Full-Time

Senior Principal Scientist / Director

DMPK & Bioanalytical Sciences

Alltrna

Alltrna

11-50 employees

tRNA-based therapies for stop codon readthrough

Compensation Overview

$179k - $236k/yr

+ Annual incentive program

Cambridge, MA, USA

In Person

PhD

Category
Biology & Biotech (1)
Required Skills
Biochemistry
Pharmacology
Google Cloud Platform

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Requirements
  • PhD or equivalent in pharmacokinetics, pharmacology, biochemistry, analytical chemistry, or related field
  • 8+ years of industry experience in DMPK, bioanalytical sciences, or closely related function
  • Experience with a range of bioanalytical methods and their development, qualification, and validation in both nonclinical and clinical contexts (e.g. mass spectroscopy, ELISA, NGS, etc.)
  • Experience with ligand binding assays and multiplex immunoassay platforms (e.g., MSD, Luminex) for cytokine, immunogenicity, and biomarker analysis
  • Demonstrated CRO oversight - vendor qualification, study monitoring, data review
  • Experience designing and overseeing PK and PK-PD studies for novel delivery modalities; LNP experience preferred
  • Experience in translational or clinical biomarker development, including assay strategy and fit-for-purpose qualification
  • Strong scientific writing skills - regulatory documents (e.g., IND nonclinical sections) and internal study reports
  • Experience supervising and developing scientists
Responsibilities
  • Lead DMPK and bioanalytical strategy across nonclinical and clinical programs, including PK, biomarker, and translational PD readouts
  • Lead method development, qualification, and validation for bioanalytical assays (GLP/GCP-compliant as required)
  • Design, execute, and oversee PK and PK-PD studies of tRNAs to evaluate delivery technologies (LNP and others) and biomarker effects
  • Manage and qualify CRO and external lab partners across bioanalytical and PK programs
  • Support nonclinical toxicology programs in collaboration with internal teams and CROs
  • Analyze, interpret, and present DMPK and translational biomarker data to internal leadership and external stakeholders
  • Author nonclinical sections of regulatory filings (e.g., IND) and briefing documents; support agency interactions and responses
  • Serve on the Research Leadership Team; represent DMPK and bioanalytical sciences in cross-functional program discussions
  • Manage and develop direct report(s); collaborate with the broader pharmacology team
Desired Qualifications
  • Experience in rare disease, genetic medicine, or nucleic acid / RNA therapeutics
  • Familiarity with LNP platform biology and delivery landscape
  • Familiarity with GLP toxicology study design and ICH nonclinical guidelines
  • Experience operating in a cross-functional leadership role at a clinical-stage biotech
  • Experience with LC-MS/MS or related mass spectrometry platforms

Alltrna focuses on developing tRNA therapeutics to treat diseases caused by nonsense mutations. It decodes transfer RNA biology to regulate protein synthesis and restore full-length proteins that were truncated by stop codons. How it works: engineered tRNAs read premature stop codons and insert the correct amino acids during protein synthesis, enabling cells to produce full-length proteins despite genetic mutations. Differentiation: Unlike many biotech approaches, Alltrna centers on manipulating tRNA to fix the protein production step at its source. It positions itself as the first company to exploit tRNA biology for therapeutics, aiming to address thousands of diseases sharing the same nonsense mutation across patients. Goal: Create tRNA-based treatments that cure or alleviate diseases caused by nonsense mutations by re-establishing normal protein production in affected cells.

Company Size

11-50

Company Stage

Series B

Total Funding

$159M

Headquarters

Cambridge, Massachusetts

Founded

2018

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Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Australia Phase 1 approval de-risks Alltrna’s first-in-human readthrough biology and delivery.
  • September 2025 CSO hire David Hava strengthens pipeline execution and scientific leadership.
  • A potential Phase 2 basket trial spans multiple liver diseases, enlarging the first indication.

What critics are saying

  • March 2026 layoffs cut 19 employees, leaving 36 staff and signaling operational strain.
  • Michelle Werner exited as CEO in March 2026, just as Alltrna entered clinic.
  • AP003 depends on Acuitas’ licensed liver LNP; failure there delays every pipeline program.

What makes Alltrna unique

  • First tRNA therapeutic in humans, AP003, entered Australia Phase 1 on March 31, 2026.
  • Alltrna targets shared Arg-TGA nonsense mutations across PKU, urea cycle disorders, and organic acidemias.
  • Flagship-backed platform combines engineered tRNA oligonucleotides, ML design, and liver-directed LNP delivery.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

Parental Leave

Unlimited Paid Time Off

401(k) Retirement Plan

Disability Insurance

Life Insurance

Commuter Benefits

Professional Development Budget

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

6%

2 year growth

6%
PR Newswire
Mar 31st, 2026
Alltrna wins approval for first-ever tRNA therapeutic trial targeting Stop Codon Disease

Alltrna has received approval to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial of AP003 in Australia, marking the first time a tRNA therapeutic has entered human trials. The study will evaluate safety and pharmacokinetics in healthy volunteers under Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration Clinical Trial Notification scheme. AP003 is an engineered tRNA therapeutic designed to treat Stop Codon Disease caused by arginine-to-TGA premature termination codons. The therapy restores full-length protein production by inserting the correct amino acid at the mutation site. Preclinical studies have demonstrated the ability to restore protein expression whilst showing a safety profile consistent with established oligonucleotide and lipid nanoparticle therapies. Stop Codon Disease affects approximately 30 million people worldwide, representing 10% of all genetic disease patients. Data from this trial will inform future clinical development in patient populations.

PR Newswire
Sep 3rd, 2025
Alltrna Appoints David Hava, Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer to Drive Strategic Pipeline Advancement of tRNA Medicines

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Sept. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Alltrna, a Flagship Pioneering company unlocking transfer RNA (tRNA) biology and pioneering tRNA medicines to regulate the protein universe and resolve disease, today announced the appointment of David (Dave) Hava, Ph.D., as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).

IT桔子
Aug 26th, 2025
ALLYRNA Secures $10M Seed Funding

ALLYRNA, an innovative small molecule drug developer focusing on first-in-class cancer treatments, has secured nearly $10 million in seed funding. The round was co-led by Qiji Investment, Gaorong, and Jifeng, with strategic follow-on investment from U.S.-based Plaisance Capital.

PR Newswire
Jan 7th, 2025
Alltrna Appoints Dr. Nerissa Kreher As Chief Medical Officer To Advance Trna Medicines For Rare Diseases

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Jan. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Alltrna , a Flagship Pioneering company unlocking transfer RNA (tRNA) biology and pioneering tRNA therapeutics to regulate the protein universe and resolve disease, today announced the appointment of Dr. Nerissa Kreher as Chief Medical Officer (CMO). Dr. Kreher brings decades of expertise in rare disease drug development, including extensive experience in clinical development, medical affairs, and regulatory strategy across both early- and late-stage programs."We are thrilled to welcome Nerissa to the Alltrna leadership team as we advance our first tRNA development candidates to the clinic for liver Stop Codon Disease," said Michelle C. Werner, CEO of Alltrna

PR Newswire
Apr 22nd, 2024
Alltrna Announces Presentations At Asgct 27Th Annual Meeting And Tides Usa 2024

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Alltrna , a Flagship Pioneering company unlocking transfer RNA (tRNA) biology and pioneering tRNA therapeutics to regulate the protein universe and resolve disease, today announced a poster presentation at the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy (ASGCT) 27th Annual Meeting taking place May 7-11 in Baltimore and a talk and two poster presentations at TIDES USA 2024 taking place May 14-17 digitally and in-person in Boston.Details of the presentations are as follows:ASGCT 27th Annual MeetingPoster Title: tRNA Therapeutics to Treat Stop Codon DiseaseSession Date & Time: May 9, 12:00 PM to 7:00 PM ETPresenter: Stephen Eichhorn, Ph.D., Head of Computational and Molecular Biology, AlltrnaPresentation Room: Exhibit HallSession Title: Oligonucleotide TherapeuticsAbstract Number: 1221TIDES USA 2024Talk Title: Manufacturing Strategies for Chemically Modified tRNAsSession Date & Time: May 17, 5:00 PM to 5:30 PM ETPresenter: William Kiesman, Ph.D., Chief Technology Officer, AlltrnaSession Title: Oligonucleotide Chemistry, Manufacturing, and ControlsPoster Title: Building 3-D homology models to support tRNA structure-based drug designPresenter: Audrey Hughes, Ph.D., Scientist II, Computational Chemistry, AlltrnaPoster Title: Quantification of Tissue Delivery for tRNA Therapeutics in LNP FormulationsPresenter: W. George Lai, Ph.D., Head of DMPK, Drug Safety and Clinical Pharmacology, AlltrnaPosters will be displayed onsite in the exhibit hall throughout TIDES USA 2024.About Stop Codon DiseaseStop Codon Disease encompasses thousands of rare and common diseases that stem from premature termination codons (PTC) also called nonsense mutations, where the code for an amino acid has been mutated into a premature "stop" codon. This results in a truncated or shortened protein product with no or altered biological activity that causes disease. Approximately 10% of all people with a genetic disease have Stop Codon Disease, representing approximately 30 million people worldwide. Alltrna is engineering tRNA medicines that can read these PTC mutations and deliver the desired amino acid, thereby restoring the production of the full-length protein.About AlltrnaAlltrna unlocks tRNA biology to treat disease. The company's platform incorporates AI/ML tools to develop and deliver diverse programmable molecules with broad therapeutic potential