Why join us?
FogPharma® is pioneering the discovery, development, and commercialization of HeliconTM peptides, an exciting new drug modality that uniquely combines the cell-permeability of traditional small molecule drugs with the specificity, broad target accessibility and discovery speed of monoclonal antibody drugs. Our patented Helicon peptide technology allows us to modulate the activity of well-known intracellular disease drivers that have thus far evaded small molecule and biologic therapies.
FogPharma’s lead program targets β-Catenin, a cancer driver in the WNT pathway. Inhibition of β-Catenin has the potential to benefit more than one-fifth of all cancer patients, and is just one of many opportunities for Fog’s lead-discovery platform to change future medicines, therapies and lives. We recently selected a lead development candidate and plan to initiate clinical development early next year.
What’s the opportunity?
You’ll be joining a multidisciplinary team that drugs the undruggable—discovering novel inhibitors of historically elusive cancer targets. Your role will be to discover Helicon peptides using our next-generation peptide screening platform, which combines molecular design, combinatorial chemistry, biochemistry, and mass spectrometry to enable rapid optimization of drug leads. Ideal candidates will be energetic and passionate, with significant hands-on chemistry or chemical biology lab experience, and a desire to grow into an independent peptide drug-hunter.
Specific responsibilities include:
- Synthesize and purify peptides and pooled combinatorial peptide libraries with multiple modifications, including unnatural amino acids, linkers, and fluorescent tags, and use HPLC and LC/MS-based methods to analyze library content and purity.
- Execute high-throughput screening assays to discover biochemically active Helicon peptides.
- Analyze screening data to discover Helicons with desired drug-like properties, and participate in the design process, with the long-term goal of independently designing, synthesizing, and screening chemical libraries of your own.
- Maintain peptide synthesizers and other routinely used equipment.
- Act as a dynamic and collaborative teammate with other members of our interdisciplinary research group.
What you’ll need to be successful:
- BS or MS in chemistry, biochemistry, chemical biology, or related field.
- 2+ years industry experience required.
- Significant experience with chemistry or chemical biology lab methods is required.
- Experience with peptide synthesis, purification, and characterization by chemical and biophysical methods, and experience with chromatography and mass spectrometry instrumentation is preferred.
- Creativity, resourcefulness, and an ability to adhere to deadlines and commitments.
- An interest and desire to learn more about the drug discovery and development process.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, and a personality of risk-taking, positivity, leadership, adaptability, adventurousness, and excitement to build a pioneering company and work in a dynamic, goal- and performance-oriented team environment.
- Able to work on-site and attend in-person meetings (Fog employees are required to be fully vaccinated to attend in-person work-related activities. Reasonable Accommodations will be made for individuals with a sincerely held religious belief or disability who are not vaccinated)
As an equal opportunity employer, Fog values diversity and welcomes applicants of all backgrounds and experiences. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, or any other factors prohibited by law.
30 Acorn Park Drive | Cambridge, MA 02140 | www.fogpharma.com