About us

Serna Bio is pioneering the first comprehensive map of the druggable transcriptome, unlocking the vast potential of RNA biology for small-molecule drug discovery. Our innovative Discovery Platform addresses traditionally challenging targets across both coding and non-coding RNA.

We are seeking a skilled Assay Development Specialist to contribute to our early-stage drug discovery project timelines by leading experiment design.

The Impact You’ll Make

• Be our internal expert in assay development, directing high-content, cell-based, biochemical and biophysical assay development (SPR, etc) for multiple targets

The Team You’ll Join

We are looking for an Assay Development Specialist to work with us to advise on the design and execution of HTS screening assays.

Main Responsibilities:

• Act as an internal assay development specialist
• Design and development of small molecule high throughput screening assays
• Drive statistical analysis choices with the computational team
• Design and develop screening cascade for core programs in collaboration with drug discovery team
• Direct high-content, cell-based, biochemical and biophysical assay development for multiple targets
• Manage the transfer and implementation of assay cascades with CRO partners.
• Design reporter vectors and led cell-line engineering activities with CROs.
• Help implement data analysis workflows and develop business rules for dose-response curve QC, hit-calling and assay performance monitoring.

Requirements

The Experience You’ll Need

Technical Requirements:

• Ph.D/MSc. molecular Biology or relevant field
• Extensive demonstrable experience leading small molecule screening and assay design development for high throughput assays for drug discovery, scaleup and tech transfer specifically with regards to developing assay with the correct signal window.
• Demonstrated experience in the development of robust and validated high throughput screening assays for driving hit to lead and lead op for multiple drug discovery programs
• Extensive experience working in a remote environment, and computational teams to lead robust computationally driven data analysis, data management
• Experience in nucleic-acid based and protein based assays
• Experience in verifying assays are fit-for-purpose and suitable for data production
• Knowledge of challenges with assay setup

Interpersonal Requirements

• Exceptionally detail-oriented with a love for organisation
• Excellent communication skills - able to present findings whilst working collaboratively within the organisation
• Comfortable with juggling activities and can (re) prioritise effectively

Benefits

About Us

Serna Bio is a preclinical drug discovery company developing small molecules that can modulate translation and splicing, by targeting RNA. Founded in 2021, Serna Bio leverages the convergence of synthetic biology, machine learning (ML), and massively multiplex screening to tackle the historical challenges of drugging the RNA universe.

Our core innovation lies in the Serna Discovery Platform, which systematically maps RNA structures to a vast chemical universe, generating large proprietary datasets. The platform incorporates both experimental wet lab and AI capabilities.  We use our platform to tackle undruggable targets and novel biology inaccessible by classical drug discovery. 

The Values You’ll Share 

• The Data Decides: The future of drug discovery will be computationally led. Opinions are just hypotheses. The data rules.

• Unapologetic ambition: The work we do matters. We maximise its value by striving to make the biggest impact, fastest. We don’t take the easy path, or wait for lower risk. We show up with a plan. We define what victory looks like. We make our time count.

• We don’t rely on experience, we run the experiment: We are humble in the face of work that has never been done before. We never default to experience. We use what we already know to train the machines to outperform us.

• Only the highest standards: We are inspired by challenge. We work hard. Our efforts are guided by the utility of every failed experiment and the value of new learning. Metrics matter to us. Effort, integrity, honesty, execution, and excellence are what we owe each other.

• We are one company: We operate with a ‘company first, team second’ mentality. We learn from the perspectives of others. Our is an antedisciplinary idea meritocracy. Ego is valueless. Diverse perspectives, integrity, resilience and teamwork are priceless.

• High-density, high-frequency communication: We share Work in Progress. We offer and accept critical opinions on this work so that the final versions are excellent. We communicate clearly to enable rapid decision-making, and we bring solutions, not just problems to the team.