PhD Candidate, Tissue Rejuvenation

Overview

Retro develops therapies for diseases driven by the biology of aging. We focus on cellular reprogramming and autophagy to broadly improve tissue function by targeting mechanisms of aging with the ultimate aim of adding 10 years to healthy human lifespan.

We’re building a mission-driven team of accomplished and kind individuals who embrace our startup culture of rapid iteration, transparency, and versatility.

Retro received the accreditation of Retro College of Woolf University and the Retro PhD program in 2024. Retro’s PhD is an accelerated 3-year program. As a fellow, you will support and lead aging research projects in the Tissue Reprogramming team, progressing through key milestones designed to prepare you for a scientist role.

If you are extremely motivated and have a strong desire to learn while also being a high-impact team member, you might be a Retro fellow. As a Retro fellow, you’ll gain exposure to a fast-paced startup environment and work under the guidance of the world’s leading scientists in the field. You’ll have access to all the resources of a well-funded company and the ability to accelerate your learning, as well as your experimentation volume.

The Tissue Reprogramming team is to develop reprogramming-based gene therapies for patients with age-related diseases, with the goal of restoring tissue function and resilience, and ultimately to extend these therapies to broader aging populations to promote healthy aging. By leveraging partial reprogramming to reset age-associated epigenetic states, we aim to address multiple molecular and cellular drivers of age-related dysfunction simultaneously, creating a platform with broad therapeutic potential across age-related diseases.

About You:

You are intellectually curious and deeply motivated to help advance research on the biology of aging. You embody a proactive, resourceful attitude and perform hands-on experimental work with exquisite attention to detail. You operate with a high-degree of flexibility and adaptability that will enable you to support programs in preclinical and proof of concept stages. You communicate openly and thoughtfully, and approach challenges with humility, integrity, and a strong sense of ownership. You’re eager to spend your time deeply engaged in hands-on science and to build the foundation for your future career as a scientist.

In this role, you will:

• Characterize and engineer AAV vectors for gene therapy applications, including capsid, payload, dose, and delivery optimization.
• Perform therapeutic vector administration, rodent necropsy, tissue harvesting, tissue digestion for primary cell isolation, histology (including immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence), and imaging workflows in a cross-functional team setting.
• Establish and validate in vitro organoid and primary cell-based disease models to support therapeutic screening, mechanism-of-action studies, and translational assay development.
• Develop and apply LNP-based delivery strategies to improve tissue selectivity and tolerability for therapeutic payloads. Leverage AI/ML-guided design to support LNP formulation optimization
• Execute cell culture, flow cytometry, and live animal work as the team needs.
• Maintain timely, accurate experimental records and analyze biological datasets.
• Support optimization and execution of experimental workflows and SOPs with strong attention to detail.
• Collaborate closely with computational, automation, technical in vivo and operations teams to accelerate our gene therapy platform development.
• Contribute proactively to improving workflows, increasing efficiency, and solving experimental challenges.
• Present experimental updates and contribute to scientific discussions.
• Contribute to the development of next-generation delivery systems that help shape Retro’s approach in gene therapy.

You might thrive in this role if you have:

• MS degree in Biology, Biomedical Sciences, Cell Biology, Immunology, or related discipline.
• Prior hands-on laboratory experience, including rodent necropsy, tissue harvesting and primary cell isolation, cell culture, flow cytometry, histology and imaging.
• Exceptional attention to detail, strong organizational skills, and ability to prioritize effectively in a fast-paced environment.
• Intellectual curiosity, adaptability, strong motivation to grow, and a proactive, can-do attitude.
• An ownership mentality and an eagerness to contribute wherever needed, continuously improving workflows and execution.
• A highly collaborative nature and low-ego with excellent communication skills and high integrity.

It’s a bonus if you have:

• Experience with gene delivery, epigenetic reprogramming, regenerative biology, or aging/longevity research, particularly in the fields of musculoskeletal, osteoarthritis, inflammatory, or degenerative diseases.
• Experience with mouse or rat surgeries.

At Retro, we don't use titles. New hires join as a "Member of X Team". The expectations for this role are generally aligned to an entry-level Research Associate.

Total compensation also includes generous equity and benefits including:

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance for you and your family
• 401(k) plan with 4% matching
• Flexible time off and 10 company holidays per year
• Paid parental leave
• Annual learning & development stipend
• Monthly Longevity stipend
• Daily Retro-sponsored lunch and snacks

We take pride in cultivating an environment that fosters collaboration, open communication, and authenticity. We believe that great results are best delivered by a highly creative team working in concert. We are an equal opportunity employer; we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We are diverse in background and singular in mission.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.