Research Associate in Engineering of Viral Vector - Sheffield, United Kingdom - University of Sheffield

University of Sheffield

Verified Company

Sheffield, United Kingdom

3 weeks ago

Posted by:

Tom O´Connor

beBee Recruiter

Description

An exciting position is available in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering for a Research Associate with experience of mammalian gene expression technology to carry out research and development underpinning commercial manufacture of viral vectors for gene therapy.

This project is funded by the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult (Guy's Hospital, London), a centre of excellence in innovation, driving the growth of the cell and gene therapy industry.

Together, we aim to mechanistically understand and improve AAV production by mammalian cells using synthetic biology-based engineering of genetic vectors encoding viral components.

Gene therapies utilise engineered, non-pathogenic viruses (such as adeno-associated virus, AAV) as vehicles to deliver therapeutic genes to the human body that can correct genetic changes underpinning disease.

This approach is potentially applicable to multiple organs of the human body, and the advanced therapies have been successfully studied in clinical trials for the treatment of, for example, a wide variety of genetic disorders and cancers.

New gene therapies are beginning to be approved for use in the clinic. In % of all viral vector clinical trials were based in the UK, 89% of which utilised AAV.

It is estimated that the market for gene therapies will reach 36B USD by 2027 with a compound annual growth rate of 36%.

However, viruses such as AAVs are complex molecular assemblies of numerous components which are difficult to manufacture, relying on introduction of synthetic genetic components into mammalian cells in controlled culture processes for virus manufacture, followed by purification and analysis of product quality.

Low product yields and production of viruses lacking the therapeutic gene payload are endemic problems for manufacturing process development; current UK facilities for manufacturing viral vectors suitable for human treatment cannot meet demand, thus seriously hindering the translation of exciting gene therapies into clinical trials.

New technology for intensified production of high-quality viral gene therapies is urgently required.

The post-holder will work in partnership with scientists at Sheffield and Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult to (i) isolate and characterise clonally-derived populations of HEK cells, (ii) utilise genome-scale informatic resources to understand, model and engineer AAV production, This is a fixed-term post for 24 months; the successful applicant will be working under the supervision of Professor David James and Dr Adam Brown at Sheffield in collaboration with Dr Maria Barreira at the Cell and Gene Therapy Catapult.