PhD Program, Microglia Therapeutics

Retro•Redwood City, CA

About The Position

Retro Biosciences is recruiting a PhD fellow for its Microglia Therapeutics program. Retro develops therapies for diseases driven by the biology of aging, focusing on cellular reprogramming and autophagy to rejuvenate cell and tissue function, with the aim of adding 10 years to healthy human lifespan. The accredited PhD program, offered through Retro College of Woolf University, is an accelerated, industry-based three-year program designed to prepare fellows for scientist roles. Fellows conduct aging- and program-related research, reach milestones toward progressive independence, and work in a fast-paced startup environment under the guidance of leading scientists. The fellow will join the Microglia team to make iPSC-derived CNS cell types, including microglia, and develop models to evaluate their therapeutic potential. The role offers access to company resources and opportunities for extensive experimentation, learning, mentorship, and professional growth. The program is immersive and may involve experiments during the day, writing in the evenings, and feeding cells on weekends. The fellow will carry out research both collaboratively and independently, select research topics with the team in alignment with program goals and Retro’s mission, and work with internal groups to advance research. They will produce studies, publish and present results at relevant conferences, write a thesis, and complete a formal oral thesis defense. The goal is to develop into an independent scientist by the end of the program.

Requirements

MS in Biology or a related field.
Experience with standard tissue culture and tissue processing techniques.
Ability to drive work to completion independently and as part of a team.
High self-motivation to make progress on research and writing.
Demonstrated organizational skills, time management, and attention to detail.
Passion for research on aging and age-related diseases.
Willingness and ability to learn new techniques and technologies as needed.

Nice To Haves

Experience with iPSC culture.
Experience differentiating iPSCs into neural cell types or myeloid cells.
Experience with cryosectioning, especially working with brain tissue.

Responsibilities

Perform regular culture of mammalian cells, mainly cell lines and iPSCs, using aseptic tissue culture techniques.
Differentiate iPSCs into brain cell types, including microglia, neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes.
Differentiate and optimize 2D and 3D (organoid) culture protocols.
Perform cell-based and molecular assays to characterize cells and demonstrate function.
Process animal tissue and perform downstream assays.
Support development of new assays as research progresses.
Plan and execute wet-lab and/or computational experiments independently and as part of the team.
Participate in cutting-edge research under the supervision of the PI.
Select research topics collaboratively with the team, aligned with program goals and Retro’s mission.
Foster collaboration with internal groups, including Computational Biology, Automation, Vivarium, and Operations.
Produce extensive studies, publish results, and present them at relevant conferences.
Write a thesis and conduct a formal oral thesis defense before the thesis committee.
Meet growth expectations and program milestones, progressing toward independence as a scientist.