Experience

FogPharma

• United States
• Biotechnology Research
• 100 - 200 Employee

• Senior Director Biology

  • Aug 2023 - Present

• Director

  • Mar 2021 - Aug 2023

  • Lead the biology team to support the nomination of FOG-001 as a development candidate for the treatment of Wnt pathway mutant cancers • Responsible for all preclinical biology activities, including cell-based assays, in vivo PK/PD/efficacy, translational biomarkers, and MoA studies • Prepare preclinical pharmacology reports for IND application • Support company’s publication strategy by presenting at major conferences and preparing manuscripts • Initiate academic… Show more • Lead the biology team to support the nomination of FOG-001 as a development candidate for the treatment of Wnt pathway mutant cancers • Responsible for all preclinical biology activities, including cell-based assays, in vivo PK/PD/efficacy, translational biomarkers, and MoA studies • Prepare preclinical pharmacology reports for IND application • Support company’s publication strategy by presenting at major conferences and preparing manuscripts • Initiate academic collaborations to harness specific expertise and animal models to further uncover novel biology for beta-catenin Helicons • Joined Fog’s biology team as the 3rd FTE; help the team grow into 20+ members after 3 years; directly manage 4~6 scientists and research associates to support multiple programs and platform development

• Associate Director, Biology

  • Sep 2019 - Mar 2021

  At FogPharma, our goal is to radically improve the treatment outcomes in cancer patients by targeting disease drivers previously believed to be “undruggable.” We believe our novel beta-catenin inhibitor will block a critical signaling pathway in cancers harboring Wnt/beta-catenin mutations and stimulate T-cell infiltration in many solid tumors that are poorly responsive to immunotherapy. As the beta-catenin program's biology lead, my role is to lead a multidisciplinary team to advance… Show more At FogPharma, our goal is to radically improve the treatment outcomes in cancer patients by targeting disease drivers previously believed to be “undruggable.” We believe our novel beta-catenin inhibitor will block a critical signaling pathway in cancers harboring Wnt/beta-catenin mutations and stimulate T-cell infiltration in many solid tumors that are poorly responsive to immunotherapy. As the beta-catenin program's biology lead, my role is to lead a multidisciplinary team to advance our staple peptide-based beta-catenin inhibitor to the clinic. Specifically, I work with the project team to devise a robust and efficient lead optimization workflow, including developing relevant cellular assays and selecting in vivo models. I also plan and coordinate CRO activities, including target validation, DMPK, and in vivo PK/PD/efficacy studies to support various drug discovery activities. I also collaborate with internal and external omics platforms to develop biomarker identification strategies for our new modality. In the meantime, I am contributing to the development of a high-performing biology team by directly managing 4~6 scientists and research associates. Additionally, I am also assisting the biology department head with annual goal setting and budget planning.



Agios Pharmaceuticals

• United States
• Pharmaceutical Manufacturing
• 300 - 400 Employee

• Associate Director / Principal Scientist

  • Oct 2018 - Sep 2019

  1) Lead two novel oncology targets through target ID, and in vitro and in vivo validation, cell assay development; 2) Collaborate with a cross-functional team to build HTS and fragment-based screens for hit-ID and validation.

• Senior Scientist

  • May 2014 - Sep 2018

  • Early Drug Discovery Team Lead: Currently leading a multi-functional team to hunt small molecules for a novel cancer target with a defined genetic responder strategy • New Target ID for Cancer: Identifying new cancer targets with defined genetic mutations; developing cell-based assays to quantify the effects of target knockdown/inhibition and to understand target biology; managing one FTE at a Contract Research Organization • IDH Translational Biology: characterizing the… Show more • Early Drug Discovery Team Lead: Currently leading a multi-functional team to hunt small molecules for a novel cancer target with a defined genetic responder strategy • New Target ID for Cancer: Identifying new cancer targets with defined genetic mutations; developing cell-based assays to quantify the effects of target knockdown/inhibition and to understand target biology; managing one FTE at a Contract Research Organization • IDH Translational Biology: characterizing the metabolism of cell and animal models with mutant IDHs using metabolomics tool sets; building specific cellular assays to compare cmpds' activities for pathway flux

• Scientist

  • Jan 2011 - Apr 2014

  • Built in vitro and in vivo assays to measure the pathway flux of pyruvate kinase (PK) in cellular and animal models with PK deficiency • Developed mass spectroscopy and isotopic tracer based platforms to elucidate mammalian cell and animal metabolism • Designed and performed metabolic flux experiments to evaluate metabolic drug targets for cancer drug discovery and development



Boston University School of Medicine

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Core Instrument Manager

  • Mar 2009 - Jan 2011

  • Trained new users for Seahorse XF24 extracellular flux analyzer; • Provided expert advice for the design cellular metabolic activity and energy substrate metabolism

• Postdoctoral Fellow

  • Sep 2007 - Jan 2011

  • Use transgenic knockout mouse model to study the roles a mitochondrial gene (mitofusin 2) in adipose tissue; • Demonstrate adipocytes respiration is inhibited by Reactive Oxygen Species using primary rat white adipocytes.



Tufts University

• United States
• Higher Education
• 700 & Above Employee

• Research Assistant

  • Oct 2002 - Aug 2007

  • Characterize metabolic flux distribution in adipogenesis • Identify pyruvate carboxylase as an obesity drug target • Characterize metabolic flux distribution in adipogenesis • Identify pyruvate carboxylase as an obesity drug target