SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bioluminescence Ventures (“BLV”), a biotech venture firm investing in next-generation medicines, today revealed its initial team of Partners, whose collective experience and expertise spans preclinical research, translational science, clinical development, medical affairs, regulatory, commercial strategy, business development, and strategic investment banking functions across therapeutic areas. BLV recently emerged from stealth with $477 million in assets under management. Chloe Kim, Ph.D.; Negin Mokhtari, Ph.D.; Andy Seid and Shailaja Uttamsingh, Ph.D. will drive BLV’s dedicated focus on investing in transformative companies that are developing preventative, disease-modifying, and curative treatments for patients with major unmet medical needs.
“I’m honored to introduce Bioluminescence Ventures’ initial team of Partners who hold an extraordinary depth of life science leadership spanning the stages of therapeutic development and biotech company maturation,” said Founding and Managing Partner Kouki Harasaki, Ph.D. “Bioluminescence Ventures is building an ensemble cast with a broad repertoire of superpowers so that it can continue to invest in the most transformative companies, provide value-added support across their lifecycles, and help them reach their full potential to impact patients. Every day, I feel honored and lucky to be working with such talented, mission-driven, and caring people.”
Chloe Kim, Ph.D. joined Bioluminescence Ventures as a Partner in 2022. Dr. Kim is a biomedical engineer / cell biologist by training with scientific expertise across regenerative medicine, oncology, immunology, and neuroscience. Prior to joining BLV, she worked in business development and corporate strategy at a major Korean biopharmaceutical company. Prior to that, she worked as a life science strategy consultant at Charles River Associates in San Francisco, where she specialized in commercial strategy projects for oncology and immunology therapeutics. Dr. Kim holds both a Ph.D. and an M.S. in Biomedical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and a B.S. in Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering from UC Berkeley.
Negin Mokhtari, Ph.D. joined Bioluminescence Ventures as a Partner in 2023 and brings a blend of scientific expertise, operational experience, and investment skills to the firm. Prior to joining Bioluminescence Ventures, Dr. Mokhtari was part of the investment team at Genoa Ventures, focusing on the convergence of biology and technology, and serving on the board of multiple companies. She brings hands-on operational experience in therapeutics and diagnostics gained from her involvement in multiple startups at different developmental stages. Her roles have spanned from spinning off startups in drug and gene delivery and drug screening as a founding team member to late-stage commercial operations in product and business development at Freenome. Dr. Mokhtari holds a Ph.D. in Precision Medicine and Drug Delivery from UC San Diego (Moores Cancer Center) and a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities.
Andy Seid joined Bioluminescence Ventures as a Partner in 2023. Mr. Seid brings extensive experience spanning investment banking and operational expertise within the biopharmaceutical sector. Prior to BLV, he served as director in the global healthcare group at Bank of America where he partnered with CEOs, CFOs and board members in identifying and executing financial and strategic outcomes through fundraising (IPOs, follow-ons, private placements) and M&A transactions. He held similar roles at Leerink Partners and UBS and collectively has led over 50 completed transactions in the life sciences space. As a biopharma operator, he has driven successful corporate, business development and strategic finance outcomes across small and large biopharmaceutical companies including at Genentech and Sangamo. Andy holds a B.A. with a double major in Molecular and Cell Biology and Economics from UC Berkeley.
Shailaja Uttamsingh, Ph.D. joined Bioluminescence Ventures as Partner in 2023. Dr. Uttamsingh brings two decades of experience in drug development and lifecycle management of oncology therapies. She has a passion for taking drugs from discovery, through IND, to clinical proof-of-concept. Prior to joining BLV, she served as head of clinical science at Exelixis where she led and advanced several clinical programs in the growing portfolio and played a key role in business development strategy and external collaborations. Previously, she held roles in clinical development, medical affairs and clinical operations at Celgene (acquired by BMS), Oncomed, Genentech and Amgen, working on antibodies, ADCs, cell therapies, immune checkpoint inhibitors and targeted therapies. Dr. Uttamsingh holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, an M.S. in Biotechnology from the MS University of Baroda, India, and a B.S. in Physiology from Presidency College, Calcutta, India.
About Bioluminescence Ventures (BLV)
Bioluminescence is a leading US biotechnology venture capital firm investing in the future of medicine. We are inspired by the accelerating pace of biomedical innovation and its recent impact on humanity. We are mission-driven – investing our time, energy, and capital into translating transformative science into next-generation medicines that will impact patients. The firm focuses investments on four areas: Breakthrough Biology, Drug Discovery Platforms, Genetic Medicines Platforms, and Computational Biology Platforms. For more information, please visit Bioluminescence.com.
