Omid Farokhzad, MD
Dr. Farokhzad received his MD from Boston University School of Medicine and completed his post-graduate clinical and post-doctoral research training at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of technology. Currenrly, Dr. Farokhzad is Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School and a physician-scientist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital where he directs the Laboratory of Nanomedicine and Biomaterials. He is a faculty member of the Brigham Research Institute Cancer Research Center and a member of the Dana Farber/Harvard Cancer Center. Dr. Farokhzad’s research is focused on the development of therapeutic nanoparticle technologies; most notably, he pioneered the high throughput combinatorial development and screening of multifunctional nanoparticles for medical applications. Dr. Farokhzad has authored approximately 110 papers and holds more than 135 issued/pending US and International patents. These technologies formed the foundational platform for the launch of four biotechnology companies: BIND Therapeutics (NASDAQ: BIND), Selecta Biosciences, Blend Therapeutics and Koan Biotherapeutics. These companies are translating academic innovations into potential drug candidates for the treatment of important diseases. Dr. Farokhzad serves as Chairman of the Board of Directors of Blend Therapeutics and Koan Biotherapeutics and as Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of Selecta Biosciences. He also serves on these companies’ Scientific Advisory Boards. Between 2006 and 2015 Dr. Farokhzad served on the Board of Directors and Scientific Advisory Board of BIND Therapeutics during which time the company issued its Initial Public Offering. Dr. Farokhzad was elected to the College of the Fellows of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering. He was a recipient of the 2013 RUSNANOPRIZE, one of the largest international nanotechnology prizes, for the development and industrialization of nanoparticle technologies for medical applications. In 2013, the Boston Globe selected him among the top innovators in Massachusetts and the Boston Business Journal selected him among the Health Care Champions for his innovations. In 2012, he was among the regional Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year awardees.