We have assembled a team with deep experience and disease expertise, and a proven track record in the design, development, and manufacturing of successful gene therapies and biological medicines.

Founders and Management

Board of Directors

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

THOMAS W. CHALBERG, PHD, MBA

THOMAS W. CHALBERG, PHD, MBA

Founder, Chairman & CEO

A trailblazer in the fields of health and technology through the innovative use of molecular biology and advanced biologics, Tom Chalberg is a scientist, entrepreneur, and executive in Silicon Valley. Before founding Genascence, Tom was Founder and CEO of SightGlass Vision, Inc., which was acquired by a joint venture between CooperVision and EssilorLuxottica in 2021. Previously, Tom was Chief Operating Officer of Oncorus, Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCR); and Founder and CEO of Avalanche Biotechnologies (now Adverum Biotechnologies; NASDAQ: ADVM). He is Partner at Polymerase Capital, and currently serves on the boards of iRenix Medical (executive chairman), Ethris GmbH, and Chameleon Biosciences.

Tom has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer, by Allicense for ‘Breakthrough Deal of the Year,’ and by the Foundation Fighting Blindness for his pioneering contributions to research and development. Tom has spent nearly two decades in oncology and ophthalmology developing novel therapies and life-changing products to improve people’s vision and eye health. He is an inventor on more than 20 distinct patent families.

Tom earned a PhD in genetics from Stanford University School of Medicine, an MBA from the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, and a BA in biochemical sciences from Harvard University.

Annahita Keravala, PhD

Annahita Keravala, PhD

Founder, Chief Scientific Officer

Annahita Keravala brings more than two decades of experience in gene therapy with over 12 years in industry, including private and publicly traded biotech companies. She has extensive expertise in discovering novel vector technologies and gene therapy drug development for ophthalmic, cardiac, neurological, and musculoskeletal diseases. Before joining Genascence as Chief Scientific Officer, Annahita was Senior Vice President and Head of Gene Therapy & Translation at CODA Biotherapeutics, where she oversaw preclinical development of the company’s chemogenetic-based gene therapy approach for focal epilepsy. Prior to this, she was Associate Vice President and Head of Adeno-Associated Virus (AAV) Vector Platform at Rocket Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:RCKT). In that role, she built and led teams that conducted all the IND-enabling preclinical studies and CMC activities for RP-A501, a gene therapy product for Danon Disease. Previously, Annahita held several positions of increasing responsibility including Director of Novel Vector Technologies at Adverum Biotechnologies (formerly Avalanche Biotechnologies; NASDAQ: ADVM). There, she headed the research team, which discovered and optimized novel AAV vectors to support the company’s pipeline and was deeply involved in the development of ADVM-022, a gene therapy product for wet age-related macular degeneration. Annahita started her industry career as a Scientist at Geron Corporation after being a Research Scientist at Stanford University School of Medicine. An author of multiple patents, Annahita has also published numerous papers in prestigious peer-reviewed scientific journals.

Annahita earned a PhD in molecular genetics and biochemistry from the University of Pittsburgh, a MSc in life sciences and biotechnology from the University of Bombay, India, and a BSc, with Honors in life sciences and biochemistry from St. Xavier’s College, Bombay, India. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the department of genetics at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Lachy McLean, MD, PhD

Lachy McLean, MD, PhD

Chief Medical Officer

Ian Lachlan (Lachy) McLean, MD, PhD, is a physician-scientist with more than 20 years of experience in large and small biopharma and biotech companies. Dr. McLean has broad R&D, clinical, translational, business, regulatory, and executive management experience across multiple phases, modalities, geographies, and therapeutic areas, with particular expertise in early phase immunology and inflammation drug development. Before joining Genascence, Lachy was Chief Medical Officer at Novome, a start-up biotech company developing engineered bacteria as a drug-delivery platform. He previously held roles of increasing seniority at AstraZeneca, Merck, Genentech, Takeda, and Travere.

Lachy has taken many novel molecules into humans for the first time and has contributed to multiple successful Investigational New Drug (IND), Clinical Trial Authorization (CTA) and regulatory approval submissions. Lachy has published both basic science and clinical studies. Much of his research has focused on the early stages of drug development for immunology and inflammation indications, including the incorporation of biomarkers, imaging, genetics, and wearable digital devices.

He earned his medical degree from the University of Otago, New Zealand, and a PhD in immunology from the University of London. Prior to joining industry, Lachy trained as a Clinical Rheumatologist including sub-specialty fellowship training at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, TX, completed postdoctoral training in immunology and molecular biology in London, and ran an academic group focused on translational research and clinical trials.

AMY STAAS

AMY STAAS

Chief Financial Officer

Amy Staas is a results-driven financial executive based in Silicon Valley with 25 years of experience in financial strategy, forecasting, budgeting, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), initial public offerings (IPOs), financial system implementations, accounting policy and controls, investor relations, and strategic plan development. Amy excels in positioning finance as a strategic partner to the business providing the data, financial levers, and forecast plans to create and grow a successful company. Amy provides CFO and other financial consulting services to more than 25 small-and medium-sized companies and has been finance lead on 15 acquisitions and more than 10 Series A-C funding rounds. Before launching her consultancy in 2006, she was Vice President of Finance at Openwave Systems (NASDAQ: OPWV), running a worldwide finance team of more than 40 people focused on functional/regional finance support, forecasting, budgeting, reporting, revenue recognition, investor relations, and M&A. Prior to that, she held various positions at Software.com (NASDAQ: SWCM), including Chief Financial Officer (CFO), and oversaw all financial aspects of a $78 million initial public offering and a $6.8 billion merger with Phone.com.

Amy holds a BA in political Science from Boston College and an MBA from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University.

MARIANNE CONCEPCION

MARIANNE CONCEPCION

Vice President, Clinical Operations

Marianne is a seasoned clinical operations leader with 20 years of clinical research experience including 17 years in global clinical development across early and late phase studies. Marianne has led programs across a variety of therapeutic areas in oncology, respiratory, dermatology, allergy, and neurology. Before joining Genascence, Marianne served as a Senior Director in Clinical Operations at a small biotech company that focused on mast and stem cells diseases. Prior to that, she spent 16 years at Genentech initially working in the late phase global development group and then later in the research and early development group leading respiratory and allergy programs as a Clinical Program Director. During that time, she made significant contributions to key Genentech studies that led to FDA approvals of Erivedge, Kadcyla, and Venclexta. Marianne has led initiatives and forums to strengthen partnerships, promote collaboration and teamwork, foster belonging, and improve overall communication and business processes. She is committed to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion on her clinical research programs and amongst her team, and has previously won an Inclusive Leadership award for Fostering Belonging.

Marianne received her B.S. degree in Health Science from San Francisco State University and a Master in Public Health degree from San Diego State University.

CHRISTOPHER H. EVANS, PHD

CHRISTOPHER H. EVANS, PHD

Founder

Chris Evans is the John and Posy Krehbiel Professor of Orthopedics and Director of the Musculoskeletal Gene Therapy Research Laboratory at the Mayo Clinic. Internationally recognized as an expert in musculoskeletal diseases, Chris is using his background in cell and molecular biology to solve clinical problems involving bones and joints. His research focuses on arthritis and tissue regeneration with gene therapy as the major technology platform. In recognition of these outstanding achievements, the Orthopaedic Research Society (ORS) bestowed upon Chris the Arthur Steindler, MD Award for understanding the musculoskeletal system and the Marshall R. Urist, MD Award for excellence in tissue regeneration. He is former president of the ORS, and was named an honorary fellow from Swansea University, Wales, U.K. 

Chris earned a PhD in biochemistry and a Doctor of Science from the University of Wales. He also holds an MA Honors Causa from Harvard University, an MA in history and philosophy of science from the University of Pittsburgh, and a BSc (Hons) in genetics and microbiology from the University of Wales. Chris completed a postdoctoral fellowship in molecular biology at Free University of Brussels. 

Steven C. Ghivizzani, PhD

Steven C. Ghivizzani, PhD

Founder

Steven Ghivizzani is Professor and Director of Orthopedic Gene Therapy at University of Florida College of Medicine. Steven’s work focuses on the development of gene-based treatments for musculoskeletal disorders. He has been working to adapt gene transfer technologies as drug delivery systems to achieve prolonged, localized production of proteins with therapeutic and/or regenerative properties at sites of disease or injury. He previously was an Assistant Professor at the Center for Molecular Orthopaedics, Harvard Medical School. Before joining academia, he was a senior scientist at Valentis Corporation. 

Steven earned a PhD in immunology and medical microbiology from the University of Florida College of Medicine, and a BS in psychology and biology from the University of Central Florida. Steven completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the department of molecular genetics and biochemistry at the University of Pittsburgh. 

Paul Robbins, PhD

Paul Robbins, PhD

Founder

Paul Robbins is Professor of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, Associate Director, Institute on the Biology of Aging and Metabolism, and Member of the Medical Discovery Team on the Biology of Aging at the University of Minnesota. Paul was one of the first to identify enhancer elements that regulate transcription at a distance, the first to show that the retinoblastoma tumor suppressor regulates transcription, and the first to develop gene therapies for autoimmune disease including an ongoing clinical trial for osteoarthritis. More recently, he was part of a collaborative team that was the first to identify senotherapeutic compounds, able to reduce the senescent cell burden and extend healthspan and lifespan in mouse models, that are in more than 15 clinical trials for age-related diseases and conditions. Previously, Paul was a Professor of Molecular Medicine and Director of the Center on Aging at Scripps Research in Jupiter, Florida. Before then, he was a Professor of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, Director of Basic Research for the Molecular Medicine Institute, and co-director of the Paul Wellstone Cooperative Muscular Research Center at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. 

Paul earned his PhD from the University of California, Berkeley and a BA from Haverford College. He completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Whitehead Institute at Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Thomas W. Chalberg, PhD, MBA

Thomas W. Chalberg, PhD, MBA

Founder, Chairman & CEO

A trailblazer in the fields of health and technology through the innovative use of molecular biology and advanced biologics, Tom Chalberg is a scientist, entrepreneur, and executive in Silicon Valley. Before founding Genascence, Tom was Founder and CEO of SightGlass Vision, Inc., which was acquired by a joint venture between CooperVision and EssilorLuxottica in 2021. Previously, Tom was Chief Operating Officer of Oncorus, Inc. (NASDAQ: ONCR); and Founder and CEO of Avalanche Biotechnologies (now Adverum Biotechnologies; NASDAQ: ADVM). He is Partner at Polymerase Capital, and currently serves on the boards of iRenix Medical (executive chairman), Ethris GmbH, and Chameleon Biosciences.

Tom has been recognized by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer, by Allicense for ‘Breakthrough Deal of the Year,’ and by the Foundation Fighting Blindness for his pioneering contributions to research and development. Tom has spent nearly two decades in oncology and ophthalmology developing novel therapies and life-changing products to improve people’s vision and eye health. He is an inventor on more than 20 distinct patent families.

Tom earned a PhD in genetics from Stanford University School of Medicine, an MBA from the UC Berkeley Haas School of Business, and a BA in biochemical sciences from Harvard University.

Brian L. Kotzin, MD

Brian L. Kotzin, MD

Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at Nektar Therapeutics

Brian Kotzin has more than 35 years of experience in the fields of inflammation and immunology in academia and industry, and expertise in various autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, including systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. He currently serves as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer for Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ: NKTR), where he leads clinical development and study oversight of the company’s therapeutic candidates and programs. Previously, he was at Amgen for 11 years in several leadership roles of increasing responsibility, including as Vice President of Global Clinical Development and Head of the Inflammation Therapeutic Area. Earlier in his career, Brian served as Head of Clinical immunology in the Department of Medicine and Director of the Autoimmunity Center of Excellence at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center in Denver. During his time in Denver, he was a Professor in the Departments of Medicine, Pediatrics, and Immunology at the National Jewish Medical and Research Center and Chief of the Rheumatology Section at the Veterans Administration Medical Center. An author of more than 200 publications in medical journals, books, and book chapters, Brian has served in leadership roles at a number of national organizations including the American College of Rheumatology, and on the editorial boards of several scientific and medical journals. 

Brian earned his MD from Stanford University School of Medicine and received a BS in mathematics from the University of Southern California. He completed a residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in rheumatology and medicine at Beth Israel Hospital in Boston. Brian was a postdoctoral fellow in the division of immunology and rheumatology at Stanford University School of Medicine. He is board certified in rheumatology and internal medicine.

Bard J. Geesaman, MD, PhD

Bard J. Geesaman, MD, PhD

Venture Capitalist

Bard Geesaman has broad experience investing, operating, and facilitating business development globally, including in Japan, China and Israel. Dr. Geesaman was at MPM Capital for more than a decade before leaving in December 2018. Prior to joining MPM, Bard founded Catalyst Medical Solutions, a medical documentation and billing eHealth company in Boston where he served as the Chief Technology Officer through the company’s acquisition. After Catalyst, Bard joined Centagenetix, an MPM-founded company exploring the genetics of successful aging. In 2006, he joined MPM as a Venture Partner with a major focus on founding Solasia Pharmaceuticals, based in Tokyo, Japan which listed on the Tokyo Mothers exchange in March 2017. Bard is also the co-founder and a board member of MPM healthcare IT startup TriNetX (big data analytics for clinical trials). He is passionate about innovation in health care, and in 2008 took a two-year sabbatical from MPM to do non-profit work in Los Angeles at the X-Prize Foundation, where he worked on alternative models for motivating life sciences innovation. In addition to Genascence, Bard serves as Independent Director of Chiasma, Inc., since 2004.

Bard became board certified in Internal Medicine in 2000, after completing a Clinical Fellowship at the Massachusetts General Hospital. Bard received his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, an MD from Harvard Medical School, and a BS from University of California, Berkeley.

Ronald J. Ellis, DO

Ronald J. Ellis, DO

Chief Strategy Officer, Pacira Biosciences, Inc.

Ron Ellis brings more than 20 years of healthcare experience in medicine, clinical research, equity research, and institutional investing. He is currently Chief Strategy Officer at Pacira Biosciences, Inc., where he oversees Corporate Strategy, Business Development, and New Product Planning. Prior to Pacira, he was a Managing Partner at Leerink Partners (acquired by Silicon Valley Bank), a healthcare investment firm advising institutional investors on capital markets and partnering with innovation companies throughout their financial lifecycle. Ron previously held positions as a Healthcare Trading Specialist at Citigroup Global Markets and Deutsche Bank Securities, and a Biotechnology Analyst in Equity Research at Prudential Securities and Leerink Swann. He is a Director of GeneQuine Biotherapeutics, a private adenovirus gene therapy company focused on disease-modifying solutions for musculoskeletal conditions, and CarthroniX, a private immuno-oncology start-up with its lead compound in development for osteoarthritis. In addition to serving on Genascence’s board, Ron also serves as a Board Observer at Spine BioPharma, a private company advancing non-surgical, non-opioid therapies for degenerative disc disease. 

Ron earned his medical degree and internal medicine internship from the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. He also earned an MBA with a concentration in medical management from St. Joseph’s University, where he also pursued post-MBA studies in pharmaceutical marketing.

Jackson Streeter, MD

Jackson Streeter, MD

Partner, DeepWork Capital and director, University of Florida Ventures

Jackson Streeter is the life science expert among the DeepWork partners and has a dual role as the Director of Ventures at the University of Florida. Previously, Jackson founded medical technology companies PhotoThera and American Veterinary Laser and was CEO of Banyan Biomarkers. He also served as Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Strategy at Quanterix (NASDAQ: QTRX) and as CEO of the Institute for the Commercialization of Public Research, which has the mission of funding early stage companies throughout the state of Florida. Jackson’s board appointments have included Florida Research Consortium, Governor’s Life Science Task Force for the State of Florida, FBI Counter Terrorism Southeast Working Group, Walter H. Coulter Center Committee at the University of Miami, and the Gainesville Chamber of Commerce. Prior to entering industry, Jackson served as an officer in the U.S. Navy where he became the first Navy flight surgeon to be selected as a TopGun instructor.

Jackson earned and his MD from the University of Nevada School of Medicine and a BS in biology from the University of Nevada Reno. He is the inventor of more than 20 patents and author on multiple scientific publications. 

Mukundan Attur, PhD

Associate Professor, Department of Medicine, NYU Grossman School of Medicine

Philip Conaghan, MD

Professor of Musculoskeletal Medicine, University of Leeds, U.K.

Marc C. Hochberg, MD, MPH, MACP, MACR

Professor of Medicine and Epidemiology & Public Health, Head, Division of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, and Vice Chair, Department of Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, and Director, Medical Care Clinical Center, Veteran Affairs Maryland Health Care System

Virginia Byers Kraus, MD, PhD

Professor of Medicine, Pathology, and Orthopaedic Surgery, and Faculty Member, Duke Molecular Physiology Institute, Duke University School of Medicine

Nancy E. Lane, MD

Endowed Professor of Medicine, Rheumatology, and Aging Research, Director of the Center for Musculoskeletal Health, and Director of the K12 National Institutes of Health (NIH) Building Interdisciplinary Research Careers in Women’s Health at the University of California at Davis School of Medicine

Thomas J. Schnitzer, MD, PhD

Professor of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Anesthesiology, and Medicine (Rheumatology), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine

John Fraser Wright, PhD

Professor of Pediatrics in the Center for Definitive and Curative Medicine, Stanford University; Scientific Co-founder of Kriya Therapeutics; Co-founder and former Chief Technology Officer, Spark Therapeutics

“We believe that genetic medicines, including gene therapy, are powerful new technologies that can be used beyond rare diseases, to tackle the major diseases that are so important to overall public health. Being able to leverage this technology for major prevalent disorders like osteoarthritis represents a huge opportunity, and we’re excited to be taking this on.”

Dr. Thomas W. Chalberg

Genascence Founder, Chairman & CEO

Investors