Full Professor) - Biomanufacturing

The University of Texas at Arlington Portal•Arlington, TX

11d•Onsite

About The Position

The University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) invites applications for five tenure-track faculty positions as part of a coordinated faculty cluster hire designed to establish a nationally distinctive HLA-Peptide Biotherapeutics Program within the Institute of Biomanufacturing and Precision Medicine for North Texas (IMPRINT). These positions represent a single integrated hiring initiative rather than five independent searches. Successful candidates will join a collaborative research ecosystem focused on translating disease-selective HLA-peptide targets into novel biotherapeutic products through a seamless discovery-to-translation framework. This initiative is led by Dr. Jon A. Weidanz, Senior Associate Vice President for Research & Innovation and Founding Director of IMPRINT. The program builds upon established strengths in HLA biology, immunopeptidomics, HLA-E biology, peptide-MHC recognition, and TCR-mimic (TCRm) antibody discovery and engineering. The cluster is centered on the scientific premise that intracellular disease biology can be therapeutically targeted through disease-selective peptide-HLA complexes displayed on the cell surface. By integrating target discovery, molecular recognition, therapeutic engineering, manufacturing science, and translational development, IMPRINT aims to establish a national leadership position in HLA-directed biotherapeutics. The program leverages UTA’s growing strengths in translational immunology, advanced biomanufacturing, analytical sciences, computational biology, and precision medicine, as well as strategic partnerships with Cook Children’s Health Care System, Baylor Scott & White Health, Baylor University Medical Center, regional biotechnology partners, and the National Center for Therapeutics Manufacturing 2 (NCTM2). At the heart of this initiative is an integrated translational pathway: Target Discovery → Mechanistic Validation → Molecular Recognition → Therapeutic Engineering → Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Science & CMC → Clinical Translation. IMPRINT will leverage advanced modeling, process analytics, and digital twin methodologies as enabling technologies within biotherapeutics manufacturing science and Chemistry, Manufacturing, and Controls (CMC). These approaches can support process understanding, product quality prediction, scale-up planning, and manufacturing optimization for HLA-targeted biologics. Rather than serving as the primary scientific focus of the cluster, these capabilities function as translational tools that help bridge therapeutic discovery and manufacturable product development. By integrating manufacturing science and data-driven product development throughout the therapeutic lifecycle, IMPRINT seeks to accelerate the progression of HLA-targeted biotherapeutics from target discovery to clinically translatable products. UTA seeks candidates whose scholarship aligns with one of five integrated capability domains: 1. HLA Immunopeptidomics and Antigen Discovery: Discovery and quantitative validation of disease-selective peptide-HLA targets using immunopeptidomics, proteogenomics, spatial biology, and related approaches. 2. Antigen Presentation Biology and Functional Genomics: Mechanistic studies of antigen processing and presentation, HLA regulation, immune escape, peptide loading, and functional genomics. 3. Computational Modeling of pHLA Recognition and Protein Design: Computational protein design, machine learning, molecular recognition, and predictive approaches for peptide-HLA targeting. 4. Immune-Effector and Therapeutic Format Engineering: Engineering of T-cell engagers, NK-cell engagers, ADCs, multispecific antibodies, Fc-engineered biologics, cytokine fusions, and related therapeutic formats. 5. Biotherapeutics Manufacturing Science and CMC: Biologics manufacturing science, developability assessment, analytical characterization, translational bioanalysis, process development, product quality, Quality-by-Design, and CMC. While these five positions are being recruited as part of a unified faculty cluster, each faculty member will be expected to establish and sustain an independent, externally funded research program that achieves national visibility and scholarly distinction. Successful candidates will contribute a unique scientific or engineering capability aligned with one of the five focus areas, while collaborating across the broader IMPRINT ecosystem. Together, these complementary areas create a unified target-to-product development ecosystem that integrates discovery, therapeutic engineering, manufacturing science, and clinical translation. The initiative positions UTA and IMPRINT to establish a distinctive leadership role in HLA-peptide-targeted biotherapeutics while leveraging the University’s strengths in biomanufacturing, precision medicine, and translational research. Engineering: All areas of engineering will be considered with an emphasis on the research strengths in bioengineering, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. Science: All areas of natural, physical, and health sciences will be considered, with a particular interest in functional genomics, biomedical science, and biomedical data analytics. This initiative positions UTA not merely as a research institution, but as a fully integrated precision therapeutics enterprise – uniquely combining intracellular antigen biology, programmable biologics, targeted delivery, genome engineering, and intelligent manufacturing within a single translational ecosystem. Competitive startup packages, access to advanced genomics and analytical platforms, expanding cleanroom and bioprocess infrastructure, and strong health system partnerships provide an exceptional environment for faculty seeking to build nationally recognized programs at the intersection of precision medicine and scalable manufacturing.

Requirements

A Ph.D. or equivalent in one of the disciplines noted above or a related discipline that clearly aligns with a focus on biomanufacturing.
A strong publication record or potential in the field of expertise.
Strong research program with existing external funding or potential for funding.
Commitment to quality teaching at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

Nice To Haves

Industry and/or industry partnership experience.

Responsibilities

Establish and sustain an independent, externally funded research program that achieves national visibility and scholarly distinction.
Contribute a unique scientific or engineering capability aligned with one of the five focus areas.
Collaborate across the broader IMPRINT ecosystem.
Teach undergraduate and/or graduate courses.
Build and lead a team of researchers, including student researchers.
Implement a program of externally funded research that yields top-tier publications.
Contribute to professional service within UTA and the external community.