Are you working on an innovation you think should be spun out into a startup? What resources are available to help? How can you become involved in the innovation ecosystem in St. Louis?
Join us for “OTM Office Hours”, a program series from the Washington University Office of Technology Management covering the latest topics in tech transfer and innovation.
This Office Hours seminar will include a panel discussion on diagnostics exploring the translation of idea to clinical prototype and into the clinic. OTM’s own Karen Gheesling Mullis will moderate a panel with years of diagnostics experience that will touch on the challenges of diagnostics research, development and investment.
OTM is pleased to welcome:
James Blackledge, PhD
Dr. Blackledge is an experienced analytical chemist with over twenty years of expertise in pharmaceutical drug development. His specialty lies in biological mass spectroscopy, with a focus on developing and implementing mass spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques for nanoparticulate drug development.
His research spans both large and small molecules, addressing the complexity of macromolecular structures composed of a variety of different species. This work plays a critical role in advancing the understanding and application of nanoparticulate drugs.
Prior to founding Capella Imaging, Dr. Blackledge held roles in the Research & Development functions at Bristol-Myers Squibb, Parke-Davis, Kereos, Inc., and Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals. These positions provided him with extensive experience in the pharmaceutical industry and cutting-edge drug development techniques.
Currently, Dr. Blackledge also serves as the Director of Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry at Galera Therapeutics, where he continues to contribute to innovative pharmaceutical research and development.
Allyson Mayer, PhD
Allyson Mayer, PhD, is a Principal at BioGenerator Ventures. In this role, she evaluates investment opportunities and provides company-building support for local biotech startups. She is also the interim COO of Pairidex Inc., a blood cancer detection startup co-founded by BioGenerator.
Prior to BioGenerator, Allyson was a scientist at PercayAI, a startup developing software that integrates biomedical data to enable faster and more effective drug discovery.
Allyson holds a PhD in Developmental, Regenerative, and Stem Cell Biology from Washington University, where her research focused on molecular mechanisms of cardiometabolic disease.
David Spencer, MD, PhD
Dr. David Spencer is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Pathology and Immunology at Washington University School of Medicine and Medical Director of the CLIA-licensed sequencing laboratory at the McDonnell Genome Institute. A board-certified molecular pathologist, Dr. Spencer has led pioneering genomic and epigenomic studies of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that have uncovered new insights into the clonal evolution and genetic and functional heterogeneity of AML subclones and how recurrent mutations drive aberrant DNA methylation and transcriptional dysregulation. His current research is focused on the origin, evolution, and function of DNA methylation changes in AML and how these changes shape 3D genome architecture and disrupt gene regulation.
In addition to his research, Dr. Spencer is a recognized leader in clinical genomic testing. He codeveloped the first clinical whole-genome sequencing assay for AML and myelodysplastic syndromes and has created multiple molecular diagnostic assays, including MyeloSeqHD for residual disease detection. Under his direction, the CLIA-licensed laboratory implements state-of-the-art sequencing technologies to propel both research discoveries and improved patient care.
Dr. Spencer received his MD and PhD from the University of Washington, followed by residency training in molecular pathology at Wash U, and has received ASH Scholar and Doris Duke Clinical Scientist Awards.
Andrew Young, MD, PhD
Andrew Young, MD, PhD, is an Instructor of Medicine in the Division of Hematology at WashU. He is a physician-scientist whose research lab is focused on understanding how cancer develops and leveraging that deeper understanding to improve cancer detection.
He is the founder of Pairidex Inc., which is developing a novel platform for sensitive detection and tracking of fusion-driven blood cancers.
