Junior research fellow position - SR-Tiget (Milan)

A junior research fellow position is immediately available for the Tissue dynamics and biomarker signature discovery program led by Dr. Daniela Cesana at the San Raffaele Telethon Institute for Gene Therapy (SR-Tiget), Milan, Italy. 

The position

 The successful candidate will work in a team focused in unveiling the role of cell-free (cf)-DNA as novel biomarker for assessing the safety and efficacy of GT approaches.  We are looking for proactive and motivated candidates with a degree in Biotechnology or similar. The successful candidate will be offered a 1–year position, during which he/she will receive the possibility of spanning multiple areas of expertise and gain experience to competitively apply for a Ph.D., which is greatly encouraged in our Team.

The Institute

SR-Tiget was created in 1996 as a joint venture between Fondazione Telethon and Ospedale San Raffaele (OSR), with the mission to perform cutting-edge research on gene and cell therapy and to translate its results into therapeutic advances for genetic diseases. The Institute is located within the OSR campus, which includes a large multi-disciplinary research hospital, a biomedical research center, and a university and also hosts several biotechnologies companies. Over the years, SR-Tiget has given a pioneering contribution to the gene and cell therapy field with relevant discoveries in vector design, gene transfer and gene editing strategies, stem cell biology, identity and mechanism of action of regulatory cells in immune responses and innate immune cells in cancer. SR-Tiget has also established the resources and framework for translating these advances into novel experimental therapies and has implemented several successful gene therapy clinical trials, which have already treated >120 patients and led to the filing and approval of 2 novel advanced therapy medicines. 

The tissue dynamics and biomarker signature discovery program: The scope of the program is the development and validation of a cfDNA-based pipeline able to capture the spatio-temporal complexity of different biological systems in human health and disease as well as after gene therapy treatments.  In our team, the candidate will gain experience in molecular biology techniques such as retrieval of integration sites, methylation study and library preparation. These techniques will allow to dissect the role of cfDNA as a new biomarker for testing the safety and efficacy of GT approaches (DNA and cfDNA extraction, SLiM-PCR, real-time PCR, digital PCR, cloning, bacterial cultures, etc.). He/she will strongly interact with a team of bioinformatics to acquire state-of-the-art techniques for data analysis.  

Requirements
Experience in molecular biology and cell manipulation is preferred but not mandatory. Overall, commitment and determination to reach scientific goals are the most important requirements.

Qualifications and skills:

• Master degree;
  
• Previous lab experience is welcome but not mandatory;
  
• High motivation to work in an international, fast-paced environment;
  
• High accuracy, reliability, precision under time pressure;
  
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks;
  
• Excellent organization skills;
  
• Friendly, collaborative, pro-active mindset;
  
• Good oral and written English.

We offer:

• Competitive salary depending on qualifications and experience;
  
• A dynamic lab environment and a chance to make important contribution to biomedical research;
  
• Opportunities for a PhD training.