Kevin Shi is the Associate Director, Data Analytics and Machine Learning at Strand Therapeutics. Kevin’s work spans mechanistic and machine learning-based modeling of synthetic biology circuits, analytics for high throughput experimentation, and optimization of drug properties. He also brings expertise in software development for automation and process analytics. Prior to joining Strand Therapeutics, Kevin headed the computational drug design and software development program at Mytide Therapeutics, a peptide drug discovery and manufacturing company. This work entailed building machine learning pipelines for process optimization and structure-guided peptide design and developing a fully automated peptide synthesis platform. Kevin received his Ph.D. in Bioengineering from MIT under the supervision of Prof. Bruce Tidor in the Department of Biological Engineering and the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. His research focused on system biology for biochemical signaling pathways and optimal experimental design. He received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Caltech, where he also worked on antibody-drug conjugate design under the direction of Prof. Steve Mayo.
Kshitij is a cell and molecular biologist with a deep passion for inter-disciplinary science. He has over a decade of experience in in-vitro, in-cellulo and in-vivo modalities spanning cell, molecular, synthetic, onco-biology. As a Scientist in the Immune Cell Engineering team, within the mRNA programming group, at Strand he is a vital part of helping develop a unique mRNA-based cell therapy platform targeting and treating both hematological and solid cancers. Kshitij has an undergraduate degree in Biochemistry & Molecular biology from Boston University where he worked in Dr. Mikel Garcia-Marcos’s lab to uncover novel mechanisms and roles of cytoplasmic GEF’s and how they modulate G protein signaling during normal development and cancer progression. He earned his Ph.D. in Cell & Molecular Biology from the University of North Carolina, Chape Hill in the lab of Dr. Antonio L. Amelio. His Ph.D. research program was a broad endeavor during which time he published numerous authored and co-authored papers on drug screening, drug resistance, role of ECM in tumor metastasis, chemo-optogenetics, and identified and validated a novel pan-cancer relevant driver of tumor metastasis.
Kunjan Khatri is an Engineer, Data Analytics and Machine Learning at Strand Therapeutics. Kunjan works closely with the drug discovery and platform teams to analyze biological data from a variety of sources and build machine learning-based tools for drug design. He is proficient in statistical methods and machine learning, including common software tools. Prior to joining Strand Therapeutics, Kunjan interned in the Computational Science team at the Jackson Laboratory, biomedical research institution working on omics data to apply genomics analysis and quantitative research. Kunjan received his M.S. in Data Science from Northeastern University.
Lauren is a synthetic biologist with extensive experience characterizing genetic tools that function in a robust and dependable manner. Prior to joining Strand, Lauren received her Ph.D. from Rice University, where she developed RNA-derived genetic tools for intracellular RNA detection and RNA memory encoding in bacteria. Lauren also holds a B.S. in Genetics and a B.S. in Biochemistry from Clemson University, where she worked on engineering yeast to better utilize alternative feedstocks.
Madhuri is a Senior Scientist in the Translational Biology group at Strand Therapeutics. Her research expertise involves developing 3D in vitro tumor models for understanding immune-cancer interactions and pre-clinical drug testing. As a Scientist in the Translational Biology group at Strand, she is responsible for establishing cutting-edge patient-derived models, ex vivo and in vivo assays to interrogate how novel mRNA therapies modulate the tumor microenvironment. Prior to joining Strand, Madhuri earned a Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from Pennsylvania State University where she studied the breast tumor microenvironment and developed 3D dynamic-flow based bioprinted platforms for chemo and immunotherapeutic testing. She also holds a Master’s degree in Chemistry from the University of Hyderabad, India, and a Bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from St. Xavier’s College, India. Madhuri has authored and co-authored publications in peer-reviewed journals such as Advanced Biology, Science Advances, Biofabrication, Biomaterials and has been cited over 1500 times.
Maeve is a Senior Associate Scientist of Synthetic Biology.
Matthew Beal is a registered patent attorney at Strand Therapeutics. Matthew aids in the development and management of Strand’s intellectual property portfolio. He has nearly a decade of patent experience, having served in legal and patent roles at various law firms, as well as having served as lead patent counsel at GE Healthcare. Matthew earned his Masters Degree in biochemistry as well as his Juris Doctorate degree from Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. He also obtained his undergraduate degree in biochemistry from The Ohio State University.
Matthew studied Biomedical Engineering with a concentration in Nanotechnology at Boston University in 2022, taking graduate courses that covered nanoparticles, DNA/RNA manipulation, and how to utilize thermodynamics for nanomedicine. He gained hands-on experience in researching and formulating nanoparticles for the delivery of a small molecule drug that would treat Age Related Macular Degeneration (AMD). This experience exposed him as to how important delivery vehicles are for effective therapeutics and led him to his role at Greenlight Biosciences, performing research and process development for Lipid Nanoparticles (LNPs) for the delivery of mRNA.
Meg is the Executive Assistant to the CEO, Jake Becraft, at Strand Therapeutics. She holds a B.S. in Gerontology from Ithaca College in Upstate NY. Prior to joining Strand, she worked at Ribon Therapeutics where she managed the office and culture functions as well as supported the executive leadership team. Outside of work, Meg loves to travel, spend each summer at her family lake house in NY, and is an avid sports fan.
Melissa Lucas is a Manager of CMC at Strand Therapeutics. Melissa has over 8 years’ experience in operations in multiple industries. She started her career in the United States Army at Joint Base Lewis McChord in Washington State as a Healthcare Specialist. She provided medical support to service members and civilians while providing oversight of day-to-day operations. After completing her contract in Washington, she was stationed at the US Army Research Institute of Environmental medicine as a Healthcare Supervisor and Project Manager. She coordinated and managed the medical evaluations and medical documentation requirements for research volunteers. Melissa also managed and supported all security elements in the company which included publication reviews, employee contracts, and vendor services. After leaving the service, Melissa transitioned to an Operations Specialist at Dakota Systems’ Inc. In this role, Melissa supported the Quality department in process improvement and development, root cause and data analysis, and all regulatory requirements. She also managed multiple complex projects that required constant oversight for success. Ultimately, Melissa made the decision to transition to the Biopharmaceutical Industry to follow her dream of improving people’s lives. With her vast experience in Operations, her passion to learn, and her desire to help people, Melissa will support day-to-day functions at Strand and develop, improve, and streamline all business operations. Melissa holds a B.A in Business Administration, Management from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst and is currently in the B.S. in Mechanical Engineering Technology at the University of Massachusetts, Lowell.
Mike Bertram is the Controller of Strand Therapeutics and has over 15 years of accounting and finance experience. Prior to joining Strand, Mike was the Controller of Viela Bio, a public biotechnology company which was acquired by Horizon Therapeutics for $3 billion in 2021, and Senseonics, a public medical technology company. Prior to joining Senseonics, Mike worked for PricewaterhouseCoopers in the assurance practice serving clients in various industries, specifically life sciences, healthcare, and venture capital. Mike received his B.S. in Accounting from the Robert H. Smith School of Business at the University of Maryland.
Monica Jaffee is an Associate Scientist II in the Immune Cell Engineering division at Strand Therapeutics. She began as a co-op at Strand in 2022 and returned full-time upon completion of her studies in 2023. Monica has also previously worked with natural killer cells and other tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes at an academic laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital. Monica received both her B.S. in Biology and B.S. in Philosophy from Northeastern University.
