The Celdara Team

CEO

Jake Reder, PhD

Jake cofounded Celdara Medical with Prof. Michael Fanger as a way to bridge academic innovation and the marketplace, and currently serves as Director and CEO. Jake guided CM from a concept to the fastest growing company (across all sectors) in the state three years in a row, and is now applying these learnings to the Pandemic Security Initiative. He serves on the Boards of the New Hampshire Academy of Science, Virtici, and MBV, and is Chairman of CairnSurgical, and Javelin Oncology. Jake has lived, studied and worked in Canada, Germany, and the USA, with experiences in research, venture investing, corporate alliances and internal startups, academia, and startups. In 2017 Jake was selected by the US SBA as NH Small Business Person of the Year. Jake earned a B.Sc. with First Class Honors from the University of Waterloo, and a PhD in Chemistry as a Brown-Wetherill Fellow at Purdue University and Ludwig Maximilians Universität. Jake enjoys skiing, hiking, and sailing with his children.

Chairman Emeritus

Michael W. Fanger, PhD

Mike cofounded Celdara Medical with Dr. Jake Reder in 2008. Previously, he was a Founder and Director of Medarex (acquired by BMS in 2009 for $2.4B). While at Medarex, Mike, with Drs. Nils Lonberg and Tibor Keler, selected ipilimumab (Yervoy, formerly MDX-010) for further development. Yervoy is the first therapy to prolong survival for patients with advanced melanoma, and in 2013 was highlighted as Science Magazine’s “Breakthrough of the Year”. He was also instrumental in the development of nivolumab (Opdivo, MDX-1106), the first anti-PD-1 to be approved, as well as bezlotoxumab (Zinplava, MDX-1388) for the treatment of C. difficile, and the third Medarex-originated drug to be approved. Mike was also the founding President and Chief Executive Officer of Celldex Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: CLDX), is a Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and of Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School, and was Chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology from 1992 until 2002. He is a graduate of Wabash College and received his PhD in Biochemistry from Yale University. Mike has authored over 160 publications and over 90 patents and patent applications.

Executive Director of R&D

Joana Murad Mabaera, PhD

Joana is an Executive Director of R&D at Celdara Medical where she acts as the operational lead of the company’s R&D effort in addition to developing and managing multiple projects. Joana has over 10 years of research and managerial experience in multiple scientific fields at Celdara, primarily in the area of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-based cell therapies for oncology and auto-immune diseases. Prior to Celdara, she was a research scientist at Norris Cotton Cancer Center where she led multiple projects in the field of metabolic disorders. Joana received her PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Sao Paulo in Brazil. She enjoys reading, running and getting together with friends.

Executive Director of Operations

Karen Hermanson

Karen is the Executive Director of Operations and has been with Celdara Medical since 2012. With over 15 years of general management experience, she currently oversees the financial, human resources and administrative systems at Celdara. Previous roles include General Manager at Northern Stage in White River Junction, VT and Operations Manager at the Peterborough Players in Peterborough, NH. She has a BA in English and Theater from Middlebury College.

Senior Scientist

Adam Schmucker, MS

Adam is a Senior Scientist at Celdara Medical, and has been with the company since 2013. Adam supports multiple programs with his background in general molecular and cellular biology, including regulated work in support of clinical trials. His past experience includes employment as a Scientific Associate at Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research (NIBR) in Cambridge MA, and as a Research Assistant at Harvard Institutes of Medicine in Boston. He received his BS in biology from UMass Boston, and his MS in molecular and cellular biology from Dartmouth College, studying the transcriptional regulation of matrix metalloproteinases in the lab of Dr. Constance Brinckerhoff.

VP for Research and Discovery

Paul Guyre, PhD

Paul is VP for Research and Discovery and is currently Principal Investigator for R&D programs to develop antibacterial, antiviral and immune enhancing small molecules and antibodies. He is also an Active Emeritus Professor of Microbiology and Immunology in the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Prior to Celdara, Paul was co-founder of Medarex, the company that produced many FDA approved antibodies including the cancer checkpoint antibodies ipilimumab and nivolumab. Paul received his BA in Biology from Montclair State College and his MS and PhD degrees in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire. In addition to kayaking, hiking, and cross-country skiing, he enjoys working with the great team at Celdara Medical.

Principal Scientist

Colleen Cooper, PhD

Colleen has been a member of the Celdara Medical team for over four years where she has led or participated in R&D programs ranging from fibrosis, CAR-T development, and infectious disease. Colleen is trained in immunology with specific interests in autoimmunity and infectious disease. She enjoys hiking, skiing, and chasing her chickens and children around the yard.

Director

Julie Coleman, PhD

Julie is a Director at Celdara Medical where she currently leads the DRIVEN Accelerator Hub and two R&D programs in antimicrobial resistance and autoimmune disease, respectively. Prior to Celdara, Julie was a consultant at Putnam Associates where she provided scientific and analytical insights to clients in the biotech and pharmaceutical industry. Julie consulted in therapeutic areas spanning gene therapy, molecular therapies, cell therapy, diagnostics, vaccines, and biosimilars; diseases included breast cancer, hematological malignancies, neurological disorders, infertility disorders, and meningitis. Julie received her BA in Biology and English from Bowdoin College and her PhD in Neuroscience from Tufts University. She enjoys reading, hiking, and cross-country skiing, but most of all, she loves dancing with friends!

Scientist

Zachary Parker, PhD

Zach is a Scientist at Celdara Medical where he currently drives the hands-on science for programs on autoimmune disease. Before Celdara, Zach was a postdoc at the University of Chicago where he studied the innate immune response to RNA viruses, work that has become particularly relevant during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Zach has research experience in labs working on DNA viruses in vivo, as well as studying the bacterium Vibrio Cholerae, giving him a breadth of microbiology experience. Zach received his BS and MS in Biology from Appalachian State University and his PhD in Microbiology and Immunology from Dartmouth College. He enjoys cycling, hiking, cross country skiing, brewing, and spending time with his two cattle dogs.

Lab Manager

Charlotte McCleery

Charlotte is a lab technician at Celdara Medical. Her responsibilities include machine maintenance, daily tasks to keep the lab running smoothly, ordering, and putting out any fires that come her way. Charlotte is also directly involved in the lab operations of Celdara’s diagnostic service. After graduating from Keene State College, Charlotte’s passion for science allowed her to explore the world of marine biology which brought her to several islands to conduct underwater research. Following these experiences, she was a research assistant in a breast cancer research lab at Dartmouth College for two years prior to joining Celdara. She enjoys her dogs, the great outdoors, and the oceans.

Senior Scientist

Emily Weyburne, PhD

Emily is a Senior Scientist at Celdara Medical. Prior to Celdara, Emily was a postdoc at Dartmouth College where she used human cell lines to research the effects of mutations in a protein complex necessary for cell division. She was also President of the Dartmouth College Postdoc Association (DCPDA) for two years. Emily received her BA in Biochemistry from Colgate University and her PhD in Molecular Cancer Biology from Dartmouth College. She enjoys rock climbing, yoga, and cooking.

Scientist

Viktor Martyanov, PhD

Viktor is a Bioinformaticist at Celdara Medical where he is working with academia and industry partners to analyze clinical trials using genomic data and bring Celdara’s pipeline to its full potential. Prior to Celdara, Viktor worked at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth to identify molecular biomarkers of clinical response in systemic sclerosis, a rare and deadly autoimmune disease. Viktor received his BS in Genetic Biology from Purdue University and his PhD in Biological Sciences from Dartmouth College. Viktor enjoys reading Wall Street Journal, exploring community gardens, ordering DoorDash and watching survival shows on Hulu.

Organizational Consultant

Roland Silverio

Roland is a trusted advisor to the leadership team at Celdara Medical. Prior to Celdara, Roland led Human Resources globally in multiple sectors and has successfully coached CEOs, Presidents, General Managers, and other business leaders. Roland’s several international assignments in China, France, the United Kingdom, Malaysia and Indonesia have given him a unique perspective on leadership in the global market place. Roland is a graduate of Northeastern University and has received both an MS and CAGS in Education from the University of Massachusetts. He enjoys spending time with his children and grandchildren.

General Counsel

Lauren Brunswick, JD

Lauren Brunswick serves as General Counsel to Celdara Medical.  Lauren has over fifteen years of experience counseling clients in a broad range of transactional and litigation matters.  She previously served as Senior Director, Corporate Counsel with The American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.  She began her career as an attorney with the international law firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP.  She earned her Juris Doctor degree from The University of Pennsylvania School of Law (magna cum laude) and her undergraduate degree from Brown University.  In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family, teaching, and coaching sports.  Lauren is based in Miami and has served as a Director of the Florida Association for Women Lawyers, Miami-Dade Chapter, and an Adjunct Professor at the Florida International University School of Law.

Analyst

Kamran Tariq, PhD

Kamran is an Analyst at Celdara Medical where he is currently involved in scientific diligence, commercial competitive analysis, marketing, regulatory and intellectual property assessment. Prior to joining Celdara Medical full-time, Kamran was a recipient of the Celdara Medical Biomedical Industry Fellowship in 2021. Kamran received his PhD in the department of Molecular and Systems Biology at Dartmouth College. His thesis work employed mouse models of autism spectrum disorder to identify proteins that may influence the Autism phenotype and serve as new therapeutic targets. Born and raised in Pakistan, Kamran received his BS in Biotechnology from FC College and MS in Biology from LUMS in Lahore, Pakistan. Outside of Celdara, Kamran enjoys hiking in the white mountains and has made his way through the list of New Hampshire’s 48 four-thousand footers.

Entrepreneur in Residence

Jonathan Heller, PhD

Jonathan serves as an Entrepreneur in Residence at Celdara Medical and is primarily responsible for building a new business around one of CM’s lead therapeutic platforms.  He also assists with sourcing and evaluating other technologies for the CM pipeline.

Jonathan has spent over 20 years building biotechnology company pipelines by leading drug and business development efforts at companies including BioMarin, Synageva, and Pfizer.  Among his accomplishments is leading the preclinical development of BioMarin’s Brineura and Vosoritide, the first ever approved treatments for late infantile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis and achondroplasia.  He also led the initial development of Valoctocogene roxaparvovec, the first approved gene therapy for Hemophilia type A.  He has been a founder of three biotech startup companies.  Jonathan began his industry career by cofounding a company to develop the oncology drugs he discovered while a graduate student.  He has earned an MBA from The University of California at Berkeley, a PhD in biology from The Johns Hopkins University, and a BA in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Reed College.

Lindsey Carlsen, Brown University

Lindsey is a fourth-year PhD Candidate in Dr. Wafik El-Deiry’s lab at Brown University. She studies the response of colorectal cancer to different chemotherapy regimens with a focus on identifying treatment combinations that bolster the immune response. Prior to graduate school, Lindsey worked as a research apprentice in the Photodynamic Therapy Center at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, where she characterized novel anti-cancer compounds. Lindsey received her BS in Biotechnology from the University at Buffalo. In her free time, Lindsey enjoys hiking, running, and cycling with friends.

Jessica Dennison, University of Miami

Jessica is currently working on her Ph.D. in Neuroscience at the University of Miami, where she received the esteemed National Institutes of Health F31 Predoctoral Fellowship for her novel research ideas. Jessica’s thesis project is investigating the effects of menopause on glucose metabolism in the brain and relationship to Alzheimer’s disease. Previously, Jessica worked in Ireland, where she spearheaded a European Research Council-funded clinical trial designed to investigate the influence of a nutraceutical on visual and cognitive performance. Jessica received her BA in Natural Sciences from Fordham University. She enjoys doing NYT crossword puzzles, performing improv, baking, and scuba diving.

Nikhil Khatwani, Dartmouth College

Nikhil Khatwani is an Immunology PhD candidate at Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College. He currently focuses on tumor immunology, in particular melanoma, to investigate CD8+ resident memory T (TRM) response, its generation and maintenance for long term tumor protection. He is interested in discovering novel mechanisms underlying durable tumor protective responses and how such findings could be leveraged for improved cancer treatments. Nikhil has extensive experience in mRNA and small molecule drug development, pre-clinical immune profiling/characterization of drug product and assay development for platforms spanning multiple disease modalities. More recently, he has also worked on competitive analysis, scientific diligence and disease agnostic technology sourcing at a VC firm with an aim to bring novel therapies to clinic. He hopes to bring his collaborative mindset, problem solving skills and multitasking abilities with an aim to deliver high quality results.

Tyler Krause, Harvard University

Tyler is currently a PhD candidate at Harvard University in the Virology Program. His thesis focuses on elucidating neurosynaptic tracing virus interactions with host innate immune responses. Originally from Ohio, Tyler received a B.S. in Biology and a B.S. in Psychology at The Ohio State University. In his free time, you will find Tyler enjoying the outdoors and continuing his pursuit to master obscure hobbies. 

Junghoon Lee, Dartmouth College

Junghoon is a graduate student in the department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology at Dartmouth College where his research aims to identify therapeutic applications in Niemann-Pick Type C disease by regulating cholesterol contents in vivo. Junghoon has a keen interest in neurodegenerative diseases, and he also has previous research experience in developing biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease. Outside of school, Junghoon enjoys hiking, snowboarding, traveling, and finding new restaurants around the Upper Valley in NH. He received his BS and MS in Biology from GIST in Gwangju, South Korea.

Haleema Malik, Dartmouth College

Haleema is currently a 5th year graduate student in the Microbiology and Immunology department at Dartmouth College. Her thesis work is based on understanding the positive regulation of an innate immune mechanism, the pyrin inflammasome, in primary murine macrophages. Haleema was born and raised in Pakistan and received her BS in Biology in 2018 from LUMS in Lahore, Pakistan. Outside of lab, Haleema enjoys hanging out with her friends, watching movies, cooking with her husband, and binge-watching Grey’s Anatomy! 

Lianne Trigiani, Cornell University

Lianne obtained her PhD in Neuroscience from McGill University at the Montreal Neurological Institute under the supervision of Dr. Edith Hamel in 2020. Her research focused on how physical exercise and simvastatin could interfere with the development of cognitive decline in mouse models of vascular dementia, with particular interest in white matter and endothelial cell pathology. Currently a postdoctoral fellow at Cornell University working in the Schaffer-Nishimura lab, Lianne has continued her research on cerebrovascular pathology in dementia and is investigating how different genetic (ApoE and Trem2) and cardiovascular risk factors (hypertension and ischemic stroke) modify disease trajectory using in vivo 2-photon imaging. Primarily, she is investigating the nature of capillary stalls in ApoE3 and ApoE4 targeted replacement mice and how they may be modified by targeting specific perivascular cells or blood components. Lianne is also examining microglia dynamics in response to ischemia in mice with the R47h variant of Trem2. When not in the lab, Lianne can be found bouldering or searching for the best ice cream spot in town.

Director

Eric Achtmann

Eric is a Managing Director at Global Capital Group, Director at Javelin Oncology, Founding Member of Meggitt plc’s Technology Advisory Board, as well as a Senior Advisor to McKinsey and the European Commission. Eric was previously Managing Partner at PolyTechnos Venture-Partners, a pan-European Life Science and Tech venture fund; Co-founder & Executive Chairman of V-Nova, a world leader in video compression; and Architect of Costa Coffee’s “Project Marlow”, which led to the $5.1b acquisition by Coca-Cola. He holds multiple degrees in engineering and finance, including from MIT and the MIT Sloan School of Management. He is a Professor of Practice at the MIT-founded Skoltech and former Senior Lecturer at the TU Munich and ETH Zurich. Eric enjoys flying and making great food, from German breads to kimchi.

Chairman

Kennett F. Burnes

Ken is retired Chairman, President, and CEO of Cabot Corporation and was previously a partner at Choate, Hall & Stewart. He was Director of State Street Corporation for 10 years and was a member of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute’s Board of Trustees. Ken is currently Chairman of the Board of the New England Conservatory, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Schepens Eye Research Institute, and board member and treasurer of the Epiphany School. Ken holds both an LL.B. and B.A. degree from Harvard University.

Chairman Emeritus

Michael W. Fanger, PhD

Mike cofounded Celdara Medical with Dr. Jake Reder in 2008. Previously, he was a Founder and Director of Medarex (acquired by BMS in 2009 for $2.4B). While at Medarex, Mike, with Drs. Nils Lonberg and Tibor Keler, selected ipilimumab (Yervoy, formerly MDX-010) for further development. Yervoy is the first therapy to prolong survival for patients with advanced melanoma, and in 2013 was highlighted as Science Magazine’s “Breakthrough of the Year”. He was also instrumental in the development of nivolumab (Opdivo, MDX-1106), the first anti-PD-1 to be approved, as well as bezlotoxumab (Zinplava, MDX-1388) for the treatment of C. difficile, and the third Medarex-originated drug to be approved. Mike was also the founding President and Chief Executive Officer of Celldex Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: CLDX), is a Professor of Microbiology and Immunology and of Medicine at Dartmouth Medical School, and was Chairman of the Department of Microbiology and Immunology from 1992 until 2002. He is a graduate of Wabash College and received his PhD in Biochemistry from Yale University. Mike has authored over 160 publications and over 90 patents and patent applications.

VP for Research and Discovery

Paul Guyre, PhD

Paul is VP for Research and Discovery and is currently Principal Investigator for R&D programs to develop antibacterial, antiviral and immune enhancing small molecules and antibodies. He is also an Active Emeritus Professor of Microbiology and Immunology in the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Prior to Celdara, Paul was co-founder of Medarex, the company that produced many FDA approved antibodies including the cancer checkpoint antibodies ipilimumab and nivolumab. Paul received his BA in Biology from Montclair State College and his MS and PhD degrees in Microbiology at the University of New Hampshire. In addition to kayaking, hiking, and cross-country skiing, he enjoys working with the great team at Celdara Medical.

Director

Lita Nelsen

Lita is the retired Director of MIT’s Technology Licensing Officer, where she was for 30 years. She is widely published in the field, and has advised a number of international governments on technology transfer policies. She is a founder of PraxisAuril in the UK, and was awarded a Member of the British Empire for her aid to UK universities in technology transfer. Lita is currently a consultant in technology transfer policies and licensing agreements, primarily in the biotechnology sphere, and serves on a number of non-profit boards. She received her B.S. and M.S. in Chemical Engineering from MIT, and an MBA as a Sloan Fellow from the MIT Sloan School of Management.

Director

Steven Potter

Steve is currently the Managing Partner of the US business of Odgers Berndtson and Founder and CEO of Allyon Solutions, LLC. He was previously the cofounder, CEO, and Chairman of both Sextant Search Partners and Axiom Consulting; the CEO of TMP Worldwide Executive Search; the CEO of Highland Search Group; and a Managing Director, Head of Global Banking and Merchant Banking, at Russell Reynolds Associates, Inc. Steve has a BA in History and English from Yale University.

CEO

Jake Reder, PhD

Jake cofounded Celdara Medical with Prof. Michael Fanger as a way to bridge academic innovation and the marketplace, and currently serves as Director and CEO. Jake guided CM from a concept to the fastest growing company (across all sectors) in the state three years in a row, and is now applying these learnings to the Pandemic Security Initiative. He serves on the Boards of the New Hampshire Academy of Science, Virtici, and MBV, and is Chairman of CairnSurgical, and Javelin Oncology. Jake has lived, studied and worked in Canada, Germany, and the USA, with experiences in research, venture investing, corporate alliances and internal startups, academia, and startups. In 2017 Jake was selected by the US SBA as NH Small Business Person of the Year. Jake earned a B.Sc. with First Class Honors from the University of Waterloo, and a PhD in Chemistry as a Brown-Wetherill Fellow at Purdue University and Ludwig Maximilians Universität. Jake enjoys skiing, hiking, and sailing with his children.