Who We Are
Team
Board of Directors
Chris Bahl
AI Proteins, President, Chief Scientific Officer, Co-founder
Noah Beerman
Director
Drew Dennison
Lightchain Capital
Bruce Evans
Evans Capital
Todd Kaloudis
Cobro Ventures
Malcolm Salter
Harvard Business School
Bobby Sandage
Lightchain Capital
Scientific Advisory Board
Alice Bexon, MD
Founder
Bexon Clinical Consulting
Charlotte Deane, PhD
Professor of Structural Bioinformatics
University of Oxford
Todd Fehniger, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine
Washington University School of Medicine
Justin Gainor, MD
Director, Center for Thoracic Cancers Program
Massachusetts General Hospital
Dennis Klinman, MD, PhD
Chief Scientific Advisor
Cobro Ventures
Carl Novina, MD, PhD
Principal Investigator
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
Associate Professor
Harvard Medical School
Eric Rowinsky, MD
Expert, Cancer Therapeutic Development and Regulatory Strategies
Robert Stein, MD, PhD
Venture Partner
Samsara Biocapital
Omer Yilmaz, MD, PhD
Eisen and Chang Development Professor
Associate Professor of Biology
MIT
Board-certified anatomic pathologist
Massachusetts General Hospital
Chris Bahl, MS, PhD
Christopher D. Bahl, PhD co-founded AI Proteins in November 2021 and serves as President, Chief Scientific Officer, and Director. Chris is a protein designer, biochemist, structural biologist and entrepreneur.Â
Prior to founding AI Proteins, Chris joined the Institute for Protein Innovation in Boston as one of the founding faculty members, with co-appointments at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He pioneered the ability to computationally design miniproteins de novo as a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. David Baker at the University of Washington’s Institute for Protein Design in Seattle. In recognition of his innovative approach to creating therapeutics with the potential to tackle long-standing challenges in medicine and human health, Chris was selected as a 2019 TED Fellow.
In addition to his role at AI Proteins, he is the Founder and Co-Organizer of the Boston Protein Design and Modeling Club, a community of computational protein engineers and modelers from both academia and industry and sponsored project of the Open Molecular Software Foundation. He also sits on the Executive Council of The Protein Society, a non-profit scientific and educational organization that provides forums for scientific collaboration and communication and supports the professional growth for early-career investigators. Chris also serves as a Scientific Advisor for Applied Photophysics, Ltd. and BioLoomics, Inc.Â
Chris holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and received his MS in Biochemistry and BS in Biochemistry, Molecular & Cellular Biology from the University of Maine.
Drew Dennison
Drew Dennison is Managing Director at Lightchain Capital, LLC, the family office for Scottrade Founder and former Chief Executive Officer Rodger Riney, and previously served as Chief Executive Officer for AI Proteins from January 2022 – July 2023. Drew is responsible for venture capital investments in the life science and technology sectors. He also assists the Riney Foundations with their philanthropic endeavors.
Previously, Drew served as the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer at Scottrade Financial Services, Inc. He led the Company’s operations, technology, operations, finance, and strategic planning functions and worked at the Company for over a decade. Drew led the sale of Scottrade to TD Ameritrade ($4B acquisition in 2017), then co-led the integration project, successfully combining the two companies. In addition, he serves on the board of Wugen, Geneoscopy, Dynamic Cell Therapies, SimpleRose and CareVet Holdings.
Drew received his BBA in accounting from University of Iowa – Henry B. Tippie College of Business where he graduated Cum Laude. He also is a graduate of the Wharton School’s Securities Industries Institute Executive Education Program.
Bruce Evans
Bruce Evans is Managing Partner of Evans Capital and a Senior Advisor with Summit Partners, a venture capital and growth equity investment firm with more than $35 billion in capital under management. He joined Summit Partners in 1986 and was Chairman of the firm’s Board of Managers from 2011 to 2019, served as Co-Managing Partner/Executive Committee member from 1999 to 2011, and held various technology industry-focused investment roles from 1986 to 1999. Â
 Bruce has served as a director of 39 companies, including fourteen public companies. Current directorships include Casa Systems (NASDAQ: CASA), a provider of next generation broadband network technologies for communications carriers and Clockworks Analytics, a provider of cloud–based fault detection and diagnostics applications for facilities management. His former public company directorships include Analog Devices, FleetCor Technologies, Hittite Microwave Corporation, OPNET Technologies, optionsXpress Holdings, and Pediatrix Medical Group. Â
He is also Chairman of Vanderbilt University’s Board of Trust, a former Chairman of Vanderbilt’s Investment Committee, a former member of the National Venture Capital Association Board of Directors, and a four-time member of the Forbes Midas List.Â
Bruce holds an MBA from Harvard Business School, and a BE in mechanical engineering and economics from Vanderbilt University.
Malcolm Salter
Malcolm Salter is the James J. Hill Professor, Emeritus, at the Harvard Business School (HBS). Since joining the Harvard Business School faculty in 1967, his teaching and research has focused on issues of corporate strategy and governance. In addition to teaching at HBS, he has held teaching positions at the Harvard Law School and the Kennedy School of Government.
Malcolm currently serves on the following boards of directors: C4 Therapeutics, a biotechnology company focused on targeted protein degradation, since 2015; NextRNA, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on developing the next generation of RNA-directed therapeutics, since February 2021; and Raqia Therapeutics, Inc., a CAR-T cell therapies company for cancer and other diseases, since September 2020. From 1986 to 2006, he served as president of Mars & Co., a global strategy-consulting firm. He is a former Trustee of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Malcolm holds an A.B., M.B.A., and a D.B.A. from Harvard University.
Noah D. Beerman, MBA
Noah D. Beerman joined AI Proteins in April 2023 and serves as Chief Executive Officer and Director. Noah has over 30 years in the biopharmaceutical industry including extensive experience managing, advancing, and financing pipelines and companies, and completing a broad range of transactions to expedite corporate growth.
Prior to joining AI Proteins, Noah served as President US Operations, and EVP, Business Development for Poxel SA, a multinational biopharmaceutical company developing innovative treatments for chronic and serious diseases with metabolic pathophysiology. Prior to this, from 2011 to 2013, he served as EVP and Chief Operating Officer for Coronado Biosciences, Inc. (now Fortress Biotech, Inc.) a biopharmaceutical company focused on immunotherapies for autoimmune diseases and cancer. Prior to Coronado, from 2009 until 2011, Noah served as President and Chief Executive Officer and a Director of RXi Pharmaceuticals Corp., a biotech company developing novel RNAi-based therapeutic candidates. Prior to RXi, he spent over 10 years at Indevus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., serving as Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer from 2004 until the company’s acquisition by Endo Pharmaceuticals in 2009.
Earlier in his career, Noah was Vice President responsible for health care at Technology Management and Funding (TMF), and also served in a variety of business development and scientific capacities at Creative BioMolecules, Sandoz AG, and Repligen. Noah holds an M.B.A. from Northeastern University’s High Technology Program graduating Beta Gamma Sigma, and a B.S. in molecular genetics from the University of Rochester graduating Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude.
Todd Kaloudis
Todd Kaloudis has 25 years of experience at disruptive technology companies as an investor and operator. He is a general partner at Cobro Ventures, and serves on the boards of multiple portfolio companies including AI Proteins and Techsomed. He was instrumental in leading private financings for C4 Therapeutics and Frequency Therapeutics prior to their IPOs in 2020 and 2019, respectively, and as a board advisor to Platform Science prior to its Series C in 2022.
Previously he led global sales and business development teams at Dynatrace leading up to its acquisition by Thoma Bravo and merger with Keynote Systems in 2015. He led global business development at OPNET through its IPO and subsequent acquisition by Riverbed in 2012.
Todd studied computer science at MIT as an undergraduate, where he was admitted to the HKN honors society.
Bobby W. Sandage, PhD
Bobby W. Sandage, Jr., Ph.D. has over 40 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry in drug development and senior management and over 10 years in venture capital investing. Bobby currently holds positions in the St. Louis area as Managing Director of the Paula and Rodger Riney Foundation and Lightchain Capital, a venture fund, and is a General Partner in Cultivation Capital Life Sciences Fund II, also a venture fund. In addition to serving as Interim Head of Development for AI Proteins, Bobby is the acting CEO for one of Cultivation Capital’s other portfolio companies, Euclises Pharmaceuticals.
Previously Bobby was President and Chief Executive Officer of Coronado BioSciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNDO), an immunotherapy company where he took the company public in 2011. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Covidien (Mallinckrodt) Pharmaceuticals’ oncology research and development program. For 19 years, Bobby was the Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of Research and Development, Quality and Manufacturing at Indevus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDEV) (successor to Interneuron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.), which was acquired by Endo Pharmaceuticals in 2009. Prior to Indevus, he held senior drug development positions at DuPont Merck Pharmaceutical Company, DuPont/American Critical Care, Merrell Dow and Dow Pharmaceuticals.
Bobby has extensive experience guiding numerous life sciences companies as a Member of the Board of Directors of NextRNA (Lead Director), Microbial Machines, Immunophotonics (chairman), Geneoscopy and Endevica Bio. He was previously Board Director at Mateon (NASDAQ: MATN), Arch Oncology, Gentium S.r.l. (NASDAQ: GENT), Osteologix, Inc. (NASDAQ: OLGX), and Genta (NASDAQ: GNTA).
Bobby holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Pharmacy from Purdue, and received his undergraduate degree in Pharmacy from the University of Arkansas.
Chris Bahl, MS, PhD
Christopher D. Bahl, PhD co-founded AI Proteins in November 2021 and serves as President, Chief Scientific Officer, and Director. Chris is a protein designer, biochemist, structural biologist and entrepreneur.Â
Prior to founding AI Proteins, Chris joined the Institute for Protein Innovation in Boston as one of the founding faculty members, with co-appointments at Boston Children’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He pioneered the ability to computationally design miniproteins de novo as a postdoctoral fellow with Dr. David Baker at the University of Washington’s Institute for Protein Design in Seattle. In recognition of his innovative approach to creating therapeutics with the potential to tackle long-standing challenges in medicine and human health, Chris was selected as a 2019 TED Fellow.
In addition to his role at AI Proteins, he is the Founder and Co-Organizer of the Boston Protein Design and Modeling Club, a community of computational protein engineers and modelers from both academia and industry and sponsored project of the Open Molecular Software Foundation. He also sits on the Executive Council of The Protein Society, a non-profit scientific and educational organization that provides forums for scientific collaboration and communication and supports the professional growth for early-career investigators. Chris also serves as a Scientific Advisor for Applied Photophysics, Ltd. and BioLoomics, Inc.Â
Chris holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry from Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and received his MS in Biochemistry and BS in Biochemistry, Molecular & Cellular Biology from the University of Maine.
Noah D. Beerman, MBA
Noah D. Beerman joined AI Proteins in April 2023 and serves as Chief Executive Officer and Director. Noah has over 30 years in the biopharmaceutical industry including extensive experience managing, advancing, and financing pipelines and companies, and completing a broad range of transactions to expedite corporate growth.
Prior to joining AI Proteins, Noah served as President US Operations, and EVP, Business Development for Poxel SA, a multinational biopharmaceutical company developing innovative treatments for chronic and serious diseases with metabolic pathophysiology. Prior to this, from 2011 to 2013, he served as EVP and Chief Operating Officer for Coronado Biosciences, Inc. (now Fortress Biotech, Inc.) a biopharmaceutical company focused on immunotherapies for autoimmune diseases and cancer. Prior to Coronado, from 2009 until 2011, Noah served as President and Chief Executive Officer and a Director of RXi Pharmaceuticals Corp., a biotech company developing novel RNAi-based therapeutic candidates. Prior to RXi, he spent over 10 years at Indevus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., serving as Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer from 2004 until the company’s acquisition by Endo Pharmaceuticals in 2009.
Earlier in his career, Noah was Vice President responsible for health care at Technology Management and Funding (TMF), and also served in a variety of business development and scientific capacities at Creative BioMolecules, Sandoz AG, and Repligen. Noah holds an M.B.A. from Northeastern University’s High Technology Program graduating Beta Gamma Sigma, and a B.S. in molecular genetics from the University of Rochester graduating Phi Beta Kappa, Magna Cum Laude.
Bobby W. Sandage, PhD
Bobby W. Sandage, Jr., Ph.D. has over 40 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry in drug development and senior management and over 10 years in venture capital investing. Bobby currently holds positions in the St. Louis area as Managing Director of the Paula and Rodger Riney Foundation and Lightchain Capital, a venture fund, and is a General Partner in Cultivation Capital Life Sciences Fund II, also a venture fund. In addition to serving as Interim Head of Development for AI Proteins, Bobby is the acting CEO for one of Cultivation Capital’s other portfolio companies, Euclises Pharmaceuticals.
Previously Bobby was President and Chief Executive Officer of Coronado BioSciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: CNDO), an immunotherapy company where he took the company public in 2011. Prior to that, he was Vice President of Covidien (Mallinckrodt) Pharmaceuticals’ oncology research and development program. For 19 years, Bobby was the Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President of Research and Development, Quality and Manufacturing at Indevus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: IDEV) (successor to Interneuron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.), which was acquired by Endo Pharmaceuticals in 2009. Prior to Indevus, he held senior drug development positions at DuPont Merck Pharmaceutical Company, DuPont/American Critical Care, Merrell Dow and Dow Pharmaceuticals.
Bobby has extensive experience guiding numerous life sciences companies as a Member of the Board of Directors of NextRNA (Lead Director), Microbial Machines, Immunophotonics (chairman), Geneoscopy and Endevica Bio. He was previously Board Director at Mateon (NASDAQ: MATN), Arch Oncology, Gentium S.r.l. (NASDAQ: GENT), Osteologix, Inc. (NASDAQ: OLGX), and Genta (NASDAQ: GNTA).
Bobby holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Pharmacy from Purdue, and received his undergraduate degree in Pharmacy from the University of Arkansas.
Wendy Dwyer, MSM
Wendy Dwyer joined AI Proteins in November 2022 and serves as Chief Business Officer. She brings deep industry and transactional experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech, and enabling technology fields.
Prior to joining AI Proteins, Wendy spent 25 years providing Business Development leadership at companies including Surface Oncology, Portal Instruments, AstraZeneca, Ipsen BioScience and Endo Pharmaceuticals (formerly Indevus Pharmaceuticals). She has worked across multiple therapeutic areas with a key focus in oncology at Surface Oncology, AstraZeneca and Ipsen. She began her career at Indevus pharmaceuticals and over the years has led many strategic initiatives and transactions including various licensing partnerships, collaborations, co-promotions and M&A deals.
Wendy received her Masters in Management from Lesley University, and BS in Psychology from Endicott College.
Julia Novina, JD
Julia Novina, Esq. joined AI Proteins as a founding executive and serves as Chief Legal Officer for the company. Julia provides and oversees legal operations for the company including corporate formation, financing, board management, equity management, technology licensing, contracting and general company administration.
Julia also serves as founder and Chief Legal Officer to two other preclinical biotechnology companies, Dynamic Cell Therapies, Inc. and Microbial Machines, Inc. She has formerly served as Chief Legal Officer and founder to two other start-up biotechnology companies, NextRNA Therapeutics, Inc. and Courage Therapeutics.
Julia earned her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center and graduated magna cu laude from Connecticut College.
David Redington
Office and Lab Assistant
Nathan Yoo
Research Associate
Expertise: biochemistry, protein interactions, and protein design
Kyra Robinson
Research Associate
Expertise: cellular and molecular biology, and chemistry
Mila Manic
Research Associate
Expertise: biology, immuno-oncology, pharmacologyÂ
Nicholas Gill, PhD
Scientist
Expertise: bacterial protein expression and purification, protein characterization, X-ray crystallography, and drug screening and validation
 Taghreed Hirz, PhD
Scientist
Expertise: immunology, immuno-oncology, cell and molecular biology, cancer biology
Vitaliy Andrusyshyn
Senior Research Associate
Expertise: yeast display, protein design, immuno-oncology, bioinformatics, human physiology
Michael Krepps, MBA
Mike Krepps joined AI Proteins in 2023 and serves as Chief Strategy Officer. He brings deep expertise across the full spectrum of biotech, including leadership roles, operations, investing, and scientific research.Â
Mike also currently serves as an Entrepreneur-In-Residence with Cobro Ventures and is a Venture Partner with the Global BioAccess Fund. Prior to joining AI Proteins, Mike served as COO of OncoPep, an immunotherapy-based biotech company. Previously, he led the investment team at the American Cancer Society’s VC fund (BrightEdge) and worked as an Associate Principal in the Life Sciences Practice of the CRA consulting group where he led global engagements in therapeutic area strategy, asset strategy, pipeline optimization, pricing & market access, M&A, and corporate strategy, primarily in oncology and immunology.
Mike’s scientific experience includes co-founding SynActive Biosciences (a startup focused on stem cell-derived neuron technologies), and working as a Program Manager/Senior Scientist in the Biosciences Division at the US Department of Defense where he researched immunology and infectious disease with a focus on emerging pathogens and bio-terrorism threat agents. He has authored many publications and has presented his research at leading academic conferences.
Mike received a Master of Science in genetics and a Bachelor of Science in bacteriology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and an MBA in finance, strategy, and entrepreneurship from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Elise Pritchard
Senior Research Associate
Tessa Howard, MPH
Senior Research Associate
Teal Guidici, MA, MS, PhD
Computational Investigator
Expertise: machine learning, statistics, and software development
James Bowman, PhD
Director of Protein Engineering
Expertise: yeast display, virology, GPCR biochemistry, synthetic miniprotein engineering
Edson Cárcamo Noriega MS, PhD
Investigator Head of Biochemistry
Expertise: high-throughput protein production, biochemistry, biophysics, venom peptides
Frank Teets, PhD
Senior Computational Investigator, Head of Computational Science
Expertise: computational protein design, software development, laboratory automation, high-performance computing
Arturo Vera Rodriguez, MS, PhD
Director of Bioprocess Development
Expertise: phage display, protein engineering, biochemistry, structural biology, protein design
MarÃa Eugenia Llases MS, PhD
Investigator, Head of Biophysics
Expertise: enzymology, structural biology, biochemistry, protein engineering
Henry Hochstatter
Senior Research Associate
Expertise: yeast display, molecular biology, and human physiology
Melissa Macasaet
Office Manager
Tharshini Mathew
Controller
Nathalia Rodriguez
Senior Research Associate
Expertise: biochemistry, protein production
Ben Meinen, MS, PhD
Investigator, Head of Protein Design
Expertise: structural biology, biochemistry, protein design, protein folding, yeast display
Mireia Solà Colom, MS, PhD
Investigator, Head of Immunotherapeutics
Expertise: phage display, protein engineering, biochemistry, structural biology
Rohan Patel
Senior Research Associate
Expertise: machine learning, software development, bioinformatics
Lara Degani
Senior Research Associate
Expertise: biochemistry, protein characterization, protein interactions
Isabelle Moczygemba
Associate Scientist
Expertise: biochemistry, protein production
Xavier Michelet, PhD
Director of Biology
Expertise: cell biology, immuno-oncology, cell therapy, in vitro and in vivo pharmacologyÂ
Vanina Chiarpotti, PhD
Computational Scientist
Expertise: software development, biophysics, statistical mechanicsÂ
Kyle Martin
Specialist, Lab Operations Manager
Expertise: immunology, toxicology, genetics, and translational glycobiology
Justin Peruzzi, PhD
Scientist
Expertise: membrane-protein interactions, drug delivery, protein engineering
Ryan Lane, MA
Senior Research Associate
Expertise: molecular biology, high-throughput transcription factor screens
James Kinnally
Senior Research Associate
Expertise: biochemistry, structural biology, phage display, yeast display
Collin McKenna
Scientist
Expertise: bioprocess development , fermentation, filtration, lyophilization, and cultivation of aerobic and anaerobic bacteria
Michael Leney-Greene
Investigator
Expertise: immunology, molecular biology, cell therapy, immuno-oncology
John Harry Wagner
Manager of Finance
Expertise: financial planning, financial analysis, accounting, financial management
Head of Human Resources
Expertise: organizational development, employee engagement, employee relations, executive coaching
Scientist
Expertise: biochemistry, protein characterization
Alice Bexon, MD
Founder, Bexon Clinical Consulting
Dr. Alice Bexon is a veteran of the pharmaceutical and biotech industry with over 20 years of experience and the owner of a consulting company called Bexon Clinical Consulting. She trained in the UK and then worked as an oncologist in France. Dr. Bexon has worked for co-operative groups, CROs, global pharmaceutical companies and biotech organizations. Along with a wide-ranging knowledge of clinical development and medical marketing, she has extensive experience of interacting with regulatory bodies such as the FDA and the EMA. Her team at Bexon Clinical Consulting of MDs, scientists and writers has extensive experience of writing and reviewing regulatory submissions worldwide.
Mark J. Alles
Chairman
Mark Alles is an accomplished executive in the biopharmaceutical industry who built and led highly successful global oncology-focused organizations and cancer therapeutics over his more than three-decade career. He is the former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Celgene Corporation, a global biopharmaceutical company, with an outstanding record of driving growth and medical innovation. During his 15-year tenure at Celgene, Mr. Alles executed several multi-billion-dollar company and asset acquisitions, developed a broad portfolio of globally marketed medicines and high-potential cancer therapeutics, and led the expansion of Celgene from a US-based organization of 500 employees to a global company with more than 8,800 employees serving patients around the world. Mr. Alles’ leadership at Celgene ultimately led to the company’s acquisition by Bristol Myers Squibb for $74 billion in late 2019. Prior to joining Celgene in 2004, he served as Vice President of the U.S. Oncology business unit at Aventis Pharmaceuticals, where he also held a series of executive management roles. He began his industry career at Bayer and Centocor prior to its acquisition by Johnson & Johnson. Mr. Alles is a recognized industry and community leader. He has served on the Boards of several biopharmaceutical companies and industry groups, including at Turning Point Therapeutics (acquired by Bristol Myers Squibb for $4.1B in 2022) where he served as Chair, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA), the European Federation of Pharmaceutical Industries and Associations (EFPIA), the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO), and he is a former member of the Trustees for the Healthcare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ). Currently, he is a member of the Board of Directors of multiple public and private biotechnology companies, including BioMarin Pharmaceutical, Syros Pharmaceuticals, PIKSci Inc, TORL BioTherapeutics, and Wugen Inc, and serves on the Board of Trustees for Misericordia University.
Charlotte Deane, PhD
Professor of Structural Bioinformatics, University of Oxford
Professor Charlotte Deane MBE is currently a Professor of Structural Bioinformatics at the University of Oxford. Prof. Deane is a fellow of St Anne’s College and is Chief Scientific Officer – AI at Exscientia. Her research in the Oxford Protein Informatics Group (OPIG) covers several areas in protein structure and interaction networks, combining both theoretical and empirical analysis. With expertise in structural modeling, bioinformatics, and library design, her invaluable insights contribute to the advancement of machine learning algorithms in the field.
Todd Fehniger, MD, PhD
Professor of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine
Dr. Todd Fehniger is a physician-scientist with over 25 years of experience in Immunology and Oncology. Dr. Fehniger is a Professor of Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine, Scientific Co-Director of the Center for Gene and Cellular Immunotherapy, and Co-Leader of the lymphoma program at the Siteman Cancer Center. Dr. Fehniger leads a research team focused on mechanisms of NK cell development and function, strategies to enhance immune responses to cancer, and lymphoma immunogenomics. His laboratory identified human memory NK cells differentiating after stimulation through combined cytokine receptors and pioneered translating NK cell memory as a cellular immunotherapy for leukemia. His clinical interests are hematologic malignancies, hematopoietic cell transplantation, and cellular immunotherapy.
Justin Gainor, MD
Director, Center for Thoracic Cancers Program, Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Justin Gainor is the Director of the Center for Thoracic Cancers Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Director of Targeted Immunotherapy in the Henri and Belinda Termeer Center for Targeted Therapies, and Co-Leader of the SU2C Lung Cancer Dream Team. His major research interests have centered around two themes: targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Currently, he is the principal investigator of multiple clinical trials evaluating novel targeted therapies among patients with oncogene-driven lung cancers, with a particular focus on oncogenic fusions involving anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) and RET. To complement these efforts, he has also led efforts to define the molecular mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapies.
Dennis Klinman, MD, PhD
Chief Scientific Advisor, Cobro Ventures
Dr. Dennis Klinman is currently Chief Scientific Advisor at COBRO VENTURES, INC. He was trained in rheumatology and immunology. He spent 18 years at the FDA before moving to the NCI where he served as a Senior Investigator for 14 years. He holds several core patents in the field of TLR agonists, as well as for adjuvants such as those used in Heplisav (Hepatitis B vaccine) and the newest generation anthrax vaccine. His areas of expertise include immunotherapy, cancer vaccines, innate immunity, TLR agonists, autoimmunity and regulatory affairs.
Carl Novina, MD, PhD
Principal Investigator, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School
Dr. Carl Novina is a serial entrepreneur and co-founder of AI Proteins, NextRNA Therapeutics, Dynamic Cell Therapies, and Microbial Machines. He is a Principal Investigator at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School and an Associate Member of the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. His laboratory integrates basic science with development of advanced technologies to accelerate the translation of biological discoveries into novel therapies.
Eric Rowinsky, MD
Expert, Cancer Therapeutic Development and Regulatory Strategies
Dr. Eric Rowinsky has held numerous positions in the biopharmaceutical industry including Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of ImClone Systems Incorporated, where he led the FDA approval of Erbitux® for head and neck and colorectal cancers and advanced eight other monoclonal antibodies through clinical development. He was also head of development or Head of Research and Development at Stemline Therapeutics, Inspirna (formerly Rgenix), and Stemline Therapeutics.  Dr. Rowinsky has also been an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at New York University School of Medicine and he sits on the boards of directors of Biogen Inc., Fortress Bio, Purple Bio, and Verastem Inc. Dr. Rowinsky held several positions at the Cancer Therapy and Research Center, including Director of the Institute of Drug Development, or IDD, and the SBC Endowed Chair for Early Drug Development at the IDD. He was a Clinical Professor of Medicine at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio. Dr. Rowinsky was an Associate Professor of Oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. He was a longstanding National Cancer Institute principal and co-principal investigator from 1990 to 2004 and was integrally involved in pivotal clinical and preclinical investigations that led to the development of numerous cancer therapeutics, including paclitaxel, docetaxel, topotecan, irinotecan, erlotinib, gefitinib and temsirolimus among others.
Robert Stein, MD, PhD
Venture Partner, Samsara Biocapital
Dr. Robert Stein, an accomplished medical professional, has held various executive positions in research and development, contributing to the advancement and registration of several pharmaceuticals. Notably, he played a key role in the discovery and development of Sustiva®, Promacta®, and the blockbuster drug Eliquis®. With his expertise in molecular biology, biochemistry, and clinical development, Dr. Stein spearheaded the development of four checkpoint modulatory antibodies and a personalized neo-epitope-directed cancer vaccine. Dr. Stein currently is a Venture Partner at Samsara Biocapital. Additionally, he has held various leadership positions, including President of Roche Palo Alto LLC, Chief Executive Officer of Kinemed, and President of R&D at the immuno-oncology company Agenus. Dr. Stein holds an MD and a PhD in Physiology & Pharmacology from Duke University.
Omer Yilmaz, MD, PhD
Eisen and Chang Development Professor; Associate Professor of Biology, MIT; Board-certified anatomic pathologist, Massachusetts General Hospital
Dr. Omer Yilmaz is the Eisen and Chang Development Professor, Associate Professor of Biology at MIT, and board-certified anatomic pathologist at the Massachusetts General Hospital. He is also an Associate Member of the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT and the Ragon Institute of MIT and Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Yilmaz’s laboratory studies how adult stem cells and their microenvironment adapt to various diets in the context of tissue regeneration, aging, and cancer initiation. His lab has also developed state-of-the-art preclinical models for studying colorectal cancer progression and metastasis.