Senior Director, Disease Biology

The role

The Senior Director of Disease Biology will lead target discovery through preclinical development for the Alzheimer's Disease Initiative. This role involves building a new team, directing existing in vivo and cellular model teams, and partnering with computational technology centers.

What you will do

• Build a new team to carry validated targets through drug discovery into preclinical programs
• Guide programs through lead optimization by partnering with chemistry and ADI model teams
• Lead target discovery for the Initiative by translating findings into therapeutic targets
• Lead existing in vivo and in vitro ADI discovery teams
• Partner with computational biology and machine learning teams to surface pathway insight and test hypotheses
• Align priorities across target discovery and preclinical teams
• Collaborate across the Arc community to coordinate experimental approaches
• Manage CRO and external partner relationships
• Represent discovery and preclinical strategy in cross functional discussions

Required qualifications

• PhD in neuroscience, immunology, cell biology, genetics, pharmacology, or a related field
• Extensive experience leading target discovery in neurodegeneration
• Track record advancing programs from validated target through lead optimization, in vivo proof of concept, and IND enabling studies
• Deep expertise developing or applying advanced 3D cellular models of neurodegenerative disease
• Proven people leadership including mentoring scientific teams and building new teams
• Strong partnership with computational biology and machine learning teams
• Experience in a fast paced biotech or nonprofit research institute environment
• Ability to work onsite in our Palo Alto office a minimum of four days per week

Nice to have

• Direct experience in Alzheimer's disease drug discovery
• Hands-on experience generating and validating animal models of Alzheimer’s disease, including genetic risk variant models such as APOE4 and TREM2
• Experience integrating computational and machine learning driven target prioritization into discovery strategy
• Experience partnering with high throughput biology teams

Benefits

• Annual discretionary bonus
• Compound Cash Grant Program (CCGP) providing multi-year cash grants in semi-annual installments

About the company

Arc Institute is an independent nonprofit research organization at the interface of artificial intelligence and biology. It is based in Palo Alto and partners with Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and UC San Francisco.