Abbvie Job Openings – Head of Cell Biology Genomics

Job Description:

The Genomics Research Center (GRC) is a center of excellence for genetics and genomics that supports both Discovery and Development. The GRC goal is to develop world class genetics and genomics research focused on finding the right targets and helping AbbVie scientists better understand not only human disease biology but also the behavior of and response to our drugs in clinical trials across all therapeutic areas. AbbVie has committed to obtaining a range of Omics data on more than 1 million participants from Genomics Medicine Ireland, FinnGen and the UKbiobank, as well as our clinical trials. Over 300,000 data sets are already in house. This leader will be responsible for building strategies and solutions to “functionalize” variants that are critical to understanding disease processes and therefore potential targets for new therapeutics across all therapeutic areas and leading at least three departments within the GRC. We have an exciting opportunity for a Senior Director, based in Lake County, Illinois. The candidate will be on the Executive Leadership Team of the GRC and play a critical role in helping to lead and shape genomics activities across AbbVie.

Job Responsibilities:

• Represent the GRC on various discovery and clinical teams involved in a range of drug pipeline activities seeking to understand the disease process.
• Lead a series of teams positioned to conduct validation studies, based on results from genetic and genomic studies, that leverage cellular (cell lines and iPSCs) models, in vitro tissue systems up to whole animal systems to help investigators in therapeutic areas maximize the value.
• Participate in the leadership of the GRC.
• Collaborate with scientists across different Early Discovery therapeutic areas to interpret and incorporate genetic findings into new targets or for validation of existing targets
• Implement cellular assays to assess biological pathways and gene sets that mechanistically link the gene targets to disease(s), leveraging our extensive infrastructure, e.g.
• Compact SelecT automated cell culture system, SeahorseXF and Operetta cell imaging systems for cell biological work.
• Lead groups developing new models (cellular, organoids and whole animal) to validate targets of interest.
• Deploy pooled and array based CRISPR technologies and libraries for whole genome screening to variant modification.
• Develop strategies and solutions to rapidly “functionalize” large numbers of variants implicated in various diseases across Therapeutic Areas from our different population cohorts and clinical trial cohorts.

Job Requirements:

Qualification & Experience:

• Strong communication skills in a collaborative environment
• Deep knowledge of translating genomic data into clinically relevant results.
• Demonstrated ability to design and lead genetic and genomic studies delivering novel findings and medically relevant gene discoveries leveraging cell-based assays.
• Experience or strong knowledge of pharmacogenomics or pharmacogenetics
• Possess a strong background in applying genomic technologies to identify genes responsible for common complex disease and rare diseases.
• Experience with large-scale research projects involving next generation DNA sequencing data (e.g. whole exome and whole genome) in conjunction with results from informatics and wide array of molecular biology strategies.
• Experience with deploying iPSCs for drug discovery.
• Demonstrated leader of high functioning teams.
• Experience with multidisciplinary teams on both the basic research and clinical questions
• Experience in Immunology, Neuroscience or Oncology would be a plus.
• MD, PhD or both with at least 10 years of industry experience in cell biology, cellular models of human disease, and functional genomics.

Job Details:

Company: Abbvie

Vacancy Type:  Full Time

Job Location: Chicago, IL, US

Application Deadline: N/A

Apply Here