Associate Director Head of New Technology and Product Development / August, 2024 — November, 2025

Strategy for next-generation process development for both HEME and solid tumor programs and extended characterization of drug product. Led the efforts to test ancillary materials and process parameters using a small-scale model to improve product quality and transfer to the Process Development team and Manufacturing team. Supported the Process Development team in comparability studies for both HEME and solid tumor programs and led the extended characterization of drug product with respect to potency phenotyping and persistence. Collaborated with the Translational team and CROs to develop clinical trial assays for patient stratification for multiplexed TCR-T cell therapy clinical data analysis and interpretation. Participated in a cross-functional team (incl. Discovery Clinical Business Development) to evaluate external innovation opportunities. Set project strategies, managed budget, critical project deliverables and timelines, communication with Sr. Leadership. Mentored a team of 5 FTEs.

Principal Scientist New Technology and Product Development / January, 2024 — July, 2024

Strategy for next-generation process development for both HEME and solid tumor programs and extended characterization of drug product. Led the efforts to test ancillary materials and process parameters using a small-scale model to improve product quality and transfer to the Process Development team and Manufacturing team. Supported the Process Development team in comparability studies for both HEME and solid tumor programs and led the extended characterization of drug product with respect to potency phenotyping and persistence. Collaborated with the Translational team and CROs to develop clinical trial assays for patient stratification for multiplexed TCR-T cell therapy clinical data analysis and interpretation. Participated in a cross-functional team (incl. Discovery Clinical Business Development) to evaluate external innovation opportunities. Set project strategies, managed budget, critical project deliverables and timelines, communication with Sr. Leadership. Mentored a team of 5 FTEs.

Principal Scientist Preclinical Development / February, 2023 — December, 2023

Development and execution of a platform to assess safety of clinical candidate TCRs for IND-enabling studies. Developed the SafeScan platform to assess off-target reactivity of TCRs to primary cells and cancer cell lines. Led the IND-enabling studies for TSC-200-A0201 targeting HPV16 E7 antigen including mechanism of action, safety and oncogenicity and collaborated with the in vivo team for efficacy studies. Led the safety studies for 5 other solid tumor Phase 1 TCR-T cell clinical assets targeting PRAME, MAGE-A1 and MAGE-C2 (TSC-203-A0201, TSC-204-A0201, TSC-204-C0702, TSC-204-A0101, TSC-201-B0702). Authored non-clinical regulatory documents including pre-IND and IND filings (M2 and M4). Mentored a team of 4 direct reports.

Senior Scientist Preclinical Development / July, 2021 — January, 2023

Development and execution of a platform to assess safety of clinical candidate TCRs for IND-enabling studies. Developed the SafeScan platform to assess off-target reactivity of TCRs to primary cells and cancer cell lines. Led the IND-enabling studies for TSC-200-A0201 targeting HPV16 E7 antigen including mechanism of action, safety and oncogenicity and collaborated with the in vivo team for efficacy studies. Led the safety studies for 5 other solid tumor Phase 1 TCR-T cell clinical assets targeting PRAME, MAGE-A1 and MAGE-C2 (TSC-203-A0201, TSC-204-A0201, TSC-204-C0702, TSC-204-A0101, TSC-201-B0702). Authored non-clinical regulatory documents including pre-IND and IND filings (M2 and M4). Mentored a team of 4 direct reports.

Senior Scientist TCR Discovery / February, 2021 — June, 2021

Discovery of novel TCRs targeting cancer antigens and candidate selection for both hematologic malignancies and solid tumor programs. Screened primary human CD8 T cells for cancer antigen specific TCRs and discovered novel TCRs. Set up a platform to validate TCRs in in vitro primary immune cell-based assays and identified the most potent TCRs including the TCRs TSC-100 (targeting HA-1) and TSC-101 (targeting HA-2). Patients dosed with TSC-100 and TSC-101 in a Phase 1 clinical trial to prevent relapse after hematopoietic cell transplant. Led the final triage platform for clinical TCR candidate selection and nominated TSC-200-A0201 (targeting HPV16 E7 antigen) for HPV+ solid tumors. Patients dosed with TSC-200 in Phase 1 clinical trials. Transferred assays to Target Discovery Preclinical and Analytical Development teams. Managed collaboration with a CRO. Mentored 2 direct reports.

Scientist TCR Discovery / June, 2019 — January, 2021

Discovery of novel TCRs targeting cancer antigens and candidate selection for both hematologic malignancies and solid tumor programs. Screened primary human CD8 T cells for cancer antigen specific TCRs and discovered novel TCRs. Set up a platform to validate TCRs in in vitro primary immune cell-based assays and identified the most potent TCRs including the TCRs TSC-100 (targeting HA-1) and TSC-101 (targeting HA-2). Patients dosed with TSC-100 and TSC-101 in a Phase 1 clinical trial to prevent relapse after hematopoietic cell transplant. Led the final triage platform for clinical TCR candidate selection and nominated TSC-200-A0201 (targeting HPV16 E7 antigen) for HPV+ solid tumors. Patients dosed with TSC-200 in Phase 1 clinical trials. Transferred assays to Target Discovery Preclinical and Analytical Development teams. Managed collaboration with a CRO. Mentored 2 direct reports.

Postdoctoral Fellow / June, 2018 — June, 2019

Development and testing humanized mouse models to study human immunity. Characterized new strains of immunodeficient mice as hosts for human immune cells. Established PDX models of colon and lung cancer for testing with immunotherapeutics. Tested the ability of genetically modified human PBMCs to induce xenogeneic GVHD in immunodeficient mice. Tested the in vivo functionality of iPSC-derived pancreatic beta cells implanted in immunodeficient mice. Examination of primary tumor immune landscape. Phenotypically characterized tumor infiltrating T cells in patient breast cancer specimens.

Graduate Student / September, 2010 — July, 2017

T cell death transplant tolerance and inflammation: cross-talk between innate and adaptive immune systems. Examined the effects of inflammatory stimuli on alloreactive CD8 T cell responses in mice. Studied T cell death in transplantation tolerance with a focus on the proteins Fas and Bim. Demonstrated the efficacy of a novel anti-CD40 antagonistic antibody in prolonging allograft survival in a mouse model of skin transplantation in collaboration with industry. Improvement of B cell responses in humanized mouse models. Evaluated human immunoglobulin production to various antigens in multiple strains of humanized mice.

Postdoctoral Fellow (Protein Engineering Department) / August, 2017 — May, 2018

Development of strategies to increase the persistence of allogeneic CAR T cells. Genetically modified human CAR T cells using lentiviral transduction and CRISPR-Cas9 technology to mitigate allo-recognition by T and NK cells and tested the CAR-T cells in in vitro MLR assays.

Masters Project trainee / July, 2009 — May, 2010

Regulation of host proteins by HIV-1 to support viral replication. Constructed deletion mutants of HIV-1 nef and elucidated the regulation of Hsp40 promoter activation by HIV-1 Nef using luciferase assay.