SBIR Phase II: Automated Design Methods of Antibodies Directed to Protein and Carbohydrate Antigens
The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to develop an online, fully automated platform for designing high-affinity antibodies for use as potential drug candidates. The success of antibody-based drugs has generated interest in faster and more efficient methods to discover and optimize antibodies. The goal of this project will be to develop and implement a computational method for producing protein sequences of humanized antibodies. This will be achieved by providing software that allows scientists to move some of their initial experiments into the cloud, and achieve results much more quickly by using computational methods saving time and cost for new drug development. In addition, it is anticipated that this will improve the features of antibody-based drug candidates, enhance the success rate of clinical studies, and accelerate the commercialization of new drugs.This SBIR Phase II project aims to develop and implement computational tools for designing antibodies that are more effective, have fewer side effects, and have fewer problems in manufacturing. Current computational design methods rely almost entirely on the expertise of scientists iterating between experimental and bioinformatics approaches. An automated, systematic approach will help researchers design better antibodies with desired features in a shorter amount of time. The final platform will allow researchers to incorporate experimental and structural information to develop better drugs by determining which experiments will be necessary, assessing the viability of a potential candidate, and identifying structural features responsible for the molecule?s stability, immune response, and binding properties. The typical antibody design process takes many months and tens of thousands of dollars. With the aid of a computational process, this time can be cut back to the click of a button. less The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project will be to develop an online, fully automated platform for designing high-affinity antibodies for use as potential drug candidates. The success of antibody-based drugs has generated interest in faster and more efficient methods to discover and optimize antibodies. The goal of this project will be to develop and implement a computational method for producing protein sequences of humanized antibodies. This will be achi... more
We aim to test our automated antibody design and discovery platform for attacking difficult infectious diseases and cancer targets. The computational platform allows researchers to design a novel antibody to bind a given target protein given only the structure of that protein antigen. We have designed a number of antibodies for several disease targets and are ready to test binding of the antibodies against their targets experimentally. The goal of this project is to prepare the experiments, carry out the tests, and manage interns working in the lab. The work requires purification of the given antigens, expression, purification, designing and running assays for binding of the antibody against the given antigen, and mutagenesis on the antigen to determine the epitope of binding for antibodies that show sufficient binding.
We are seeking to hire a recent Ph. D. graduate in Microbiology, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology or related fields that is highly motivated and collaborative. The candidate should be able to function in a dynamic work environment, be able to manage multiple project timelines, and serve as a supervisor and mentor to interns.
Position Duties and Responsibilities
Perform molecular cloning, PCR, and site-directed mutagenesis techniques. Express and purify recombinant proteins in E. coli, insect cells, or mammalian cells. Develop and optimize protocols to increase yield and purity of recombinant proteins through use of affinity, size exclusion chromatography, and ion exchange columns on FPLC. Characterize and analyze proteins using SDS-PAGE and Western blot techniques. Analyze antibody binding affinity to antigen in ELISA or other binding assays. Troubleshoot scientific problems in an effective and timely manner. Function as a project leader to coordinate efforts, define timeline and deliverables, and report to higher management. Requirements/Qualifications
Ph. D. in Biological Science (Molecular Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology) or a related field Extensive experience in performing protein expression in bacterial and mammalian cells and subsequent purification using multiple methods requiring FPLC. Ability to analyze data, use innovative methods to solve problems, and think critically. Effective task-loading techniques to manage multiple projects efficiently. Excellent written and oral communication skills with strong interpersonal skills. Experience in project management or mentorship. Ability to effectively work independently and effectively participate on multi-disciplinary teams. Physical ability to lift up to 40 lbs and work at the lab bench for extended periods of time.
