New AI-Empowered Platform for Sterically Guided Design of Bispecific Antibodies

What we are looking for

The BioMed X Institute is establishing a new, fully funded research group at its new XSeed Labs incubator on the R&D campus of Servier in Paris-Saclay, France, hosted at the new Spartners facility operated by Servier and BioLabs, in the following field:

New AI-Empowered Platform for Sterically Guided Design of Bispecific Antibodies

If you hold a PhD or master’s degree with an outstanding track record or strong interest in the fields of antibody design, structural biology, AI/machine learning, or immuno-oncology, we invite you to apply with a project proposal for a position in our new research group (1 group leader, 2 postdoctoral researchers, 2 research assistants).

Each BioMed X project team is sponsored by an industry partner. The sponsor of this call for application is Servier.

Bispecific antibodies represent an emerging and powerful therapeutic drug class for cancer therapy, as illustrated by the clinical approval of immune cell engagers (ICE) and the upcoming generation of dual-targeting antibody-drug conjugates (ADC). However, the success of these agents may be limited by physical constraints. The two binding arms of a bispecific antibody must simultaneously engage their targets under physiological conditions. Steric hindrance, epitope accessibility and spatial dynamics are key limiting factors that currently evade systematic design principles. There is an urgent need for innovative platforms that can rationalize and optimize bispecific antibody architecture with these constraints in mind.

The aim of this project is to develop an AI-driven platform that enables the rational design of bispecific antibodies by accounting for steric and structural parameters of dual target engagement. The platform should guide the selection of epitope combinations and molecular formats that maximize functional target proximity for “trans” dual targeting (ICE) and “cis” dual targeting (ADC).

Research proposals should address the following key challenges:

• Design and training of machine learning models to integrate structural data, binding geometries, and cell surface topology.
• Mapping and prediction of epitope combinations enabling optimal immune synapse formation for ICE and internalization for ADC.
• Development of in-silico simulation tools for dynamic modeling of bispecific antibody engagement under physiological conditions.
• Validation of predictive models through experimental systems and structure-function analyses.

Proposals showcasing interdisciplinary collaboration - particularly those combining antibody engineering, structural biology, AI/machine learning, and immuno-oncology - are highly encouraged.

Group leader positions are intended to suit candidates with a PhD (or equivalent) who would like to develop themselves towards a leadership career path either in academia or industry and have typically between three and five years of relevant postdoctoral research experience.

Candidates for postdoctoral positions are expected to have completed a PhD or equivalent within the last three years and a certain degree of specialization in one or more relevant cutting-edge technologies.

What we offer

• A position in a fully funded research group with an annual budget of 807,500 EUR. The funding package covers salaries, consumables, services, travel costs, overhead, as well as free access to the Spartners facility and the core facilities on the R&D campus of Servier in Paris-Saclay.
• An initial term of three years, with the possibility of prolongation for up to two additional years.
• An exciting research opportunity in a multidisciplinary and international research institution with a collegial and flexible working environment.
• Participation in the BioMed X Boot Camp where you learn how to build a compelling pitch presentation in only 5 days.

There is flexibility over starting dates, but successful applicants are welcome to take up post starting February 1, 2026.

Application & Selection Process

• Please apply online at https://career.bmedx.com/registration/2025-XPS-C01
• As part of the online application process, you will be asked to submit: (i) A competitive project proposal that gives us an idea of your scientific expertise and creative potential (3-5 pages describing your unique experimental approach); (ii) Your curriculum vitae including your publication record.
• Deadline for applications: August 31, 2025.
• After a first selection round, candidates will be invited to a five-day innovation boot camp in Paris-Saclay from November 17 to 21, 2025. With guidance of experienced mentors, candidates will jointly work on their project proposals and present them in front of a jury on the final day. Successful candidates will be offered a position at the new XSeed Labs incubator in Paris-Saclay.

About BioMed X

BioMed X is an independent research institute with sites in Heidelberg, Germany, New Haven, Connecticut, XSeed Labs in Ridgefield, Connecticut, and a worldwide network of partner locations. We operate at the interface between academia and industry, performing biomedical research and drug discovery & development in the fields of oncology, immunology, neuroscience, platform technologies, and artificial intelligence.

All our research projects are supported by leading pharmaceutical companies and conducted by early-career scientists recruited from the best schools around the world. The combination of global crowdsourcing with local incubation of the best research talents and ideas allows us to solve the biggest challenges in biomedical research.

We stand for free, creative, and curiosity-driven research combined with a solid validation of results, timelines, and deliverables. We serve a large purpose in advancing translational biomedicine by leveraging synergies and fostering cross-pollination across disciplines.

About XSeed Labs

XSeed Labs is a new and scalable open innovation model which implements BioMed X’s established global crowdsourcing and local incubation processes inside pharmaceutical R&D campuses. Outstanding research talents are recruited from the best academic institutions world-wide, relocated and placed inside established commercial R&D ecosystems. When working inside a major pharma R&D campus, they have access to industrial infrastructure and interact daily with pharma researchers and mentors while still being part of BioMed X’s global academia-style research network. The first XSeed Labs were established in 2024 on the R&D campus of Boehringer Ingelheim in Ridgefield, Connecticut.