Associate Director / Director, Oligonucleotide Biology & Bioinformatics at Korsana Biosciences, Inc. – Waltham, Massachusetts

Korsana Biosciences is a private biopharmaceutical company advancing a pipeline of potential best-in-class therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. In partnership with Paragon Therapeutics, we have developed Therapeutic Targeting (THETA™), a novel blood-brain barrier-penetrant shuttle platform designed to enable dramatically higher drug concentration inside the brain and overcome the limitations of earlier shuttle technologies. Our lead program is KRSA-028, an investigational, shuttled antibody targeting amyloid beta designed to be a best-in-class treatment for Alzheimer’s disease. Our mission is to advance precision-engineered therapies, designed to address some of the biggest unmet needs in medicine. For more information, please visit www.korsana.com

Position Overview

As the Associate Director/Director of Oligonucleotide Biology & Bioinformatics, you will be the primary technical lead for the nucleic acid component of our Antibody-Oligonucleotide Conjugate (AOC) platform. While you will work in a highly collaborative environment with antibody and conjugation experts, your core focus will be the end-to-end design, and computational optimization of the oligonucleotide "payload". You will enable the identification of high-potency sequences and lead the biology efforts to validate their activity before and after conjugation.

Responsibilities

• Oligonucleotide Payload Strategy: Define the strategy for selecting and optimizing oligonucleotide modalities (e.g., siRNA, ASO, PMO) specifically for AOC applications.
• In vitro/in vivo studies: collaborate with translational scientists to design and/or lead in vitro and in vivo studies to validate candidate molecules and MOA.
• Computational Sequence Design: Lead the bioinformatics effort to design sequences with maximal potency and minimal off-target effects, utilizing predictive modeling and machine learning where applicable.
• Bioinformatics Pipeline Development: Establish robust pipelines for processing NGS, RNA-seq, and other "omics" data to validate target knockdown and monitor cellular responses.
• SAR & SPR Modeling: collaborate with oligo chemist and antibody engineers to Integrate screening data into Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) models to guide the iterative refinement of oligos.
• Regulatory Support: Author and review oligonucleotide-specific sections of regulatory filings (IND/CTA).

Education & Experience

• Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Bioinformatics, Computational Biology.
• A minimum of 4 years of industry experience with a heavy focus on oligonucleotide drug discovery.
• Experience leading oligonucleotide programs into the clinic.
• Deep understanding of RNA-centric assays (e.g., RNA extraction, RT-qPCR, ddPCR, ELISA, MSD, cytokine profiling, western blot, etc.) used to evaluate knockdown efficiency, gene expression, and target engagement.
• Experience developing in vitro models and preferably in vivo models or collaborating closely with translational scientists to enable in vivo models.
• Deep expertise in nucleic acid biology and impact on AOC performance.
• Proficiency in bioinformatics languages (Python, R) and tools for sequence alignment and off-target prediction.
• Strong understanding of oligonucleotide delivery challenges and how conjugation to antibodies modifies these properties.
• Experience managing multidisciplinary teams and external CROs partnerships for oligo synthesis and vitro assays.

Skills & Attributes

• Thrives in fast-moving, evolving environments, adapting quickly as data, priorities, and timelines shift.
• Translates complex data into clear, decision-ready recommendations for cross-functional teams.
• Takes ownership for outcomes, driving work forward and aligning internal teams and external partners.
• Practical, solutions-oriented individual who can balance scientific rigor with speed in a lean organization.
• Collaborative leader who builds trust and influence across functions and levels.

Korsana Biosciences is the sixth groundbreaking company launched by Paragon Therapeutics, a premier biotech incubator founded by Fairmount Funds in 2021, known for its expertise in discovering and developing cutting-edge therapeutic assets in-house.

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Korsana Biosciences is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to fostering a diverse, inclusive, and equitable workplace where all individuals are valued and respected. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business needs, without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other protected status.