Scripps Staff Scientist - Martins Lab
Job No: 537163 | Full Time | Palm Beach, FL
About the Role
The Martins lab at The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology is seeking a Staff Scientist. Our research focuses on developing a “one-shot” functional cure for HIV/AIDS by leveraging gene therapy to engineer long-lived host cells to continuously produce HIV-1 IgG therapeutics in vivo. This approach aims to prevent viral replication without antiretroviral therapy (ART). Using nonhuman primates as a preclinical model, we have demonstrated that a single dose of adeno-associated virus (AAV) vectors can achieve stable expression of HIV-1 broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) for years. Our work shows potential in blocking simian-HIV (SHIV) infection and preventing virus rebound after ART interruption. However, host immune responses to AAV-expressed bNAbs often restrict their expression, leading to treatment failure. A key focus of our lab is understanding why these anti-drug antibody (ADA) responses occur in some animals but not others, with the goal of developing strategies to suppress them.
Responsibilities
- Project management, including meetings, bookkeeping, and purchasing of reagents and supplies
- Grant and manuscript writing
- Cloning, cell culture, ELISAs, protein expression and purification
- Data analysis and interpretation
Requirements
- Ph.D. and/or MD in immunology, virology, or a related scientific discipline
- Minimum of 2 years postdoctoral experience
- Evidence of productivity through publications in high-quality journals (manuscripts accepted for publication may also be considered)
- Significant expertise in the design and production of gene therapy vectors
- Strong verbal and written communication skills in English, with good organizational and analytical abilities
- Strong managerial and organizational skills
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with immunological techniques, including flow cytometry, ELISA, immunofluorescence, and RNA/DNA scope
- Proficiency in molecular biology assays, such as qPCR and advanced cloning
- Experience with preclinical models of HIV/AIDS
- Familiarity with next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics
Health assessment required: Yes.