I have more than 20 years of experience in antibody and multi-specific protein development in both biotech and pharma. Throughout my career, I have contributed to multiple drug candidate selections and INDs for monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and bispecific antibodies (BsAbs) in cancer. I led Eli Lilly and Company’s Orthomab IgG Bispecific Antibody Platform Development in collaboration with Brian Kuhlman and UNC Chapel Hill, and contributed to multiple program ideas that became full-fledged projects in oncology, ultimately leading to drug candidate selections. At Tentarix Biotherapeutics, I developed partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies such as Gilead and AbbVie to advance assets for cancer and built a world-class team of researchers to work on programs in cancer and autoimmunity.
My career began as a scientist at Syngenta and Diversa before moving into the role of associate director of protein sciences at Biogen Idec. Before joining Tentarix, I was the head of Lilly’s Protein Engineering and Computational Biotherapeutics Departments and served as a liaison to Immunology and Oncology. I am a co-developer of Lilly’s OrthoMab bispecific technology, which has been licensed by AbCellera and used to bring many bispecific monoclonal antibodies into development, including with external partners. I have contributed to more than 10 molecules that reached IND-enabling studies and managed departments that moved many more. I hold a B.S. in chemistry from Texas A&M University and a Ph.D. in chemistry from SUNY Stony Brook, with postdoctoral studies at The Scripps Research Institute. I have authored more than 45 publications and am an inventor on more than 20 granted patents and applications.
Key Milestone Expertise in Drug Discovery & Development:
- Target Validation
- Hit Identification
- Lead Identification
- Lead Optimization
- Predevelopment (candidate selection)
- IND enabling
