AcuraStem is a patient-based biotechnology company pioneering treatments for neurodegenerative diseases, including ALS and FTD. AcuraStem’s best-in-class disease modeling platform, iNeuroRx®, enables the discovery of innovative, effective, and broadly acting treatments. The team’s strong expertise in ASO technology provides for the rapid advancement of treatments in the clinic. AcuraStem’s research is funded in part by support from the Alzheimer’s Drug Discovery Foundation, Harrington Discovery Institute, Alzheimer’s Association, Rainwater Charitable Foundation, Muscular Dystrophy Association, Department of Defense, and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.

The Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) will partner with the CEO to advance AcuraStem’s mission of discovering and developing more effective treatments for neuroscience indications and advancing them quickly to patients leveraging its patient-based approach and iNeuroRx® technology platform. The CSO is expected to manage and advance AcuraStem’s scientific portfolio by discovering and validating new targets, determining the best treatment modality for new targets, and advancing existing antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) therapeutic programs through development into IND-enabling and early clinical studies.

Reporting to and partnering with the CEO, the CSO will be a critical decision maker in managing and prioritizing the strategy for neuroscience therapeutics discovery, development, and platform technology expansion. In addition, the CSO will build, direct, mentor and evaluate the research team. The CSO will communicate our science to the scientific, patient and investment communities.

Responsibilities

• The CSO will collaborate with the CEO to define the scientific strategy in line with the Company’s objectives.
• Communicate with key stakeholders (board of directors, investors, other funders, key opinion leaders) to get support for the neuroscience strategy
• Serve as the scientific face of the Company, delivering scientific presentations and drafting grant proposals and investor presentations.
• Build and maintain strong expertise in the current and emerging disease etiology knowledge base for neuroscience indications of interest
• Manage projects for a cross-functional team, ensuring timely delivery of high-quality results
• Oversee the improvement and expansion of the Company’s technology platform encompassing human iPSC disease modeling, in vivo pharmacology models and therapeutics
• Lead the iPSC disease modeling team to improve experimental processes and assays, and extension to new indications
• Manage cross-functional teams in the discovery and prioritization of new targets
• Manage the R&D leads to advance therapeutic candidates to development candidate status
• Lead the translational team, covering biomarker development, PK/PD modeling and IND-enabling toxicity studies
• Establish the initial clinical strategy and plans for the programs
• Creatively bootstrap new programs for which funding has yet to be allocated
• Collaborate with program management and finance on project control
• Collaborate with business development on internal and external scientific diligence
• Recruit, mentor, and manage a high-performing team of scientists, providing scientific expertise, professional development opportunities, and fostering a culture of collaboration and innovation.

Qualifications

• PhD, with 15+ years of experience in academic, startup and large biopharma settings, with expertise in neuroscience, iPSC disease modeling, neurobiology and RNA therapeutics
• Have extensive expertise in neuroscience, neural development, neurological disease modeling, stem cell biology, molecular biology, screening and drug development
• Successful track record of delivering therapeutics into clinical trials and beyond
• Experience building biotech pipelines and R&D organizations
• Prior experience leading an R&D therapeutic area and have broad R&D functional experience and understanding
• Therapeutic area expertise in neurodegeneration, neurodevelopment and rare neuro conditions.
• Strong background in drug development, including target screening, new target nomination and validation
• Extensive knowledge and experience in all phases of research and development including clinical and regulatory expertise of therapeutics including antisense oligonucleotides (ASO).
• Must possess superior leadership and communication skills with the ability to lead a multidisciplinary department
• Ability to mentor and grow scientific talent
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to translate between business leaders, scientists and medical professionals

Salary Range

At AcuraStem we strive to build a diverse and equitable workplace. AcuraStem offers a competitive total rewards package which includes healthcare coverage, 401k and a broad range of other benefits. The salary range for this role is $200,000 - $300,000. Compensation for the role will depend on a number of factors, including candidates' qualifications, skills, competencies and experience. This compensation and benefits information is based on AcuraStem knowledge as of the date of publication, and may be modified in the future.

Benefits

Providing a comprehensive range of benefits, AcuraStem is committed to conscientiously investing in our employees, who play a pivotal role in realizing our company's mission and attaining success.

• Medical, Dental, and Vision - AcuraStem pays 100% of all qualifying employee medical premiums and for their qualifying dependents
• Insurance options for Employee Assistance Programs, Basic Life Insurance, Short/Long Term Disability and more.
• 401(k) and 401(k) matching
• PTO, Sick Time, and Paid Holidays