Research Intern
Ochre Bio
RESEARCH ASSOCIATE
📍 Taipei City - National Biotechnology Research Park
🏢 On-site
📃 Full Time Hours
📅 Fixed Term Contract until 31st December 2026.
About Ochre Bio
Ochre Bio develops RNA therapies for chronic liver disease. Our driving vision is to end the need for liver transplants. Over 1.5 million people, globally, die of chronic liver disease every year. For the vast majority the only cure is a liver transplant. With little more than 40,000 transplants performed, this is a health lottery. Ochre exists to change this.
Our science is built on three pillars:
- Causal human discovery: The largest global collection of human liver data to uncover new therapeutic targets.
- Rigorous human validation: World-leading human models that far outclass traditional animal models.
- Better therapeutic translation: Optimised RNA chemistry and biology to bring effective therapies to patients faster.
We’re ambitious, curious, and supportive, embracing failure as part of innovation and guided by our three operating values:
- Clarke’s Law: Be bold. Think big.
- Murphy’s Law: Fail fast. Learn faster.
- Wheaton’s Law: Support each other, always.
The Role
We are looking for a talented and highly motivated Research Intern to join the Ochre Bio Team in TPE on an exciting journey to support the development of advanced RNA medicines for one of the most pressing healthcare challenges of our time.
Ochre’s Taipei site is a highly unique precision-slice liver culture lab that deep phenotypes human liver biopsies from diseased donor patients and studies their responses to advanced RNA therapies. Deep phenotyping of liver tissue slices includes: tissue imaging, functional assays, bulk/single-cell sequencing, to model disease and therapeutic dynamics over extended culture time. The team also uses functional genomics, perturbation assays and large scale primary human cell culture/co-culture models to increase scale and throughput of generating discovery datasets and drug candidate screening.
This role will be responsible for supporting the research site operation and generating experimental data from Taipei lab. We are looking for well-rounded students who want to experience working in a fast-paced research environment and be part of an international and collaborative team. Experimental experience in liver, tissue and cell cultures, histology, imaging, RNAi screens and excellent proficiency in molecular biology and biochemistry will be highly advantageous. You will report to the Head of Early Validation (site head), working closely with the rest of tissue team.
Key Responsibilities
- Assist in transportation of clinical samples from hospital to the lab
- Assist in histology workflows such as sectioning of tissue block, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and microscopy. Experience and independence in working with histology and microscopy workflow is a plus.
- Assist in generating data reliably using molecular biology methods such as qPCR, immunoassays (ELISA, AlphaLISA), DNA, RNA and protein isolation
- Keeping site inventory and ensuring a safe and clean work environment
- Supports development and management of research protocols and documentation of data
Must-haves
- Student status with some wet lab experience
- Highly organised and methodical approach to work and record keeping
- Excellent interpersonal skills and good team player
- Embracing change - this is a fast-growing company and change is inevitable!
Nice-to-haves
- Histology workflows such as sectioning of tissue block, immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and microscopy.
- Track record of scientific contributions including peer-reviewed first-author publications, patent applications, and/or presentations at major conferences
- Good working command of English
- Self-motivated, technically competent and capable of working independently within the laboratory
If you’re ready to make an impact in the fight against chronic liver disease, we’d love to hear from you 👉 Apply now!