Author: [AUTHOR] Published on 1/1/2024 12:00:00 AM
Chao Han, PhD, Vice President Early Development, Tavotek Biotherapeutics, Lower Gwynedd, Pennsylvania
What excites you about serving in your role as the Cell, Gene, Regenerative Medicine & Nucleic Acid (CGRN) Community Co-Vice Chair?
As a scientist, I am excited to embrace challenges and enjoy developing and implementing strategies to meet them. Novel modalities such as Cell, Gene, Regenerative, and Nucleic Acid Medicines (CGRN) and associated therapeutic approaches have challenged conventional clinical pharmacology and require a fresh perspective. The concepts that we pharmaceutical scientists are most familiar with such as dosage, PK, modeling, etc. must be restructured to guide successful clinical trials of these new modalities. As a co-leader, I take immense pride in contributing to the creation of the CGRN community, which currently includes members from the regulatory sector, pharmaceutical industry, and academia, with a continuous drive to attract outstanding scientists to its ranks. I am so excited about working together in the community to build more opportunities to make meaningful impacts in this area.
What professional accomplishment are you most proud of?
I work for Tavotek Biotherapeutics, a small biotech company, as a VP of Early Development and a Site Head. Delivering RNA-based therapeutics specifically into tumor cells represents the cutting-edge platform among the many innovative techniques that our team has developed. Although, we are still at the preclinical development stages, all promising data are leading to breakthrough therapeutics that can specifically attack “undruggable” intracellular targets to treat patients in oncology. I am humbled to be a part of these growing accomplishments.
Who has inspired you in your career?
Dr. Leslie Z. Benet and Dr. W. Wayne Lautt had the most profound influences on my career. I am so lucky that I had a chance in my life to meet these two outstanding scientists, teachers, and mentors. Dr. Benet, my first teacher in pharmaceutical sciences, steered my career onto an entirely new stage. Dr. Lautt infused me with philosophical thinking in research. They taught me so much, and I can never fully express my gratitude. They have inspired me throughout my entire career in research, discovery, innovation, and most importantly to never stop learning new stuff.
Do you have a favorite tip or trick for clinical practice or research that you want to share with fellow members?
Dear fellow members, do you have an excellent idea? Have you been working hard on your idea? Please take the time to clearly communicate your ideas to your peers, your colleagues, your boss, and your community. Always take the time to build upon the criticisms of your idea. Take these comments as an evolving rehearsal that will continually improve your ability to provide clearer and more influential communications.
Chao has been a member of ASCPT since 2018.
