Robert B. Stein, M.D., Ph.D.

Operating Partner, Samsara BioCapital

Dr. Stein brings almost 40 years’ industry experience and a broad knowledge of biology, medicine and pharmaceutical science to Ranok. Over the course of his career, he played key roles in achieving FDA approval for eight drugs. He has also held senior positions in a number of leading biotech and pharmaceutical companies, including: CSO & President of R&D of Agenus; CEO of KineMed; President of F. Hoffmann-La Roche Palo Alto; President & CSO of Incyte Pharmaceuticals; EVP of Research & Pre-clinical Development of Dupont Merck Pharmaceuticals; CSO & SVP of Research of Ligand Pharmaceuticals; and Executive Director & Head of Pharmacology of Merck, Sharp and Dohme Research Laboratories. Dr. Stein received both his M.D. and Ph.D. in Physiology & Pharmacology from Duke University.

Didier Picard, Ph.D.

Professor, University of Geneva

Dr. Picard is an internationally recognized leader in the chaperone and nuclear receptor fields, and was the first to demonstrate the important role of HSP90 in regulating steroid hormone receptors. In addition to exploring fundamental aspects of HSP90 biology, his laboratory also studies the function of HSP90 in cancer cells and conducts drug discovery targeting HSP90 in pathogens. For the past 20 years, he has organized the International Conference on The HSP90 Chaperone Machine. Dr. Picard performed his post-doctoral research at University of California, San Francisco and received his Ph.D. degree from University of Zurich. He is currently Professor of Cell Biology, and formerly departmental chair and President of Biology, at University of Geneva. He is also President of LS2 (Life Sciences Switzerland) and serves on the editorial boards of several scientific journals. In 2003, Dr. Picard was elected to membership in the prestigious European Molecular Biology Organization (EMBO).