From the Bench to the Boardroom

Frank S. David, MD, PhD

Dr. David serves as Innovation Strategist at the BRI, in addition to being Founder and Managing Director of Pharmagellan, a Boston-area biotech consulting firm. After studying molecular biophysics and biochemistry at Yale, Dr. David received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. David completed his clinical training in anatomic pathology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and then served as Instructor in Pathology at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s, where he researched cell signaling in cancer and kidney development. As Director in the consulting arm of Leerink Partners, a leading healthcare investment bank, Dr. David led advisory engagements for corporate, commercial, R&D, business development, and investor clients across all major therapeutic areas and business sectors, including biopharma, devices, diagnostics, life sciences tools, and healthcare services. He also co-founded Leerink’s Transactional Consulting practice, which advised financial and strategic investors and early-stage companies side-by-side with Leerink’s investment banking team. Dr. David also served as Director of Strategy in AstraZeneca’s Oncology Innovative Medicines unit, where he led business strategy efforts from target identification through Phase 2a, spearheaded initiatives in end-to-end franchise strategy and portfolio valuation, led external communications focused on R&D collaborators and investors, and provided commercial support to pipeline projects and in-licensing teams. Dr. David writes about biomedical innovation at Forbes.com and the Pharmagellan blog, and maintains an active presence on Twitter (@Frank_S_David).

Rakhshita Dhar, MS

Rakhshita currently serves on the Business Development team within Roche Partnering focused on early stage activities in platform technologies and assets located in Boston launching the Boston Innovation hub.

Prior to Roche, Rakhshita spent 6 years at MassBio where she created and oversaw all Innovation Services department and its signature programs MassCONNECT and Pharma partnering days. Under her leadership these programs have become industry leading efforts in both entrepreneurship and partnering and these models are now being emulated by other trade associations around the world.

Prior to MassBio, Rakhshita worked at a boutique business development life science consulting firm, Adjuvant Global Advisors in DC. She holds a Master’s degree in Molecular Biology from Georgetown University and a Bachelor’s degree in Biochemistry from University of Mumbai.

She is very active in the life-science entrepreneurial community and often volunteers as a judge at various local pitch events.

Ashis Saha, PhD

Ashis is a PhD medicinal chemist with biotech/pharma leadership and entrepreneurship experience. He is grateful to have led teams that advanced several diseases modifying therapy options to IND stage and beyond. His passion is innovation in drug discovery such that molecules could reach clinical trials in a rapid pace. Presently he is leading novel discovery strategies in metabolic diseases and oncology.

Vinit Nijhawan, B.A.Sc

Vinit is Managing Director in the University Patent Monetization program at UnitedLex and its subsidiary iRunway.

Prior Vinit was Managing Director, Office of Technology Development at Boston University where he launched 8 venture-backed spinoffs and successfully executed a patent monetization program. Vinit teaches MBA courses on Entrepreneurship at BU Questrom School of Business, over 450 students have taken his courses. Vinit has over 30 years of experience building five startups: as CEO of three, five were acquired. Vinit was Venture Partner at Key Venture Partners and his one investment was acquired for $430M. Vinit is an advisor and board member to several technology startups and was a Mass High Tech All-Star in 2005. Vinit has participated in over 240 panel discussions and paper presentations, and was a Board Member of Mass Ventures, an early stage, quasi-public Massachusetts venture capital firm, a co-founder of EdTech Accelerator/Incubator LearnLaunch, ex-President of Massachusetts Association of Technology Transfer Offices and co-founder of Waterloo Alumni Angels. Vinit is also on the non-profit boards of the National Academy of Inventors and VentureCafe. Vinit earned a B.A.Sc in electrical engineering from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada.