Contract
Senior Scientist
Computational Biology
Tessera Therapeutics
51-200 employees
Gene Writing platform enabling precise edits
Compensation Overview
$74 - $80/hr
Cambridge, MA, USA
In Person
Bachelor's, Master's, PhD
 Biology & Biotech |
|---|
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- PhD with 5+ years of experience in academic or industry setting, MS with 10+ years of experience or BS with 12+ years of experience
- Broad knowledge of genome editing technologies and associated off-target discovery assays (i.e. WGS; targeted sequencing; GUIDE-seq, Digenome-seq discovery / verification; large and small structural variations and translation effects; NGS QC)
- Hands-on experience developing, executing, and troubleshooting NGS analysis pipelines in cloud-based environments.
- Experience with workflow tools such as Nextflow, Dagster, or equivalent systems.
- Experience with AWS/cloud computing, version control, reproducible analysis practices, and software development best practices
- working with biologists to design and run experiments
- developing methods and tools for processing and interpreting molecular data
- presenting findings to an interdisciplinary audience
- Developing computational biology pipelines with leading cloud technologies (i.e. Dagster, Nextflow) and state-of-the-art control systems software and procedures (i.e. CI/CDs, unit tests, etc.)
- Becoming part of a dynamic, expanding team in a fast-paced and supportive environment with different groups and experts from various backgrounds.
- Working both independently and as part of a collaborative, multi-disciplinary team to design, analyze, and interpret multi-omics technologies focused on understanding gene writing systems.
- Developing the computational methods to understand and model gene writing events
- Processing, analyzing, and interpreting data from a wide variety of research and preclinical projects to develop rigorous hypotheses.
- Collaborating closely with experimental scientists to ensure that data is effectively utilized for high-level impact.
- Presenting scientific findings to broad audiences, including senior leadership, to drive decision making in program teams.
- It’s a bonus if you can use AI agents for your work
Tessera Therapeutics focuses on genetic medicine by developing Gene Writing, a platform that makes precise and permanent changes to the human genome in cells. Its technology can perform both small and large genetic alterations, enabling targeted edits at the source of genetic diseases. The product works through a gene writing system that researchers and clinicians can apply to modify DNA sequences, with the aim of correcting disease-causing mutations. What sets Tessera apart is its emphasis on permanent, in vivo genome edits and a platform-driven approach supported by partnerships and licensing, rather than selling a single product. Revenue comes from collaborations with research institutions and pharmaceutical companies, licensing the Gene Writing technology, and potentially transferring proprietary tools to other biotech and healthcare organizations. The overarching goal is to cure genetic diseases by rewriting the genetic code, bringing about lasting therapeutic changes.
Company Size
51-200
Company Stage
Late Stage VC
Total Funding
$682.7M
Headquarters
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Founded
2018
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- FDA Fast Track and Orphan Drug designations arrived for TSRA-196 on February 23, 2026.
- Regeneron committed $150 million upfront in 2026 and shares development and profits.
- Gates Foundation added up to $50 million for sickle cell and HIV programs.
What critics are saying
- Boston.com reported January 2026 layoffs cut 90 jobs, about 35% of staff.
- TSRA-196 still faces first-in-human execution risk, manufacturing risk, and long clinical timelines.
- Human safety failures in 2026-2027 would freeze Gene Writing and end Flagship financing.
What makes Tessera Therapeutics unique
- Gene Writing combines all-RNA payloads, TPRT, and targeted LNPs for in vivo genome changes.
- TSRA-196 targets AATD with a one-time correction strategy, not chronic augmentation therapy.
- Flagship Pioneering backs a platform spanning monogenic disease, CAR-T, and autoimmune applications.
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Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↓ -5%1 year growth
↓ -1%2 year growth
↑ 3%Leadership changes afoot at two CGT biotechs. Legend Biotech's CEO stepped down without warning, while Sarepta has appointed a biopharma veteran to take the company forward. Cell therapy specialist Legend Biotech has announced the abrupt departure of its CEO, while Sarepta has revealed its new leader after a long-planned transition, marking two contrasting approaches at the two advanced therapy biotechs. Legend's Ying Huang told the board of directors he was resigning from his position as CEO on 24 July. As per a filing published on 27 July, the biotech stated that the sudden departure "was not the result of any disagreement with the company on any matter relating to the company's operations, policies or practices or the company's financial statements or internal controls over financial reporting". In a statement, Huang said: "It has been an honour to lead this company and work alongside such a dedicated team. Together, we helped advance cell therapy and expand treatment options for people living with multiple myeloma...I leave with deep confidence in the future of Legend Biotech." A search is underway for a new leader, with Alan Bash - current president of Legend's Carvykti Business Unit - as interim CEO. Carvykti (ciltacabtagene autoleucel), a personalised CAR-T cell immunotherapy used to treat multiple myeloma, is Legend's only approved therapy. Co-developed and co-commercialised with Johnson & Johnson (J&J), the cell therapy has already reached blockbuster status, reflecting its strong commercial performance. In recent years, several rivals have emerged to provide competition to the brand, most notably Gilead and Arcellx's anito-cel. There have also been concerns from US lawmakers regarding Legend's ties with China. The biotech's former Chinese parent company, GenScript Biotech Corporation, is accused of having influence from the Chinese Communist Party, according to US intelligence bodies. In a statement, Bash said: "The opportunities ahead for Legend are significant. Pharmaceutical Technology has a differentiated commercial therapy, a promising pipeline, a talented leadership team, and a strategy that remains firmly in place. Most importantly, Pharmaceutical Technology has teams around the world who show up every day with the determination to turn scientific innovation into meaningful outcomes for patients and families. "At moments like this, continuity matters. Patients, partners, employees, and shareholders can expect us to remain focused on execution and on advancing the work already underway." Sarepta chooses ex-abbvie president. Unlike Legend's change at the helm, Sarepta's CEO switch has been expected for a while. Speaking in an investor call on 25 February, Doug Ingram announced he was leaving Sarepta after a decade at the Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) developer. Ingram is retiring for personal reasons, with two members of his family being diagnosed with myotonic dystrophy in what he called a "shocking and certainly ironic twist of fate". After a five-month search, Sarepta has appointed pharma industry veteran Michael Severino as new CEO. Severino was previously CEO of fellow gene therapy biotech Tessera Therapeutics and also served as president of AbbVie, with Sarepta saying he brings "more than 25 years of biopharma experience". In a statement, Severino said: "Sarepta's unwavering commitment to patients and science resonates deeply with me, and I was very encouraged by the long-term data supporting our approved products, and the pre-clinical and clinical data from the siRNA pipeline programs and the potential for best-in-class treatments. I look forward to working with my new colleagues at Sarepta to continue to serve the Duchenne community and expand our reach." Severino will be tasked with bringing Sarepta to a more stable footing. The biotech has endured a tumultuous past year amid safety and regulatory issues for its DMD gene therapy Elevidys (delandistrogene moxeparvovec). In July 2025, the company also announced a major restructuring plan, which included a 36% workforce reduction. Cell & Gene Therapy coverage on Pharmaceutical Technology is supported by Cytiva. Editorial content is independently produced and follows the highest standards of journalistic integrity. Topic sponsors are not involved in the creation of editorial content. Give your business an edge with its leading industry insights.
Sarepta names former Abbvie president as CEO as Ingram retires. July 27 (Reuters) - Sarepta Therapeutics said on Monday it appointed former Tessera Therapeutics CEO Michael Severino its chief executive, effective July 28. The longtime AbbVie executive, will succeed Doug Ingram. Shares of the company were up nearly 6% in premarket trading. - The appointment of Severino, who will also join the rare disease drugmaker's board, followed a board-led search after Ingram announced in February that he planned to step down, Sarepta said. - Ingram, who has led Sarepta since 2017, will remain in an advisory role through the end of 2026 to support the transition. - During Ingram's tenure, Sarepta secured approvals for multiple Duchenne muscular dystrophy treatments; but its Elevidys, the first approved gene therapy for the disease, was linked to the deaths of two patients last year. - The company also announced about 500 job cuts and discontinued several gene therapy programs for limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. - Before Tessera, Severino served as vice-chairman and president at AbbVie, overseeing research and development and corporate strategy. He has also held senior roles at Amgen and Merck. (Reporting by Siddhi Mahatole in Bengaluru; Editing by Joyjeet Das)
Tessera Therapeutics has appointed Joseph Romanelli as president and chief executive officer. Romanelli, a veteran pharmaceutical executive, succeeds Michael Severino, who led the company since June 2022. The leadership change comes as Tessera advances its gene editing programme TSRA-196 into clinical trials and prepares to progress additional Gene Writing medicines. TSRA-196 is being jointly developed with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals for alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency treatment. Tessera has received up to $50 million from the Gates Foundation to develop an in vivo gene editing therapy for sickle cell disease. Romanelli joins from Merck, where he served as president of Human Health International, overseeing the company's $25 billion international business across 75 markets. He previously led Merck's China operations from 2016 to 2021.
Tessera Therapeutics appoints Joseph Romanelli as President and Chief Executive Officer. By Tessera Therapeutics Veteran pharmaceutical executive to lead Tessera's next phase of growth as the company advances Gene Writing from platform innovation toward a broad clinical pipeline of genetic medicines SOMERVILLE, Mass., July 23, 2026 - Tessera Therapeutics ("Tessera"), the biotechnology company pioneering a new approach to genetic medicine known as Gene Writing(TM), today announced the appointment of Joseph Romanelli as President and Chief Executive Officer. Romanelli succeeds Michael Severino who has led the company since June 2022. Romanelli will join Tessera's board of directors and also join Tessera's founder, Flagship Pioneering, as a CEO-Partner. The leadership transition comes as Tessera has advanced its first in vivo gene editing program, TSRA-196, into the clinic and is poised to progress a growing pipeline of Gene Writing medicines, including a development candidate for sickle cell disease and efforts towards in vivo chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T for oncology and autoimmune diseases. TSRA-196 is being jointly developed and commercialized with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: REGN) for the treatment of alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD). In addition, Tessera has received an investment of up to $50 million from the Gates Foundation to develop a globally accessible in vivo gene editing therapy for sickle cell disease. "Over the past several years, Tessera has established the scientific and technological foundation for Gene Writing. The company's next chapter is translating that foundation into a broad portfolio of medicines and Joe is the right leader to guide that transition," said Geoff von Maltzahn, Ph.D., co-founder, founding CEO, and Chairman of Tessera and General Partner at Flagship Pioneering. "Joe has spent more than three decades building teams, forging partnerships, and commercializing innovative medicines across global markets. His experience scaling organizations, leading international businesses, and bringing breakthrough therapies to patients makes him exceptionally well suited to lead Tessera as it evolves from a company focused primarily on platform innovation and preclinical development into one capable of realizing the full potential of Gene Writing." Von Maltzahn continued: "We are deeply grateful to Mike Severino for his leadership over the past four years and wish him every success in the future as he embarks on a new role leading a commercial stage biotech company." Romanelli joins Tessera from Merck & Co., Inc. (NYSE: MRK) where he most recently served as President, Human Health International, and a member of the company's Executive Team. In that role, he was responsible for Merck's more than $25 billion international human health business, leading teams across 75 markets outside the United States. From 2016 through 2021, he led Merck's business in China, where the company became one of the fastest growing multinational pharmaceutical businesses in the country and China became Merck's second-largest market. During his nearly 30-year career at Merck, Romanelli held a series of strategic and operational positions of increasing responsibility, including multiple roles that culminated in leadership of the company's investor relations function. He received his bachelor's degree from the University of Delaware and MBA from Fordham University's Gabelli School of Management. "With its Gene Writing technologies and pipeline, Tessera has an exceptional opportunity to help shape the next era of medicine where it may be possible to not only alleviate symptoms, but to address the underlying genetic cause of disease," said Romanelli. "Tessera has built a remarkable scientific platform and assembled an outstanding team. I'm excited to work alongside them to advance a broad pipeline of Gene Writing medicines through clinical development with the goal of ultimately delivering these therapies to patients around the world." About Tessera Therapeutics Tessera Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company pioneering an innovative approach to genome engineering through the development of its Gene Writing(TM) and delivery platforms, with the goal of advancing in vivo genetic medicines. Its Gene Writing platform utilizes all-RNA constructs and is designed to write therapeutic messages into the genome by leveraging a process known as target-primed reverse transcription (TPRT) to efficiently change single or multiple DNA base pairs or add exon-length sequences or whole genes. Its proprietary lipid nanoparticle delivery platform is designed to enable the in vivo delivery of RNA to targeted cell types. Tessera Therapeutics, Inc. believe its Gene Writing and delivery platforms position Tessera Therapeutics, Inc. to advance differentiated in vivo genetic medicines designed to not only cure monogenic diseases but also create engineered cells to fight cancer and autoimmune disease and modify inherited risk factors to treat common diseases. Tessera Therapeutics was founded in 2018 by Flagship Pioneering, a life sciences innovation enterprise that invents and builds platform companies, each with the potential for multiple products that transform human health, sustainability, and beyond. Media Contact: [email protected]
Tessera Therapeutics has received a grant from the Gates Foundation to develop in vivo Gene Writing approaches for a potential HIV cure. The funding supports early-stage research exploring multiple genetic strategies to engineer immune cells directly in the body. The research will evaluate several approaches using Tessera's Gene Writing platform, including disrupting pathways required for HIV infection, introducing antiviral proteins, enabling immune cells to produce broadly neutralising antibodies, and generating engineered immune cell therapies targeting HIV-infected cells. Founded in 2018 by Flagship Pioneering, Tessera is developing Gene Writing technology designed to modify DNA sequences, correct genetic errors, and add therapeutic genes. This grant builds on existing Gates Foundation investment in Tessera's work on a curative genetic treatment for sickle cell disease.