Ajay Yekkirala, PhD
Co-Founder and SVP, Head of Discovery and Development at Superluminal Medicines Inc.
Ajay Yekkirala, PhD is Co-Founder and SVP, Head of Discovery and Development at Superluminal Medicines Inc., focusing on target receptor-receptor interactions for various clinical indications including pain, irritable bowel syndrome, Parkinson's disease, anxiety, and breast cancer applications. Previously, he served as VP Head of Biology at RA Capital Management and Co-Founder & CSO at Blue Therapeutics, where he developed biotechnology platforms and managed investment portfolios in the life sciences sector. He completed his PhD in Pharmacology, Neuroscience, and Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Minnesota Medical School and holds postdoctoral training in Neuroscience from Harvard Medical School. Dr. Yekkirala has extensive experience in drug discovery and development, with expertise in neuroimmunology, pain and nerve regeneration research, and receptor biology applications.
Mark Fitzgerald, PhD
Director of Chemistry at Superluminal Medicines Inc.
Mark Fitzgerald is the Director of Chemistry at Superluminal Medicines Inc., focusing on medicinal chemistry solutions for drug discovery applications. Previously, he served as Associate Director of Chemistry at C4 Therapeutics and Senior Research Chemist at Broad Institute, where he developed small molecule therapeutics and managed chemistry efforts for targeted protein degradation projects. He has extensive experience in structure-based drug design and has contributed to multiple external chemistry FTEs and lead optimization programs. Mr. Fitzgerald completed his PhD in Organic Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania and holds a BA in Chemistry from Rutgers University. He is recognized for his expertise in medicinal chemistry, ADME optimization, and targeted protein degradation technologies.
Kevin Halligan
Vice President at Schrödinger
Kevin Halligan is Vice President at Schrödinger, focusing on computational drug design and chemical simulation solutions for pharmaceutical and biotechnology research. Previously, he served as Executive Director and Senior Director at Schrödinger, where he managed the company's life science software and drug discovery services business across New England, New York, and eastern Canada. He completed his MS in Biological and Pharmaceutical Biotechnology at St. John's University and holds a BA in Communication and Media Studies from Fordham University. Mr. Halligan has extensive experience in scientific sales and business development, with a proven track record in growing software platforms for molecular design and biologics drug discovery applications.
James White, PhD
Collaborative Communications at CDD Vault
James White is Director of Collaborative Communications at Collaborative Drug Discovery (CDD Vault), focusing on scientific communication and digital media solutions for biotechnology research organizations. Previously, he served as Associate at Ropes & Gray and Project Manager at Hera Health Solutions, where he developed venture capital networking platforms and provided support for defense grant applications. He completed his PhD in Cell and Developmental Biology at Vanderbilt University and holds a BS in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. Dr. White has extensive experience in strategic business development, project management, and fostering partnerships within startup ecosystems, with expertise in communicating complex scientific research to diverse audiences.