Leading BD and strategic investments

NodThera is a clinical-stage biotech company developing a portfolio of NLRP3 inflammasome inhibitors. I am responsible for identifying, evaluating, and championing new business opportunities in support of the Cardiovascular, Metabolic & Neurology Therapeutic Areas.

VoLo Foundation is a private family organization that aspires to accelerate change and achieve global impact by supporting science-based climate solutions, educational opportunities, and health-oriented initiatives.

MNM Diagnostics was an early-stage diagnostic platform company focused on the integration of cutting-edge genomics with the latest technological breakthroughs in machine learning to personalize therapy for cancer patients.In this fractional role, I advised the leadership team on all aspects of strategic business development.

During my tenure at Frequency Therapeutics, I experienced significant growth and progression within the organization. I began as a Senior Manager, leading Search & Evaluation initiatives to identify strategic partnership and investment opportunities in the field of regenerative medicine serving R&D pipeline expansion. After successfully building an extensive deal flow, I led due diligence process on selected assets and presented multiple investment prospects to the CEO and Investment Committee. Recognizing my contributions, I was promoted to Associate Director, where I played a vital role in shaping corporate, commercial, and R&D portfolio strategies. Additionally, I spearheaded the digital health strategy for the Hearing Therapeutics program. As Director of Corporate Development & Strategy, I oversaw a robust Business Development funnel, led partnering discussions, and guided cross-functional teams through due diligence. Moreover, I took charge of developing and implementing the company's publication strategy, collaborating closely across departments to manage timelines, budgets, and resources. Throughout my tenure, I actively represented the company at external partnering and scientific events, forging lasting relationships with industry peers and key opinion leaders.

In my role, I successfully raised over $26M in research grants from NIH, NASA, industry sponsors and philantropic organizations. These funds enabled groundbreaking studies on the biology of aging and the development of anti-aging interventions. I excelled in grant writing, pre- and post-award management, and reporting. As part of a dynamic team, I co-designed and effectively managed several projects on a $4M annual budget, resulting in numerous scientific publications, presentations, and broad media coverage. I also fostered fruitful collaborations with academic and industry partners, ensuring timely milestone achievement and reporting. Furthermore, I played a key role in recruiting, mentoring, and managing a skilled team of 30 graduate and post-graduate level scientists.

As a co-founder and CSO of a biotech startup, I played a pivotal role in developing an AI-based multi-omics technology platform for the discovery of dark genome-encoded peptide biologics. I served as a key liaison between various stakeholders including the Board of Directors, contract research organizations (CROs), consultants, employees, and collaborators. Additionally, I have built and led a team of four scientists, overseeing assay development, discovery, selection, and validation of screening hits.

As a founding team member, I played a vital role in establishing and expanding the organization and securing two multimillion-dollar rounds of financing to support the formation of biomedical startups. Additionally, I led negotiations with several international academic institutions to obtain foundational intellectual property for five subsidiary startups. In parallel, I provided support to the founders of portfolio companies, assisting them in their day-to-day operations and strategic decision-making processes.

As a Scientist and DGF Postdoctoral Fellow at Tufts University, I provided leadership to a team of 5 graduate and 6 undergraduate scientists within the NeuroEngineering Division. I successfully managed collaborative scientific projects with industry partners and co-authored 6 articles in top peer-reviewed journals, focusing on the field of neural tissue bioengineering.

As a Technology Transfer Intern at Tufts University, I conducted triage and marketability analysis of incoming invention disclosures from academic labs. I successfully identified out-licensing opportunities and created marketing materials for patented technologies, contributing to the university's technology transfer efforts.

I conducted market research to identify new opportunities for strategic partnerships and participated in product engineering toward new cell therapy applications in the field of immunooncology.

As a Scientist at the Leibniz Institute for Polymer Research in Dresden, Germany, I initiated and managed international collaborations to develop bioengineered pre-vascularized tissues. Through in vitro and animal studies, I assessed biomaterial compatibility and therapeutic potential. I presented results at scientific meetings, resulting in 14 peer-reviewed publications in top-tier journals and receiving travel and poster awards.

I researched the basic biology of VEGF in the context of Type 2 Diabetes mellitus. I utilized proteomics and various molecular biology approaches to understand if changes in the vascularization of pancreatic islets contribute to the onset of the disease.

I studied the role of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and its receptor, TrkB, in the vascular remodeling of arteries in Pulmonary Hypertension. I developed expertise in numerous molecular biology techniques and respiratory diseases while attending The Graduate School “Molecular Biology and Medicine of the Lung” (MBML).