational Genetics to develop novel insights from disease genetics into breakthrough therapeutics. At Kallyope, we have developed a proprietary platform to discover disease genes from genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The first of its kind, the platform substantially outperforms competing methods to identify disease genes and has already produced novel insights which have enabled our existing programs and resulted in a novel drug discovery program at Kallyope.          

The platform is described here: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.04.28.489887v1.

The Head of Translational Genetics will work closely with our Head of Statistical Genetics, CMO and drug discovery heads to lead the effort to identify promising drug targets from this platform. The role entails prioritizing potential targets across diverse disease areas and developing strategies for validation, by both leveraging internal capabilities and via collaboration with academic groups or relevant contract research organizations (CROs). This individual will also work closely with the CBO to develop a business development strategy for the platform and individual targets, as well as to oversee biotech/pharma collaborations. The successful candidate should have an intimate understanding of drug discovery and development and a broad knowledge of biology and disease pathophysiology. Furthermore, the candidate should have a relentless drive to discover and advance novel therapies discovered directly from the molecular mechanisms of disease. 

Key Responsibilities:

• Work collaboratively with the Head of Statistical Genetics and Genetics Core Team to identify and prioritize new targets
• Work with CMO or delegate to prioritize disease areas of interest (internal/partnership)
• Work with subject matter experts (SMEs: e.g., internal disease area leads) to develop and implement strategies for preclinical validation
• Proactively identify, reach out, and establish collaborations with SMEs as needed
• Work with the CBO and Core Team to develop and implement a partnership strategy for human genetic hits and validated programs

Qualifications and Education Requirements:

• D./Ph.D. or Ph.D. in the Biological Sciences or a related discipline
• Industry experience in drug discovery and development
• Deep understanding of pharmacology and disease models / background in in vivo pharmacology highly preferred
• Excellent communication, teamwork, managerial, and interpersonal skills
• Ability to creatively solve problems, prioritize resources, and make crisp decisions.
• Experience managing external collaborations.

About Kallyope:

Kallyope is a clinical-stage NYC-based biotechnology company focused on the gut-brain axis. The company, founded in 2015 by Tom Maniatis, Richard Axel, and Charles Zuker, leverages leading technologies to map the hormonal and neural circuitry between the gut and other organs, including the brain, and translate new discoveries into novel therapeutics. Our cross-disciplinary biotechnology team has built a platform integrating single cell and single nucleus sequencing, computational biology, neural imaging, cellular and molecular biology, and human genetics to provide an understanding of gut and gut-brain biology which, when coupled with our deep drug discovery expertise, will lead to therapeutics in multiple areas of high unmet need. The Company has two lead programs in clinical development, one targeting metabolic circuits for diabetes and obesity, and the other focused on restoration of GI barrier function for IBD and other disorders associated with a defective barrier. The company has raised $479 M in 4 rounds of funding from several leading biotech investors. For more details, visit https://kallyope.com. 

Please click here to apply.