Engineering of High-Performance CHO Cell Lines

About BioMed X

The BioMed X Innovation Center is an exciting new collaboration model at the interface between academia and industry. At our center, distinguished early career scientists recruited from all over the world are working jointly on novel pre-clinical research projects in the fields of biomedicine, molecular biology, cell biology, diagnostics, and consumer care. These interdisciplinary project teams are conducting groundbreaking biomedical research in an open innovation lab facility on the campus of the University of Heidelberg, Germany. They are working under the guidance of experienced mentors from academia and industry while expanding their scientific network and receiving entrepreneurship and leadership training.

Each BioMed X project team is sponsored by an industry partner: The sponsor of this call for application is Merck.

What we are looking for

Applications are welcome from early career scientists with an outstanding track record in the field of:

Engineering of High-Performance CHO Cell Lines

Merck is seeking to identify novel approaches to systematically increase the productivity of Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cell lines for manufacturing of therapeutic proteins such as monoclonal antibodies in fed-batch processes.

Applicants should focus their project proposals on the following objectives:

• Significant increase of specific productivity and yield;
• Significant increase of cell growth and viability;
• Significant increase of protein quality (folding, post-translational modifications).

Experimental approaches should include new methods to investigate molecular and cellular mechanisms of CHO cells related to cell line productivity and/or growth. For example, proposals could comprise modelling of genomic/transcriptomic, proteomic and metabolomic pathways and regulatory networks, also including models for protein secretion and the glycosylation machinery. Thus, areas to be targeted are utilization of amino acids and nutrients, disposal of metabolites, secretory pathway, glycan processing pathway, novel promotors and their regulation. Novel findings should be applicable in the form of a platform technology towards rapid engineering of superior CHO protein manufacturing cell lines. Proposals building on very original ideas supported by first experimental findings are particularly encouraged.

Group leader positions are intended to suit candidates with typically between four and eight years of postdoctoral experience who would like to develop themselves towards a leadership career path either in academia or industry. Candidates for postdoctoral positions are expected to have several years of research experience and a certain degree of specialization in one or more relevant cutting-edge technologies.

What we offer

The posts are offered for an initial term of two years, with the possibility of prolongation for up to two additional years. The research group in the above-mentioned field consists of 1 group leader, 2 postdoctoral researchers and 2 research assistants. The funding package covers personal salaries, consumables, services, travels, as well as access to the core facilities of neighboring research institutions and biotechnology companies in Heidelberg.

There is flexibility over starting dates, but successful applicants are welcome to take up post starting January 1, 2018.

Application & Selection Process

Applications are to be made online at apply.bio.mx.

Only applications received before July 30, 2017 will be considered. As part of the online application procedure candidates will be required to enter detailed information about their previous work and submit a competitive project proposal.

After a first selection round, candidates will be invited to a five-day innovation boot camp in Heidelberg. The invitation includes full coverage of travel expenses, accommodation, sightseeing, and food for the entire workshop which will take place from October 9 to 13, 2017. With guidance of experienced mentors, candidates will jointly work on their project proposals and present them in front of a jury on the final day. Successful candidates will be offered a position at the BioMed X Innovation Center.