Research Assistant

Research Assistant at Modulari-T (W23) $55K - $72K CAD We teach your immune system to attack and cure cancer Montreal, QC, CA Full-time US citizenship/visa not required Any (new grads ok) About Modulari-T Cell and gene therapy promises to one day cure any disease; Modulari-T’s Platform produces the tools to fulfill that promise. Modulari-T has designed a new family of synthetic genes that can reprogram cells to better sense their environment and modify their behavior accordingly. This platform can be used to engineer immune cells to efficiently recognize and kill cancer cells, or to create stem cells that are able to regenerate any tissue. Modulari-T looks to expand its technology to reach every area of cell therapy and become the platform of reference for cell engineering. About the role About Modulari-T Biosciences Cell and gene therapies hold immense promise but current approaches are hindered by serious challenges related to toxic side effects and lack the potency and persistence needed for lasting benefit. Manufacturing is long, complex and failure-prone, requiring the patient’s own immune cells to be harvested, engineered in a lab, and reinfused which makes these therapies expensive, inaccessible, and risky. Modulari T Bioscience is redefining how cell therapies are made and delivered. Our approach leverages two complementary technologies developed in-house: Modular Actuation Receptor Complexes (MARC) and Modular Vectors (MoVe). MARCs are synthetic immune receptors designed to deliver durable therapeutic effects with reduced toxicity, directly addressing the limitations of current therapies. Instead of complex lab-based manufacturing, we use MoVes protein envelopes to deliver MARC genes directly to target immune cells inside the patient. This in vivo approach simplifies production, lowers costs, and broadens access to transformative treatments. Modular-T was founded to harness the power of modular immune receptors and build an evolved and differentiated version of cell and gene therapies. We are a venture backed preclinical-stage biotechnology company developing the next generation of in vivo cell and gene therapies from the in-depth understanding of the natural modulatory power of native immune receptors. About the role We are seeking a Research Assistant to complement our core team in developing and validating our novel chimeric antigen receptors within primary human cells and animal models. In collaboration with the scientific team, the candidate will execute defined R&D programs related to proof of concept and technological de-risking experiments to demonstrate new applications of our core technology and expand our patents. We would love to hear from you if you have experience in molecular biology, synthetic biology, gene/protein engineering, biochemistry, bioinformatics or engineering in a related field.  We would love to hear from you if you: Have a BSc with 2+ years of related industry experience or a MSc/PhD  Have technical knowledge and hands-on experience with one or more of the following skills: basic molecular biology assays, plasmid cloning, managing DNA sequencing datasets, gene editing tools, assay development.  Bonus (but not required) if you have experience with lentiviral production, aseptic technique with primary cell culture, multicolour flow cytometry, or process development. Are genuinely curious, with an interest in working in the fast paced environment of a startup located in beautiful Montreal, QC! Your responsibilities would be: Leverage your area of expertise and work with the team and to develop, guide, and execute an experimental strategy. Document all work on an electronic lab notebook, interpret results, communicate findings with the team, and assist in preparing both scientific and investor presentations. Participate in the preparation of manuscript or written reports of research advancements, grants, and other communications. Offer & benefits: Salary range of $55,000 - $72,000 Medical, vision, and dental Transportation plan covering carshare and bikeshare programs Equity stake in Modulari-T 20 days of vacation Interested? Send us a 1 page CV and brief cover letter in response to this job posting at workatastartup.com Technology We have built a platform to produce a new type of receptor, the Modular Actuation Receptor Complex or MARC, that mimics the modular architecture of immune receptors. These receptors can be used to reprogram immune cells to recognize cancer antigens and direct an immune response against tumor cells. Compared to CAR-T cells, MARCs have twice the tumor clearing power and avoid causing immune exhaustion to ensure a long lasting response. The MARC’s unique architecture allows us to link any extracellular cue with the required signalling outputs across different pathways to achieve therapeutic success. Oncology is only the first step; the MARC platform is applicable to autoimmunity, neurology, regenerative medicine and more!