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About Us | BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ralph E. (Chris) Christoffersen, Ph.D.
Morgenthaler Ventures, Chairman
Dr. Christoffersen is a general partner at Morgenthaler Ventures. Prior to Morgenthaler, he was the President and CEO of Ribozyme Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on commercializing the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of ribozymes for use as human therapeutics. He was formerly the Senior Vice President of Research at SmithKline Beecham, and Vice President of Discovery Research at The Upjohn Company, and President of Colorado State University. Dr. Christoffersen received an honorary doctor of law degree from Cornell College in 1983, the "Outstanding Research of the Year" Award from the International Society of Quantum Biology in 1981, and the "W. E. Upjohn Award" for contributions in biotechnology in 1988. He received his bachelor's degree in chemistry and mathematics from Cornell College, and Ph.D. in chemistry from Indiana University. Based in Boulder, Colorado, he focuses on new biotechnology investments.
Larry Lasky, Ph.D.
US Venture Partners
Dr. Lasky is a partner at US Venture Partners. He has spent over 27 years within the commercial biotechnology field and is considered an industry expert. Prior to joining USVP, Dr. Lasky was a leading scientist at Genentech for 20 years where he worked in various disciplines including vaccinology, immunology, stem cell biology, cellular signaling mechanisms, and monoclonal antibody therapy of tumors. He is a coauthor on over 135 publications and a co-inventor on 37 issued and pending patents. Larry attained the company's highest scientific position, Genentech Fellow, before he retired in 2002. As a general partner of Latterell Venture Partners from 2002 to 2007, he was instrumental in the founding of Proteolix, Oncomed, Cellective, Tetralogic and Bioverdant and sat on the boards of these companies, and he was also involved with Bayhill and CellBio. Dr. Lasky holds B.A. and Ph.D. degrees in molecular biology from UCLA and completed his post-doctoral studies at The California Institute of Technology.
Jean George
Advanced Technology Ventures
Ms. George is a partner at Advanced Technology Ventures. She focuses on the life sciences and therapeutic device markets, identifying innovations with commercial viability. Ms. George joined ATV in 2002, bringing more than 20 years of biopharmaceutical industry experience to ATV, including 10 years at Genzyme Corporation. At Genzyme, she held a variety of operational roles in marketing, product development and business development, including Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing. She also worked as Vice President and Founder of Genzyme's Tissue Repair Division, where she was responsible for identifying new product opportunities and potential acquisition candidates. In 1998 Jean joined the venture capital community when she was appointed to lead BancBoston Ventures' life sciences investments. At BancBoston Ventures Jean led investments in Neurometrix (NASDAQ: NURU), Microbia, NuGenesis Technologies (acquired by Waters), and Syntonix Pharmaceuticals Biogen-Idec. Ms. George represents ATV on the boards of Acceleron Pharma, Critical Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CRTX), Five Prime Therapeutics, Hydra Biosciences, Portola Pharmaceuticals, and Zeltiq Aesthetics. She also was on the board of Hypnion prior to its acquisition by Eli Lilly in April 2007 and on the board of Proteolix prior to its acquisition by Onyx Pharmaceuticals in November of 2009. Ms. George holds an M.B.A. degree from Simmons College Graduate School of Management and a B.S. degree from the University of Maine.
Deepa Pakianathan, Ph.D.
Delphi Ventures
Since June 2001, Dr. Pakianathan has served as a general partner at Delphi Ventures, a venture capital firm focusing on healthcare investments. Prior to joining Delphi, Deepa was Vice President and a senior biotechnology banker at JP Morgan. Before going to JP Morgan, Deepa was a research analyst at Genesis Merchant Group from 1997 to 1998, and a post-doctoral scientist at Genentech, Inc. from 1993 to 1997. Dr. Pakianathan has served as a member of the board of directors of several biotechnology companies including Alder BioPharmaceuticals, Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc., NeurAxon, Inc., OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Phenomix Corporation and Relypsa, Inc. She also served on the Board of Proteolix prior to its acquisition by Onyx Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Pakianathan received a Ph.D. degree in Immunology and an M.S. degree in Biology from Wake Forest University, and an M.Sc. degree in Biophysics and a B.Sc. degree from the University of Bombay.
Susan M. Molineaux, Ph.D.
Founder, President and CEO of Calithera Biosciences, Inc.
Dr. Molineaux is a co-founder of Calithera Biosciences and has served as the company’s Chief Executive Officer since the company’s founding in June 2010. Dr. Molineaux was most recently a founder, CSO and CEO of Proteolix, a company that discovered and developed proteasome inhibitors for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune disease. Prior to joining Proteolix, Dr. Molineaux was Vice President, Biology at Rigel Pharmaceuticals from 2000 to 2003. Before that, she was Vice President, Biology at Praelux, and from 1994 through 1999, Dr. Molineaux served as Vice President of Drug Development at Praecis Pharmaceuticals. From 1989 until 1994 she was a scientist in the Immunology group at Merck, in Rahway, NJ. Dr. Molineaux received a B.S. degree in Biology from Smith College, a Ph.D. degree in Molecular Biology from Johns Hopkins University, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University.
Jim Wells, Ph.D.
Founder and Professor, University of California at San Francisco
Dr. Wells is the Harry W. and Diana Hind Professor in the Departments of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology at the University of California at San Francisco. From 1998 to 2005 Dr. Wells was a co-founder, Director, President and CSO of Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, a drug discovery and development company using a novel site-directed drug discovery technology. Prior to Sunesis, he held the position of Staff Scientist at Genentech for 16 years where he helped build the Protein Engineering Department and developed technology for designing second-generation protein therapeutics. Dr. Wells' current research focuses on protease signaling pathways and site-directed chemical biology, a new field that systematically interrogates the roles of specific sites on proteins in cells using small molecules. He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and been named inventor on more than 60 patents issued or filed. He has won a number of research awards including, most recently, the Hans Neurath Award presented by the Protein Society in 2003, the Cutting Award Lecture at Stanford University in 2005 and the Perlman Lecture Award of the ACS Biotechnology Division in 2006. In 1999 he was elected Member to the National Academy of Sciences, USA. Dr. Wells received his B.A. degree in biochemistry from University of California, Berkeley, and his Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry from Washington State University in 1979 and was a Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Post-doctoral Fellow in the Biochemistry Department at Stanford University prior to joining Genentech in 1982.
Ralph E. (Chris) Christoffersen, Ph.D.
Morgenthaler Ventures, Chairman
Dr. Christoffersen is a general partner at Morgenthaler Ventures. Prior to Morgenthaler, he was the President and CEO of Ribozyme Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on commercializing the Nobel Prize-winning discovery of ribozymes for use as human therapeutics. He was formerly the Senior Vice President of Research at SmithKline Beecham, and Vice President of Discovery Research at The Upjohn Company, and President of Colorado State University. Dr. Christoffersen received an honorary doctor of law degree from Cornell College in 1983, the "Outstanding Research of the Year" Award from the International Society of Quantum Biology in 1981, and the "W. E. Upjohn Award" for contributions in biotechnology in 1988. He received his bachelor's degree in chemistry and mathematics from Cornell College, and Ph.D. in chemistry from Indiana University. Based in Boulder, Colorado, he focuses on new biotechnology investments.
Larry Lasky, Ph.D.
US Venture Partners
Dr. Lasky is a partner at US Venture Partners. He has spent over 27 years within the commercial biotechnology field and is considered an industry expert. Prior to joining USVP, Dr. Lasky was a leading scientist at Genentech for 20 years where he worked in various disciplines including vaccinology, immunology, stem cell biology, cellular signaling mechanisms, and monoclonal antibody therapy of tumors. He is a coauthor on over 135 publications and a co-inventor on 37 issued and pending patents. Larry attained the company's highest scientific position, Genentech Fellow, before he retired in 2002. As a general partner of Latterell Venture Partners from 2002 to 2007, he was instrumental in the founding of Proteolix, Oncomed, Cellective, Tetralogic and Bioverdant and sat on the boards of these companies, and he was also involved with Bayhill and CellBio. Dr. Lasky holds B.A. and Ph.D. degrees in molecular biology from UCLA and completed his post-doctoral studies at The California Institute of Technology.
Jean George
Advanced Technology Ventures
Ms. George is a partner at Advanced Technology Ventures. She focuses on the life sciences and therapeutic device markets, identifying innovations with commercial viability. Ms. George joined ATV in 2002, bringing more than 20 years of biopharmaceutical industry experience to ATV, including 10 years at Genzyme Corporation. At Genzyme, she held a variety of operational roles in marketing, product development and business development, including Vice President of Global Sales and Marketing. She also worked as Vice President and Founder of Genzyme's Tissue Repair Division, where she was responsible for identifying new product opportunities and potential acquisition candidates. In 1998 Jean joined the venture capital community when she was appointed to lead BancBoston Ventures' life sciences investments. At BancBoston Ventures Jean led investments in Neurometrix (NASDAQ: NURU), Microbia, NuGenesis Technologies (acquired by Waters), and Syntonix Pharmaceuticals Biogen-Idec. Ms. George represents ATV on the boards of Acceleron Pharma, Critical Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CRTX), Five Prime Therapeutics, Hydra Biosciences, Portola Pharmaceuticals, and Zeltiq Aesthetics. She also was on the board of Hypnion prior to its acquisition by Eli Lilly in April 2007 and on the board of Proteolix prior to its acquisition by Onyx Pharmaceuticals in November of 2009. Ms. George holds an M.B.A. degree from Simmons College Graduate School of Management and a B.S. degree from the University of Maine.
Deepa Pakianathan, Ph.D.
Delphi Ventures
Since June 2001, Dr. Pakianathan has served as a general partner at Delphi Ventures, a venture capital firm focusing on healthcare investments. Prior to joining Delphi, Deepa was Vice President and a senior biotechnology banker at JP Morgan. Before going to JP Morgan, Deepa was a research analyst at Genesis Merchant Group from 1997 to 1998, and a post-doctoral scientist at Genentech, Inc. from 1993 to 1997. Dr. Pakianathan has served as a member of the board of directors of several biotechnology companies including Alder BioPharmaceuticals, Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc., NeurAxon, Inc., OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Phenomix Corporation and Relypsa, Inc. She also served on the Board of Proteolix prior to its acquisition by Onyx Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Pakianathan received a Ph.D. degree in Immunology and an M.S. degree in Biology from Wake Forest University, and an M.Sc. degree in Biophysics and a B.Sc. degree from the University of Bombay.
Susan M. Molineaux, Ph.D.
Founder, President and CEO of Calithera Biosciences, Inc.
Dr. Molineaux is a co-founder of Calithera Biosciences and has served as the company’s Chief Executive Officer since the company’s founding in June 2010. Dr. Molineaux was most recently a founder, CSO and CEO of Proteolix, a company that discovered and developed proteasome inhibitors for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune disease. Prior to joining Proteolix, Dr. Molineaux was Vice President, Biology at Rigel Pharmaceuticals from 2000 to 2003. Before that, she was Vice President, Biology at Praelux, and from 1994 through 1999, Dr. Molineaux served as Vice President of Drug Development at Praecis Pharmaceuticals. From 1989 until 1994 she was a scientist in the Immunology group at Merck, in Rahway, NJ. Dr. Molineaux received a B.S. degree in Biology from Smith College, a Ph.D. degree in Molecular Biology from Johns Hopkins University, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University.
Jim Wells, Ph.D.
Founder and Professor, University of California at San Francisco
Dr. Wells is the Harry W. and Diana Hind Professor in the Departments of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology at the University of California at San Francisco. From 1998 to 2005 Dr. Wells was a co-founder, Director, President and CSO of Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, a drug discovery and development company using a novel site-directed drug discovery technology. Prior to Sunesis, he held the position of Staff Scientist at Genentech for 16 years where he helped build the Protein Engineering Department and developed technology for designing second-generation protein therapeutics. Dr. Wells' current research focuses on protease signaling pathways and site-directed chemical biology, a new field that systematically interrogates the roles of specific sites on proteins in cells using small molecules. He has published more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers, and been named inventor on more than 60 patents issued or filed. He has won a number of research awards including, most recently, the Hans Neurath Award presented by the Protein Society in 2003, the Cutting Award Lecture at Stanford University in 2005 and the Perlman Lecture Award of the ACS Biotechnology Division in 2006. In 1999 he was elected Member to the National Academy of Sciences, USA. Dr. Wells received his B.A. degree in biochemistry from University of California, Berkeley, and his Ph.D. degree in Biochemistry from Washington State University in 1979 and was a Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Post-doctoral Fellow in the Biochemistry Department at Stanford University prior to joining Genentech in 1982.