Odyssey Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology firm at the forefront of developing next-generation precision immunomodulators for inflammatory conditions, has announced the establishment of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB). This board features distinguished experts in immunology and therapeutic development. Stephen Blacklow, M.D., Ph.D., a prominent figure affiliated with Harvard Medical School and the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, will chair the SAB. Dr. Blacklow is well-known for his innovative contributions to drug discovery.
The members of Odyssey’s SAB include:
- Dr. Stephen Blacklow, M.D., Ph.D. – Gustavus Adolphus Pfeiffer Professor and Chair of the Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Harvard Medical School, and a member of the Department of Cancer Biology at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. A globally recognized expert in signal transduction, Dr. Blacklow’s research on the Notch pathway has contributed to the development of investigational therapies for hematologic malignancies, including T cell acute lymphocytic leukemia. His accolades include the National Cancer Institute’s Outstanding Investigator Award in 2017 and election to the Association of American Physicians in 2018 and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2024. He earned his M.D. and Ph.D. from Harvard University.
- Dr. Robert Abraham, Ph.D. – Former Executive Vice President of Cancer Biology at Odyssey and Chief Scientific Officer at Vividion Therapeutics, which was acquired by Bayer in August 2021 for $2 billion. Dr. Abraham brings extensive experience from the pharmaceutical industry and academia, including a decade at Pfizer as Senior Vice President overseeing oncology research and development. He has also held prominent roles at Duke University Medical Center. His research has significantly contributed to fields such as cell signaling, T lymphocyte biology, and cancer metabolism. He received a B.S. in biology from Bucknell University and a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of Pittsburgh.
- Dr. Richard Flavell, Ph.D., F.R.S. – Sterling Professor of Immunobiology at Yale School of Medicine and Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. Flavell is renowned for co-discovering introns in cellular genes, and his research focuses on the mechanisms regulating immune responses, including the identification of key components of the innate immune system such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs) and Nod-like receptors (NLRs). He obtained his B.Sc. and Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Hull, England.
- Dr. Alexander (Sasha) Rudensky, Ph.D. – Director of the Ludwig Center for Cancer Immunotherapy and Tri-Institutional Professor at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, The Rockefeller University, and Cornell University. Dr. Rudensky’s research has defined regulatory T cells and their roles in autoimmunity, tolerance, and cancer. His current work investigates the molecular mechanisms behind regulatory T cell activity. He holds a candidate of sciences degree from the Gabrichevsky Research Institute in Moscow and completed postdoctoral studies at Yale School of Medicine.
- Dr. Ruslan Medzhitov, Ph.D. – Sterling Professor at Yale University School of Medicine and Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. Medzhitov has contributed to understanding innate immune sensing pathways and the interplay between innate and adaptive immunity. His current research focuses on inflammation biology and allergic diseases. He received his Ph.D. from Moscow State University and has received multiple awards, including the 2019 Dickson Prize in Medicine.
- Dr. Sun Hur, Ph.D. – Professor at Harvard Medical School and Boston Children’s Hospital, and Investigator at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. Dr. Hur’s research elucidates the molecular mechanisms through which the immune system distinguishes between self and non-self entities, leading to her discovery of MDA5 and its roles in innate immunity and autoimmune diseases. She is a recipient of the Vilcek Prize for Creative Promise in Biomedical Science and earned her B.Sc. from Ewha Womans University and her Ph.D. in physical chemistry from the University of California, Santa Barbara.
- Dr. Seth Masters, Ph.D. – Centre Head at the Centre for Innate Immunity and Infectious Diseases, Hudson Institute of Medical Research. Dr. Masters’ research has led to insights into innate immune pathways driving diseases, particularly regarding NLRP1 in autoinflammatory diseases. His work also explores the impact of innate immune pathways on conditions like inflammatory bowel disease and neurodegeneration. He holds a B.Sc. in biochemistry from The University of Melbourne and a Ph.D. in medical biology from the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute.
- Dr. Michael B. Yaffe, M.D., Ph.D. – Professor of Biology and Engineering at the Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Yaffe investigates the signaling pathways activated in response to stress and DNA damage, studying how these pathways influence cellular outcomes. He earned his B.S. in materials science and engineering from Cornell University and received his M.D. and Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University, followed by postdoctoral training with Prof. Lew Cantley at Harvard Medical School.
