Senior Research Assistant

Company Description:

Tulynode Therapeutics Inc. is a biotechnology company dedicated to addressing critical unmet needs in oncology by harnessing each patient’s own immune system. The company focuses on activating autologous immune cells that are specific to an individual’s tumor, aiming to deliver effective and safer cellular therapies with ex vivo manipulation. Tulynode’s gene modification strategy and “Immuno-Pod” platform is designed to expose otherwise inaccessible tumors in vivo, enhancing tumor-specific immune cell activation. This approach seamlessly integrates ex vivo and in vivo processes to create highly personalized, next-generation cancer treatments. Team members have the opportunity to contribute to innovative therapies at the intersection of immunology, gene modification, and oncology.

Role Description:

We are seeking a motivated, detail-oriented Research Associate / Senior Research Associate to join our Discovery & Cell Therapy team and contribute to the development of next-generation tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapies.

This hands-on laboratory position will play an integral role in developing and optimizing TIL manufacturing workflows, executing CRISPR-based gene editing screens, and characterizing the phenotype and function of primary human immune cells using live cell imaging platforms (e.g. Incucyte) and flow cytometry.

The successful candidate will work with patient-derived tumor samples, primary T cells, and tumor cell culture models to support translational research and process development. Key activities include optimizing TIL expansion and gene modification workflows, developing and executing cell-based functional assays, and evaluating strategies to improve TIL expansion, persistence, and antitumor activity.

This opportunity is well suited for a technically skilled scientist who enjoys hands-on experimentation, scientific problem-solving, and contributing to the development of novel cell therapies in a collaborative biotechnology environment.

Key Responsibilities

• TIL Culture & Expansion: Culture, expand, and characterize primary human T cells and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs), supporting the optimization of TIL expansion and manufacturing workflows.
• Gene Editing: Perform CRISPR-based gene editing and electroporation of primary T cells, including guide RNA screening and assessment of editing efficiency.
• Molecular Biology: Execute routine molecular biology techniques, including genomic DNA/RNA isolation, PCR, and gene editing validation assays.
• Phenotypic & Functional Characterization: Perform multi-color flow cytometry (FACS) to assess T-cell immunophenotyping, editing efficiency, and surface marker expression. Run in vitro functional assays, including cytotoxicity (tumor cell killing) and cytokine production profiling (ELISA/Luminex).
• Data Management & Collaboration: Maintain meticulous electronic laboratory notebooks (ELN), analyze datasets using software like FlowJo and GraphPad Prism, and present findings to cross-functional teams.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's or Master's degree in Immunology, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Biomedical Sciences, or a related discipline.
• Experience: 2–5 years of relevant laboratory experience in academic, biotechnology, or pharmaceutical research. Level and title will be commensurate with experience and demonstrated technical independence.
• Demonstrated proficiency in aseptic mammalian cell culture, including experience working with primary cells or immune cell lines.
• Hands-on experience with multicolor flow cytometry, including sample preparation, staining, acquisition, and data analysis.
• Working knowledge of molecular biology techniques, including PCR and genomic DNA isolation.
• Experience performing cell-based assays and analyzing quantitative experimental data.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and ability to manage multiple experiments simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot experiments, maintain accurate documentation, and communicate scientific findings effectively.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced research environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience culturing and expanding primary human T cells, TILs, or other immune cell populations.
• Hands-on experience with CRISPR gene editing, electroporation, or other nonviral gene modification technologies.
• Familiarity with TIL manufacturing processes, including PreREP and REP expansion.
• Experience executing gene knockout screens and evaluating editing efficiency.
• Experience with functional immunology assays, including T-cell cytotoxicity, intracellular cytokine staining, cytokine secretion assays, and other functional assays.
• Experience working with patient-derived tumor samples, primary tumor cell cultures, or tumor organoids.
• Understanding of T-cell biology, including activation, differentiation, exhaustion, and mechanisms of tumor immune recognition.
• Experience with live cell imaging platforms (e.g. Incucyte)

What Success Looks Like

The successful candidate will contribute directly to advancing Tulynode's TIL therapy development program by:

• Establishing and executing robust, reproducible TIL culture and expansion workflows.
• Supporting efficient CRISPR gene editing and systematic screening of candidate genetic modifications.
• Generating high-quality phenotypic and functional data to evaluate TIL quality and antitumor activity.
• Identifying experimental improvements that accelerate translational workflow development and support progression toward clinical applications.