Apertor Pharmaceuticals Inc. was founded in November 2020 and will bring new therapies to patients by engineering molecular glues using synthetic biology. We apply a world-class synthetic biology platform using non-model organisms, a deep knowledge of natural products relevant to human health, and a computational pipeline enabled by structure-guided design. The result is a first-in-class approach to solving important pharmacological problems and delivering new, high-value treatment options for patients. Our principal offices are in Alameda, CA.

Apertor Pharmaceuticals is seeking a (Senior) Scientist - Chemical Biology to design and execute target identification and mechanism of action studies to discover and develop novel small molecules for therapeutic applications in oncology. This pivotal role requires expertise in chemical biology techniques, a deep understanding of cancer biology, and the ability to work collaboratively within a multidisciplinary research team. A passion for drug discovery and development for cancer patients is essential.

This role is required to be onsite full time at our office in Alameda, CA.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute affinity-based assays to probe protein-protein and protein-small molecule interactions in the cellular environment.
• Apply affinity-based assays to characterize small molecules.
• Develop and implement genetic/genomic methods for on/off target studies, both in vitro and in vivo.
• Work collaboratively with chemists and biologists to provide the project team with scientific expertise and critical path assessments.
• Carefully document experimental details, data, and findings.
• Maintain the organization and safety of chemistry and biology research areas.
• Maintain lab instruments

Preferred Education and Experience:

• Candidates should hold a degree in Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Chemical Biology, Organic Chemistry, or a related discipline.
• Senior Scientist: Ph.D. postdoc and/or industry experience (5 years)
• Scientist: Ph.D. postdoc and/or industry experience (0 years)

Required Qualifications:

• Deep understanding of small molecule drug discovery and development, particularly in relation to cancer.
• Exceptional ability to discern and elucidate connections between diverse scientific findings across disciplines. Demonstrated ability to take ownership of research projects, from conception through to execution and reporting.
• Extensive experience with mammalian cell culture. Essential skills include cell culturing, transient expression, and stable cell line generation.
• Solid knowledge and bench skills in affinity-based assays from cell lysate, including (Co)IP-Western and biosensor-based quantitative (Co)IP, as well as IP-MS (DDA, DIA, and TMT).
• Hands-on experience with molecular biology experiments, including plasmid design, construction, and sequence validation.
• Knowledge of organic chemistry.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with gene-editing using CRISPR in mammalian cells.
• Experience with translational medicine.
• Experience with cancer bioinformatics.