Franklin, Massachusetts, United States
Results-driven medicinal chemist and scientific leader with a proven track record of advancing small molecule drug discovery programs from target identification through clinical candidate nomination. Expert in cross-functional team leadership, patient-centric and collaborative culture building, and management of global CRO partnerships. Delivered clinical candidates including BLU-852 (tumor immunotherapy) and Numelvi® (JAK1 inhibitor) and played a key role in developing Blueprint’s kinase inhibitor platform. Recognized for resilience, innovation, and a commitment to delivering transformative therapies for patients. KEY SKILLS Chemistry Program Team Leadership | Structure Based Drug Design | Hit-Finding Strategies | Lead Optimization | External CRO FTE Management | Target ID & Validation | HTS, Phenotypic & Virtual Screening | Cross-Functional Leadership | Patient-Centric & Collaborative Culture | Continuous Improvement | Data-Driven Decision Making | Patent Claims & Procedures DEMONSTRATED IMPACT • Cross-Functional Leadership: Built and led high-performing, globally distributed teams integrating chemistry, biology, data science, and external CROs to accelerate candidate delivery. Managed up to 40 external FTEs across multiple programs and sites. • Program Advancement: Advanced multiple programs from target validation to lead optimization. Delivered BLU-852, an IND-ready MAP4K1 (HPK1) inhibitor for tumor immunotherapy, and co-discovered Numelvi®, a highly selective JAK1 inhibitor approved in the EU for use in dogs. • Platform Innovation: Key architect and leader in the development and enrichment of Blueprint’s proprietary kinase inhibitor platform, driving competitive advantage and enabling new target identification and validation. • Technology Enablement: Developed and deployed innovative data visualization and informatics tools to enhance research efficiency and insight. • Resilience & Culture: Fostered a culture of continuous improvement, operational excellence, and technology adoption. Demonstrated resilience in navigating program setbacks and evolving clinical landscapes. PUBLICATIONS: (PUBLICATION LIST) • Inventor on 16 Patent Applications • Co-authored 10 peer-reviewed journal articles & abstracts
• Advanced two programs from Target Validation to Lead Optimization (GPCR, Kinase) • Completed a 400k compound HTS and pursued Cryo-EM structure determination to support GPCR antagonist hit finding activities • Navigated a dose limiting off-target activity to enable PKPD & efficacy studies in both parallel-flank & disseminated xenograft models of AML to advance a kinase inhibitor program to lead optimization • Managed 1 direct report (senior scientist) and up to 40 external FTEs spanning multiple programs and sites
• Delivered BLU-852, an HPK1 (MAP4K1) inhibitor for clinical development targeting tumor immunotherapy • Developed and deployed a bespoke data visualization dashboard supporting preclinical research • Identified 2 chemically diverse compounds to validate disease models in vivo thus advancing a kinase inhibitor program from hit finding to Lead ID
• Achieved collaboration milestones by validating two targets identified from phenotypic screens and advancing them to hit-finding campaigns • Engineered SGK1 inhibitors with a direct bidentate interaction to the protein, resulting in a new chemical series able to validate efficacy in B16-OVA & MC38-OVA mouse models of disease • Defined strategy and collaborated cross-functionally to enhance Blueprint's kinase inhibitor platform by leveraging proprietary fully annotated chemical probes
• Roles of increasing impact advancing programs from Target ID through Lead optimization • Co-discovered 3 development candidates (MK-3306, MK-8318, Numelvi®) • Developed medicinal chemistry experience targeting a variety of enzymes, kinases, a GPCR, and a transcription factor spanning indications for oncology, inflammation, immunology, neurodegeneration, and bone remodeling.