Development Of Biochemical Assays - Enzymologist Bardi

Development Of Biochemical Assays - Enzymologist
Bardi
Emilia Romagna, Bardi

Axxam is a leading provider of integrated discovery services for the entire Life Sciences industries such as Pharmaceutical, Crop protection, Animal health, Cosmetics and Nutrition.

We have a strong expertise across a broad range of drug discovery areas, including assay development, high-throughput screening, and hit-to-lead programmes.

Axxam is also engaged in developing novel innovative therapies for diseases with a high unmet medical need.

An open and dynamic working environment supported by an industrialized organization ensures high-quality results.

**Development of Biochemical Assays - Enzymologist**:

Axxam is opening a position for a scientist, to join the group of Biochemistry.

The position requires strong scientific and technical expertise and proven track records of development of biochemical assays suitable to be configured for high-throughput screening and characterisation of enzyme kinetics and/or protein interaction and their modulation, as well as an excellent understanding of the underlying mechanisms.

The experienced enzymologist will be responsible to devise the project strategy to accomplish proof of principle studies by scouting different assay systems and to develop high-throughput homogeneous assays in miniaturized format with fluorescent and luminescent readout systems.

The assays are intended to measure the catalytic activity of target enzymes or the interaction between proteins, or between proteins and biologically relevant macromolecules.

The assays will be applied in screening campaigns and to assess potency, selectivity, and mechanism of action of small molecule modulators of the target proteins.

Besides, the successful scientist will be occasionally in charge of the recombinant expression of the target proteins in insect cells with the baculovirus system and/or in high-density mammalian cells cultured in suspension, and their purification through different chromatographic techniques.

The position requires extensive collaboration with colleagues and effective communication skills in English with internal and external international partners.

**Core job responsibilities**:

Strategy design, development, and optimization of biochemical assays for high-throughput screening in 384 well/plate format for the detection of the catalytic activity of the target enzymes and/or of the interaction of the target proteins with partner proteins, peptides, nucleic acids, and other molecular effectors

Detailed biochemical and enzymatic characterization of the assays, to include determination of kinetic parameters and/or affinity parameters, together with fulfilment of key quality criteria for the adaptation to automation for HTS

Characterization of the potency, selectivity, and mechanism of action of reference modulators and of small libraries of compounds

Recombinant expression of the target proteins in eukaryotic expression hosts i. e. , insect cells with the baculovirus system and/or mammalian cells cultured in suspension at high scale, their analytical and preparative chromatographic purification by FPLC, and their biochemical characterisation

Design of the experiments in miniaturized and parallelized format, analysis of the data, generation of suitable graphical representations, interpretation of the results, identification of possible inconsistencies and liabilities, and proposal of action steps and contingency plans

Preparation of regular bi-weekly updates in PowerPoint format, with presentation of the data to international clients in face-to-face meetings and teleconferences, with active discussion of the results and their perspective implications for the progression of the project

Initiative-taking support to colleagues in collaborative projects, by ensuring reliability, accuracy, robustness, and confidentiality for data generated in cooperation with external clients

Keeping pace with the technological and scientific developments and innovation in the fields of interest.

**Required knowledge and skills**:

Degree in Biology, Pharmacological Sciences, or related Life Sciences Academic Faculties with at least five-year traceable hands-on experimental research in Enzymology/Biochemistry, preferably spent in an industrial environment

Significant expertise in enzyme kinetics and inhibition/activation applied to drug discovery projects, or alternatively in the determination of the binding affinity parameters for protein interaction systems using state-of-the-art methods

Expertise in one or more of the following readout systems is essential: fluorescence intensity, FRET, fluorescence polarization, TR-FRET, and luminescence.

Prior experience in biophysical techniques such as NMR, X-ray crystallography, MS-LC, SPR, TSA, MST, ITC, DSF, is highly regarded

Prior experience with miniaturized and parallelized 96 or 384 well/plate assay formats and lab automation systems

Experience in expression of recombinant proteins produced with eukaryotic host cells i. e. , insect cells with the baculovirus system and