Jnana Therapeutics
Director, Translational Medicine & Biomarker Science, Immunology
Jnana Therapeutics, Boston, Massachusetts, us, 02298
Director, Translational Medicine and Biomarker Science, Immunology
About Us Jnana Therapeutics , a wholly owned subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical,is a clinical-stage biotechnology company leveraging its next-generationRAPIDchemoproteomics platform to discover medicines for highly validated, challenging-to-drug targets to treat diseases with high unmet needs. Jnana is focused on developing first- and best-in-class oral therapies to treat a wide range of diseases, including rare diseases and immune-mediated diseases. Jnana’s lead program, JNT-517, targets an allosteric site on the phenylalanine transporter SLC6A19 and is a potential first-in-class oral approach for the treatment of PKU, a rare genetic metabolic disease. Located in Boston, Jnana brings together scientific leaders in small molecule drug discovery and development, and a highly experienced management team. For more information, please visitwww.jnanatx.com and follow us onTwitter/X andLinkedIn .
At Jnana, you'll join a diverse, passionate team dedicated to advancing therapies for challenging diseases. Our collaborative, purpose-driven culture fosters innovation, urgency, and belonging—making Jnana a great place to work!
About The Opportunity We are seeking a Director-level physician-scientist (MD, MD/PhD) with deep expertise in translational research, immunology, and biomarker strategy, and a strong background in early clinical development. This is a Boston-based role embedded within Jnana's discovery team, focused on supporting our discovery-stage immunology programs by integrating clinical and human biology insights into actionable preclinical and translational strategy.
As a Director of Translational Medicine and Biomarker Science, you will play a key role in shaping how we design and implement innovative biomarker plans, build data-driven go/no-go decision frameworks, and prepare for first-in-human (FIH) studies for novel immunology targets.
Responsibilities
Lead clinical translational and biomarker strategy for late discovery-stage programs, primarily in immunology.
Design and implement biomarker plans that enable early decision-making, patient stratification, and FIH study design.
Provide clinical and translational insight into preclinical data, helping teams define and validate mechanistic hypotheses.
Collaborate closely with discovery biology, pharmacology, and nonclinical safety teams to evaluate new targets and shape development paths.
Act as a strategic interface with Early Development colleagues, contributing to early clinical planning and ensuring effective implementation of translational insights.
Stay at the forefront of biomarker innovation by leading or contributing to scientific collaborations, academic partnerships, and internal strategic forums.
Desired Qualifications & Past Experience
MD or MD/PhD with training in immunology, clinical pathology, or related field. Board certification in Rheumatology or other immunology-relevant discipline is a plus.
At least 2+ years of industry experience in translational medicine and early clinical development, with strong working knowledge of drug discovery, biomarker, and translational tools. Experience in a biotech or early-stage setting strongly preferred.
Proven ability to design, lead, and implement biomarker strategy in First-in-Human through Proof of Concept trials.
Strong conceptual understanding of immunologic mechanisms and translational models.
Demonstrated ability to connect mechanistic biology with practical clinical endpoints and trial design considerations.
Experience leading teams, mentoring scientific staff and working effectively in cross-functional environments.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence across functions and levels.
Experience with small molecules and/or human cell-based translational platforms is a plus.
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About Us Jnana Therapeutics , a wholly owned subsidiary of Otsuka Pharmaceutical,is a clinical-stage biotechnology company leveraging its next-generationRAPIDchemoproteomics platform to discover medicines for highly validated, challenging-to-drug targets to treat diseases with high unmet needs. Jnana is focused on developing first- and best-in-class oral therapies to treat a wide range of diseases, including rare diseases and immune-mediated diseases. Jnana’s lead program, JNT-517, targets an allosteric site on the phenylalanine transporter SLC6A19 and is a potential first-in-class oral approach for the treatment of PKU, a rare genetic metabolic disease. Located in Boston, Jnana brings together scientific leaders in small molecule drug discovery and development, and a highly experienced management team. For more information, please visitwww.jnanatx.com and follow us onTwitter/X andLinkedIn .
At Jnana, you'll join a diverse, passionate team dedicated to advancing therapies for challenging diseases. Our collaborative, purpose-driven culture fosters innovation, urgency, and belonging—making Jnana a great place to work!
About The Opportunity We are seeking a Director-level physician-scientist (MD, MD/PhD) with deep expertise in translational research, immunology, and biomarker strategy, and a strong background in early clinical development. This is a Boston-based role embedded within Jnana's discovery team, focused on supporting our discovery-stage immunology programs by integrating clinical and human biology insights into actionable preclinical and translational strategy.
As a Director of Translational Medicine and Biomarker Science, you will play a key role in shaping how we design and implement innovative biomarker plans, build data-driven go/no-go decision frameworks, and prepare for first-in-human (FIH) studies for novel immunology targets.
Responsibilities
Lead clinical translational and biomarker strategy for late discovery-stage programs, primarily in immunology.
Design and implement biomarker plans that enable early decision-making, patient stratification, and FIH study design.
Provide clinical and translational insight into preclinical data, helping teams define and validate mechanistic hypotheses.
Collaborate closely with discovery biology, pharmacology, and nonclinical safety teams to evaluate new targets and shape development paths.
Act as a strategic interface with Early Development colleagues, contributing to early clinical planning and ensuring effective implementation of translational insights.
Stay at the forefront of biomarker innovation by leading or contributing to scientific collaborations, academic partnerships, and internal strategic forums.
Desired Qualifications & Past Experience
MD or MD/PhD with training in immunology, clinical pathology, or related field. Board certification in Rheumatology or other immunology-relevant discipline is a plus.
At least 2+ years of industry experience in translational medicine and early clinical development, with strong working knowledge of drug discovery, biomarker, and translational tools. Experience in a biotech or early-stage setting strongly preferred.
Proven ability to design, lead, and implement biomarker strategy in First-in-Human through Proof of Concept trials.
Strong conceptual understanding of immunologic mechanisms and translational models.
Demonstrated ability to connect mechanistic biology with practical clinical endpoints and trial design considerations.
Experience leading teams, mentoring scientific staff and working effectively in cross-functional environments.
Excellent communication skills with the ability to influence across functions and levels.
Experience with small molecules and/or human cell-based translational platforms is a plus.
#J-18808-Ljbffr