Dual-Cell Therapy Research Scientist

We are seeking an experienced Senior Research Fellow to join our team in a unique opportunity to contribute to the development of innovative dual-cell therapy targeting neonatal hypoxia-associated brain injury. Neonatal hypoxic-ischaemic encephalopathy (HIE) is the second leading cause of infant mortality globally and a major contributor to long-term neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy, and sensory impairments.

In Europe and the United States, HIE affects approximately 1 to 3 per 1,000 live births. As a Senior Research Fellow, you will be responsible for designing, establishing, and optimizing in vitro hypoxia models relevant to neonatal brain injury.

You will validate models for reproducibility and translational relevance, conduct proteomic and transcriptomic analyses to elucidate the mechanism of action (MoA) of MSC and ECFC co-therapy, and integrate multi-omics data to identify key therapeutic pathways and biomarkers.

The role also involves defining and characterizing critical quality attributes (CQAs) for both MSCs and ECFCs, including identity, purity, viability, and immunophenotype. You will develop and implement robust assays to monitor CQAs, design and validate a potency matrix that reflects the therapeutic function of the dual-cell product, and correlate potency metrics with MoA and preclinical efficacy data.

Additionally, you will develop release assays to ensure product consistency and compliance with regulatory standards, collaborate with consortium members to integrate assays into GMP and downstream activities, and lead and mentor a multidisciplinary research team, fostering collaboration and scientific excellence.

The ideal candidate will have a PhD in neuroscience, cell therapy, regenerative medicine, or a related scientific field and at least 6 years post-PhD experience in the field. You should have clearly demonstrated leadership in research, a strong publication record in high-impact journals, presentation at international conferences, and successful supervision of junior researchers and/or PhD students.

Experience in developing and validating in vitro and/or in vivo models of hypoxia or neurovascular injury, strong expertise in cell biology, particularly with mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) and endothelial colony-forming cells (ECFCs), and familiarity with neurovascular models and the study of vascular–neural interactions in health and disease are essential requirements for this role.

This position offers a unique opportunity to work in a collaborative environment and contribute to groundbreaking research in the field of dual-cell therapy. We are looking for a highly motivated and experienced researcher who can lead and drive this project forward.

• Design, establish, and optimize in vitro hypoxia models relevant to neonatal brain injury
• Validate models for reproducibility and translational relevance
• Conduct proteomic and transcriptomic analyses to elucidate the mechanism of action (MoA) of MSC and ECFC co-therapy
• Integrate multi-omics data to identify key therapeutic pathways and biomarkers
• Define and characterize critical quality attributes (CQAs) for both MSCs and ECFCs
• Develop and implement robust assays to monitor CQAs
• Design and validate a potency matrix that reflects the therapeutic function of the dual-cell product
• Correlate potency metrics with MoA and preclinical efficacy data
• Develop release assays to ensure product consistency and compliance with regulatory standards
• Collaborate with consortium members to integrate assays into GMP and downstream activities
• Lead and mentor a multidisciplinary research team