Dana Levasseur

Dana Levasseur Email and Phone Number

Vice President, Hematology at Beam Therapeutics
Dana Levasseur's Location
Birmingham, Alabama, United States, United States
Dana Levasseur's Contact Details
About Dana Levasseur

Geneticist, molecular biologist and biochemist with research and development experience in industry and academia spanning the fields of oncology, hematology, immunology, stem cell biology, and the cardiometabolic and neurological disease areas. Wide-ranging expertise credentialing and validating core and novel therapeutic targets for myeloma and other blood cell leukemias, and developing cell and genetic-based therapies for hematologic, metabolic and neurological disorders. Development of mouse models, use of GEMMs and adoptive transfer for disease modeling; stem cell-based treatment of blood diseases, and use of induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells to model blood cell differentiation. Experienced RNA and protein biochemist well-versed in applying genomic, proteomic, cell imaging, flow cytometric, and bioinformatic approaches to support biomarker and drug discovery, promising therapies and diagnostic tools. Experience with the collaborative highly-matrixed environment that links drug target identification, lead discovery, preclinical validation and process development in Biotech and Pharma. Extensive collaboration portfolio with strong academic, vendor and CRO relationships.

Dana Levasseur's Current Company Details

Vice President, Hematology at Beam Therapeutics
Dana Levasseur Work Experience Details
  • Beam Therapeutics
    Vice President, Hematology
    Beam Therapeutics Jul 2018 - Apr 2020
    Cambridge, Massachusetts, Us
    Beam Therapeutics is pioneering the use of CRISPR base editing to develop a broad portfolio of advanced genetic medicines. Our groundbreaking base editing technology allows us to make permanent, specific edits to single bases in DNA and RNA, without cutting the strands. Base editor therapeutics represent a new class of “precision genetic medicines,” combining precision targeting of the genome with precision control of editing outcomes. Join Beam’s team of fearless innovators! We are currently hiring for all positions!
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  • Bioverativ, A Sanofi Company
    Leader (Director Level)
    Bioverativ, A Sanofi Company Mar 2017 - Jul 2018
    Waltham, Ma, Us
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  • Novartis Institutes For Biomedical Research (Nibr)
    Group Head/Lead Discovery
    Novartis Institutes For Biomedical Research (Nibr) Mar 2015 - Feb 2017
    Basel, Baselstadt, Ch
    Responsible for Integrated lead discovery of small molecules for neurodegenerative, neuropsychiatric and cardiometabolic programs. Guiding strategy and assay development for phenotypic and target-based high-throughput screening campaigns. Scouting external collaborations with academic and industrial leaders for expanding more clinically relevant cell modeling and screening approaches across all NIBR disease programs.• Developed and oversaw the production of more clinically relevant human patient iPSC derived cells for discovery efforts requiring cardiac, neuronal, hepatic and hematopoietic cells.• Discovered novel safe harbors using in silico approaches for Sickle Cell Disease and CAR-T based CRISPR/Cas9 editing programs.• Designed and engineered iPSC lines using CRISPR/Cas9.• Managed global efforts to standardize 2D, complex culture and 3D-based production, phenotyping and functional characterization of iPSC derived cells.• Developed patient stem cell differentiation protocols that are animal-free and chemically defined.• Developed cardiomyocyte differentiation method using chemically defined xeno-free methods without genetic modification to achieve homogeneous (98-100%) populations that are more functionally mature; highly efficient and robust neuronal differentiation strategies also being employed.• Assisted implementation of robotic automation systems (2D and 3D) to enable medium and high-throughput screening campaigns for small molecule and CRISPR-based lead discovery.• Developed Fluidigm Biomark and RNA-seq based approaches for biomarker discovery; and molecule signatures of iPSC pluripotency, multi-germ layer differentiation, and cardiomyocyte hallmarks.
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  • University Of Iowa
    Assistant Professor
    University Of Iowa Sep 2008 - Mar 2015
    Iowa City, Iowa, Us
    • Studies of myeloma and blood cell genesis and survival; Immune system cytoplasmic and nuclear signaling pathway analyses; immunocompetent and xenotransplantation mouse modeling of myeloma; small molecule and RNAi (shRNA) therapeutic approaches for treatment; high fidelity in vivo reporter development; loss/gain of function studies on pluripotency (NANOG, OCT4), self-renewal (Wnt/Hh/STAT), and survival pathway signaling factors as a multi-pronged approach to disrupt bulk tumors and impair drug resistant cells.• Use of ChIP-seq, RNA-seq, DNase-seq to rationally design tissue-specific hematopoietic and myeloma/tumor cell-based fluorescent retroviral and lentiviral reporters for in vivo use; development of T-cell restricted high output promoters that should benefit retroviral and lentiviral immunotherapy applications (ie CAR and TCR engineered T cells); iPS cell line engineering for in vitro screens; use of ENCODE, GEO ChIP-seq and DNase-seq datasets, and 100 vertebrate conservation to discover safe genomic harbors for human gene therapy.• Using mouse and human iPS cells to model hematopoiesis and immunodeficiencies (ie SCID); developed mouse and human 4-color (spectrally distinct) fluorescent and cre excisable reprogramming system to derive fully reprogrammed iPS cells that differentiate into hematopoietic, cardiovascular and neuronal lineages.• Lentiviral vector and PiggyBac transposon systems developed for hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) based gene delivery of beta globin and factor VIII (full-length and B domain deleted) toward treatment of benign hematologic disorders.• Genetic loss (Dox/Tet inducible and Lox/Cre conditional knockouts; RNAi, CRISPR) and gain of function (single-copy LoxP/cre mediated cassette exchange) investigations of epigenetic and transcriptional modifiers of mouse and human tumorigenicity, and pluripotency; integrated omics (transcriptomics, proteomics, ribosomal profiling) approaches to characterize normal and tumorigenic states.
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  • Harvard Medical School/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Children'S Hospital
    Postdoctoral Fellow
    Harvard Medical School/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Children'S Hospital Apr 2004 - Aug 2008
    Boston, Ma, Us
    • Using proteomics for assembly of pluripotent cell protein-protein ‘interactome’ and transcriptional regulatory networks; at the time (2006), this was the first mammalian interactome assembled.• Biochemical analyses of stem cell pluripotency to discover modifiers of hematoendothelial and cardiac cell differentiation. • Developed chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP)-seq assay to characterize protein occupancy.• Worked with University of Washington collaborator to develop DNase-seq approaches to globally assess regulatory potential of erythroid and pluripotent cells. • Engineered conditional loss of function mutations using homologous recombination-based gene targeting.• Mutation and function analyses of core pluripotency factors Nanog and Oct4, and identification of functional domains and phosphorylation residues that are crucial for ES/iPS cell pluripotency.
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  • The University Of Alabama At Birmingham
    Graduate Student
    The University Of Alabama At Birmingham 1998 - 2003
    Birmingham, Al, Us
    • Pioneered use of self-inactivating (SIN) lentiviral vectors coupled with hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) to deliver recombinant adult anti-sickling globin genes for transplant and a sustained cure in mouse models of hemoglobin disorders (sickle cell disease (SCD) and beta thalassemia).• Use of transient mouse transgenic (E14.5) production to develop multi-enhancer vector capable of human therapeutic levels of globin protein production. • Employed flow cytometric and immunomagnetic methods to isolate HSCs, FACS to characterize myeloid, lymphoid (B, T cell), other lineages.• Globin lentivector currently being tested in human patients for SCD and beta thalassemia therapy.
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  • Genzyme
    Research Associate
    Genzyme 1996 - 1998
    Paris, France, Fr
    • Process development for research, preclinical and clinical grade production of plasmid DNA for all Cystic Fibrosis, cardiovascular disease and cancer lipid-mediated gene therapy programs.• Maximized plasmid DNA isolation employing ion exchange and POROS Reverse Phase perfusion Chromatography resins coupled with FPLC, HPLC and liquid chromatography.• Production and isolation of verotoxin beta subunit and immunoaffinity chromatography for alpha galactosidase assays to support Fabry’s disease (Fabrazyme) program.• Developed method to purify IL-16 to support outside academic collaborator (Boston University).• Southern blot assay created for use to screen plasmids for genomic DNA contamination for plasmid gene therapy program.• Developed chromogenic-LAL assay for more sensitive bacterial endotoxin detection.
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  • Immulogic
    Research Associate (Contractor)
    Immulogic 1996 - 1996
    • Worked in mouse modeling group of immunology division investigating mechanisms of immunological tolerance and autoimmunity.• Became proficient with immunological challenging via IV injection, dissection and surgical spleen and lymph node removal/processing and Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) for in vitro assaying of Th1 and Th2 responses.• Bioassaying (proliferation, apoptosis) and ELISA used in detection of IL-2, IL-3, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10, IL-13, IL-16, TNFa and IFNg to examine CD4+ T-cell populations.• ELISA development to optimize bioassay sensitivity and reproducibility. Flow cytometric analysis of cell surface activation markers, including CD40 and CD28.• Screening and colony maintenance of GEMM and other mouse lines.
  • Biogen Idec
    Process Associate (Contractor)
    Biogen Idec 1995 - 1996
    Cambridge, Ma, Us
    • Development of recombinant gelsolin (Cystic Fibrosis therapy) and IFNb producing CHO cell lines, the latter for the company’s blockbuster multiple sclerosis drug Avonex.• Bioreactor scale development of a robust serum-free media formulation to maximize growth and productivity of different transgenic cell lines in suspension.• Optimized and subcloned parent cell lines, developed assays for monitoring metabolism and other biomarkers.
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  • Dartmouth College
    Laboratory Technician
    Dartmouth College 1994 - 1995
    Hanover, Nh, Us
    • Signal transduction research examining PKC, PKA and MAPK kinase signaling pathways. • Employed pharmacological (DNA damage induction, protein kinase inhibition) manipulation of 15 different primary aortic endothelial, malignant breast, colorectal, lymphoproliferative, myeloma, fibroblast and epithelial cell lines to investigate novel cancer chemotherapies and elucidate mechanisms of apoptosis. • Temporal relationships explored between nucleosomal DNA digestion, pARP proteolysis and Rb dephosphorylation that are hallmarks of cell death. • Investigated Bcl-2 oncogene and its tumor protective anti-apoptotic mechanisms employing topoisomerase and protein kinase inhibition, and growth factor deprivation. • G1/G2 cell cycle arrest and apoptosis monitoring by nucleosomal laddering, coupled with propidium iodide/annexin V staining and flow cytometric/FACS analysis. • Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor analysis and TAU-PAGE electrophoretic analysis of histone protein acetylation; Percoll fractionation to separate apoptotic and intact cells; MTS and colony-forming assays for cellular proliferation.
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Dana Levasseur Skills

Cell Biochemistry Molecular Biology Cell Biology Stem Cells Immunology Cancer Elisa Cell Culture Genetics Biotechnology In Vivo Flow Cytometry Protein Chemistry Assay Development Western Blotting Proteomics Molecular Cloning Animal Models Genomics Mouse Models Immunohistochemistry Pcr Protein Purification Rnai Microbiology Qpcr Molecular Genetics Cancer Research Scientific Writing Gene Therapy Polymerase Chain Reaction Drug Development Gene Expression Profiling Chip Seq Rna Seq Cellular Reprogramming

Dana Levasseur Education Details

  • University Of Alabama At Birmingham
    University Of Alabama At Birmingham
    Biochemistry And Molecular Genetics
  • University Of Maine
    University Of Maine
    Biochemistry
  • Worcester Polytechnic Institute
    Worcester Polytechnic Institute
    Aerospace Engineering

Frequently Asked Questions about Dana Levasseur

What is Dana Levasseur's role at the current company?

Dana Levasseur's current role is Vice President, Hematology at Beam Therapeutics.

What is Dana Levasseur's email address?

Dana Levasseur's email address is dl****@****mtx.com

What is Dana Levasseur's direct phone number?

Dana Levasseur's direct phone number is +131959*****

What schools did Dana Levasseur attend?

Dana Levasseur attended University Of Alabama At Birmingham, University Of Maine, Worcester Polytechnic Institute.

What skills is Dana Levasseur known for?

Dana Levasseur has skills like Cell, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Stem Cells, Immunology, Cancer, Elisa, Cell Culture, Genetics, Biotechnology, In Vivo.

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