Director of Drug Target Identification and Validation

Leadership and Strategy :

• Lead and manage the drug target identification and validation team, developing strategies to discover and prioritize novel targets for therapeutic intervention.
• Provide scientific leadership to integrate target discovery approaches such as genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, and functional biology studies.
• Collaborate with therapeutic area leads to ensure alignment of target discovery efforts with company goals and therapeutic focus areas.

Target Identification and Validation :

• Lead the identification of novel drug targets through data-driven approaches, such as functional genomics (e.g., CRISPR screens), transcriptomics, proteomics, and other systems biology methodologies.
• Drive validation of targets using in vitro and in vivo models, ensuring that selected targets have strong biological rationale and are relevant to disease mechanisms.
• Oversee the development and application of assays and technologies for target validation, including RNA interference, gene editing, and phenotypic screening

Collaboration and Innovation :

• Collaborate with internal drug discovery teams, including biology, chemistry, bioinformatics, and preclinical development, to advance validated targets into drug discovery programs.
• Establish and maintain partnerships with academic institutions, CROs, and other external collaborators to leverage external expertise and technologies.
• Stay abreast of new trends, technologies, and scientific advancements in target identification and validation, ensuring innovative approaches are applied.

Project Management:

• Oversee project management efforts, ensuring that all target identification and validation activities are delivered on time, within scope, and on budget.
• Lead cross-functional teams to assess target druggability, develop assays, and build disease-relevant models to support target validation.
• Ensure appropriate resources, timelines, and risk management plans are in place to meet critical project milestones.

Regulatory and Reporting:

• Ensure compliance with all regulatory guidelines related to target validation studies and maintain high standards of scientific rigor.
• Prepare and present data packages, reports, and presentations to senior management, collaborators, and regulatory bodies.
• Contribute to publications, patents, and scientific presentations to highlight advancements in target discovery and validation.

Qualifications:

Education:

• Ph.D. in molecular biology, genetics, pharmacology, biochemistry, or related field with a strong background in target identification and validation.

Experience :

• 7+ years of experience in drug target discovery, with a proven track record of advancing novel therapeutic targets into preclinical development.
• • Prior experience managing cross-functional teams and drug discovery projects in a pharmaceutical or biotechnology setting.
• Expertise in target validation methodologies such as CRISPR/Cas9, RNAi, proteomics, and high-content screening.

Skills :

• Strong knowledge of disease biology in therapeutic areas such as oncology, immunology, neuroscience, or metabolic disorders.
• Expertise in bioinformatics and systems biology approaches to identify and prioritize drug targets.
• Excellent leadership, communication, and project management skills, with a demonstrated ability to manage complex discovery programs.
• Proficiency in the design and execution of validation studies using in vitro and in vivo models.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Experience in therapeutic areas such as metabolism, oncology, cardiovascular diseases, or autoimmune diseases.
• Familiarity with biomarker discovery, translational research, and druggability assessments of targets.
• Knowledge of regulatory requirements for preclinical target validation studies.