Jack Lin
Founder of Syenex
Jack Lin
Founder of Syenex
San Francisco Bay Area
Overview
Work Experience
Advisor and Co-founder
2021 - Current
Synthetic biology generation of novel viral and non-viral vectors for improved gene delivery and cell engineering --- • Ongoing advisory role on scientific and operational matters, product, team building • Conducted pre-formation ideation, scientific diligence of academic and commercial technologies, competitive analysis, technology transfer discussions, co-founder matchmaking, generation of marketing and pitch materials
Immunology Lead
2021 - 2024
Target and biomarker discovery and validation using human-centric NGS multi-omics immune profiling platform --- • Led target and biomarker discovery using immune profiling multi-omics NGS transcriptomic, epigenomic, cell surface proteomic, and genomics platform using autoimmune, cancer, and infectious disease clinical samples • Oversaw team conducting wet lab experimentation, working alongside computation analysis, to inform target program go/no-go nomination • External partnership work in target therapeutic nomination for inflammatory bowel disease, biomarker immune profiling for cell therapy in autoimmune disease clinical trials, and studying severe COVID-19
Director, Immunology
2019 - 2021
Nanoparticle peptide-MHC for TCR-specific Treg precision immune tolerance in autoimmunity --- • Progressed autoimmunity programs with preclinical studies supporting efficacy, MoA/PD, PK/dosing, immunogenicity, toxicology, and common IND technical document authoring • Achieved partnership milestones generating key preclinical proof-of-concept IND-enabling data • Led and recruited biology and immunology teams, qualified CapEx instrument purchases matched to anticipated assay capabilities for blank space lab, designed lab protocols and workflow processes • Utilized humanized-NSG mouse models, Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), Autoimmune Liver Disease (PBC), Celiac Disease, Multiple Sclerosis, and Type 1 Diabetes in primary human cell NSG reconstitution models and mouse models
Immunology Group Lead
2016 - 2019
Engineered immune cell therapies for cancer and autoimmunity --- • Led multiple programs in synthetic biology applied to engineered cell therapies including regulated CAR-T cells for cancer, CAR-NK cells for cancer, and engineered stem cells for autoimmunity • Supervision and training on human and mouse immune cell culture, activation, and functional assays • Conducted lentivirus production and cell transduction, multi-parameter flow cytometry, flow cytometry panel design and optimization, cytotoxicity killing assays, qPCR assays, Western blot, ELISA, cytokine Luminex multiplex measurements, animal facility setup, mouse in vivo efficacy, imaging, biodistribution, and downstream ex vivo readouts • Utilized various mouse models of cancer (e.g. CT26, 4T1) and autoimmune colitis (e.g. TNBS, DSS)
CEO and Co-founder
2012 - 2016
Biologic and gene therapies for rare autoimmune diseases --- • Led startup biotech from target discovery, through validation, program nomination, preclinical development • Experimentally tested local IL-10 or systemic alpha-1 antitrypsin as anti-inflammatory cytokines in autoimmune uveitis (EAU) and neuromyelitis optica (EAE) mouse models, respectively • Successfully authored, applied for, obtained, managed, and served as Principal Investigator for 2 competitive SBIR grants from the NIH on neuro-inflammation and ocular inflammation rare autoimmune diseases
Research Scientist
2010 - 2011
[previously Cephalon, Inc.] Biologic therapeutics for autoimmunity and oncology --- • Sourced and conducted scientific diligence as part of autoimmune and oncology biologics in-licensing team • Designed, performed, analyzed, and presented cellular and molecular lab experiments on human, non-human primate, and mouse cells in various functional assays • Experimentally tested improved antibody variants of anti-IL-5 for use in asthma
Post-doctoral Fellow
2005 - 2010
Div. of Immunology and Rheumatology --- • E3 ubiquitin ligases and immune-modulating drugs (mTOR, MAPK, PI3K inhibitors, CTLA-4-Ig, anti-IL-2) affecting T cell activation and anergy, also utilized viral and non-viral gene expression methods on primary immune cells • Collaborated across multiple labs in autoimmunity (NOD, CIA, EAE models), immuno-oncology co-stimulatory and checkpoint inhibitor receptors, and cytokine engineering (superkine IL-2) leading to co-authorships
Graduate Researcher
1999 - 2005
Dept. of Microbiology and Immunology --- • Studied autoimmune hepatitis and TGF-β1 in T cell Th1/Th2 polarization using retroviral transduction
Undergraduate Researcher
1997 - 1999
Div. of Biology and Medicine – Roger Williams Medical Center --- • Honors thesis: Quantification of CD4+ T cell surface CD38 expression via flow cytometry in HIV patients