Company - Scientific Leadership Committee

Rishi's Scientific Leadership Committee members have committed to providing weekly support and will actively participate in the selection and development of each program.

Arthur Bruskin, PhD – Former Executive Vice-President of research at OSI Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Bruskin has over 15 years of biotechnology and drug discovery and management experience. He was responsible for global research activities in the oncology and diabetes at OSIP. Dr. Bruskin received his B.A. and M.S. at the University of Connecticut and his Ph.D. in Molecular and Cellular and Developmental Biology at Indiana University followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco.

John C. Chabala, PhD – CSO Pharmacopeia, former VP of Discovery Chemistry at Bristol Myers Squibb. With over 30 years scientific management experience in the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Chabala has extensive experience in identifying and developing early stage research programs. He is currently involved in an advisory capacity with a number of companies including Novartis, Cytokinetics, and Iconix.

Robert J. Gould, PhD – Currently Director, Novel Therapeutics, The Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. Dr. Gould retired from Merck Research Labs in 2006 where he was Vice President, Licensing and External Research, Boston, Merck Research Labs. His responsibilities included identifying early stage opportunities for collaboration or licensing with both academic and biotechnology institutions on the East coast of the United States, India, and China.

Manuel A. Navia, PhD – Dr. Navia is an experienced veteran of the biotech industry having founded a number of companies including Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Altus Biologics, and Essential Therapeutics. He started his scientific career at Merck where he established the first macromolecular structure laboratory in the US that led to the development of novel therapeutics for emphysema and glaucoma. Dr. Navia is a recognized leader in X-ray crystallography and has applied structure based drug design to the development of novel drug development.

Thomas N. Salzmann, PhD – Executive Vice-President of world wide preclinical research, Merck Research Laboratories (retired). Dr. Salzmann spent his entire professional career at Merck, advancing from an entry level research position to his final position in charge of worldwide preclinical research portfolio for Merck. He co-chaired the committee that was responsible for the decisions to advance candidate compounds from basic research into full development. During Dr. Salzmann’s tenure as the head of Merck’s largest basic research site basic research productivity increased four-fold. Presently he is on the scientific advisory boards of Satori and Sirtris.

Robert N. Young, PhD – Robert Young received his Ph.D., in Chemistry at the University of British Columbia in 1971 and followed with postdoctoral studies, including with Derek Barton at Imperial College, London. Joining Merck Frosst Centre for Therapeutic Research in 1977 he rapidly rose to increasing responsibilities, becoming head of Medicinal Chemistry and Vice President before retirement in 2006. Robert initiated and directed projects leading to discovery of SingulairTM, VioxxTM and ArcoxiaTM. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada and was awarded the Order of Canada and the Heroes of Chemistry award (form the ACS).