Jessica is a Partner at F-Prime Capital and focuses primarily on the biopharmaceutical and medical technology sectors. Prior to joining F-Prime in 2015, Jessica was an engagement manager in McKinsey and Company’s Boston office, where she focused on pharmaceuticals and medical products and advised companies across a range of strategic, organizational, and operational topics. She began her career at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in the Biodefense Systems group, where she worked on developing novel techniques for the detection of biological agents.

Jessica holds a Ph.D. in genetics from Harvard University and received her BS in biology from Duke University, graduating summa cum laude.

Kevin Bitterman focuses on creating and investing in companies that translate groundbreaking science into innovative medicines.

Kevin serves on the boards of Curie Therapeutics, Disc Medicine, Judo Bio, Kinaset Therapeutics, and Remix Therapeutics. He is board chair at Chroma Medicine and at Vedere Bio II following Novartis’ acquisition of Vedere Bio. Kevin was the founding CEO of Editas Medicine (NASDAQ: EDIT), Morphic Therapeutic (NASDAQ:MORF) and Visterra (acquired by Otsuka), and co-founded Genocea Biosciences (NASDAQ: GNCA). He previously served as a director of Akero Therapeutics (NASDAQ: AKRO), Kala Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KALA), and Taris Biomedical (acquired by Johnson & Johnson) among other ventures. Prior to joining Atlas Venture in 2017, Kevin was a partner at Polaris Partners, where he had been a member of the healthcare team since 2004.

Kevin is active in the life science and healthcare start-up community serving as Chair Emeritus of the New England Venture Capital Association (NEVCA) and as a member of the Harvard Medical School Blavatnik Biomedical Accelerator, BTCA and Q-FASTR Steering Committees.  He is also a member of the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum Board of Advisors. He received a BA in biology, with highest honors, from Rutgers University before completing his Ph.D. in genetics at Harvard Medical School.

Outside of work Kevin enjoys spending time with his wife and two young daughters.  He also enjoys trail running and whiskey, though generally not at the same time.

Matt joined OUP in 2013 and focuses on investments in therapeutics, diagnostics, medical devices, and research tools. He has been involved with OUP’s investment in several portfolio companies including Biohaven Pharma (NYSE: BHVN), Synthorx (acquired by Sanofi), Kura Oncology (NASDAQ: KURA), Spero Therapeutics (NASDAQ: SPRO), Cell Design Labs (acquired by Gilead), Arrakis Therapeutics, PMV Pharma (NASDAQ: PMVP), Aerovate Therapeutics (NASDAQ: AVTE), Sana Biotechnology (NASDAQ: SANA), and others. Currently, Matt sits on the board of IMMvention Therapeutix and holds board observer seats at Arrakis Therapeutics, Glyphic Biosciences, and Faraday Pharma.

Prior to joining OUP, Matt was a strategy consultant with L.E.K. Consulting serving clients in biopharma, diagnostics, research tools, healthcare, and private equity. Engagements included strategy development, market assessment, commercialization support, portfolio development, acquisition target identification, and diligence / transaction support. As a Ph.D. student at the University of Pennsylvania Matt conducted research on the antibody response to a novel protein-based poxvirus vaccine and advised several startups while working with the Penn Biotech Group.

Matt holds a Ph.D. in Cell and Molecular Biology from The University of Pennsylvania, and a B.S. in Microbiology from The Pennsylvania State University. Matt resides in Gladwyne, PA with his wife Jenna and their two children.

Deborah Palestrant, Ph.D., M.B.A joined 5AM Ventures in 2018 as Partner and Executive Chair of 4:59 Initiative. Previously, Dr. Palestrant was Vice President of Corporate Development & Strategy at Relay Therapeutics, where she executed business strategy including alliances, partnerships, and other collaborations and led communications. She has over 15 years of life sciences industry experience including drug discovery, company creation, operations, business development, and strategy. Following her postdoctoral fellowship, Dr. Palestrant was a lab head at the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, where she advanced multiple structure-based drug discovery programs. In 2010, Dr. Palestrant joined Third Rock Ventures as a senior associate and helped to build and launch Blueprint Medicines (NASDAQ: BPMC). Upon its launch, Dr. Palestrant served an interim role in operations at Blueprint Medicines. Subsequent to her return to Third Rock Ventures, Dr. Palestrant helped to conceive and launch Editas Medicine (NASDAQ: EDIT), and as part of the original founding team, she led the business development group until joining Relay Therapeutics. Dr. Palestrant holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biophysics from Columbia University, an M.B.A from Northeastern University, and was Damon Runyon Cancer Research Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at The Scripps Research Institute. She is based in the Boston, MA office.

Laura Tadvalkar is a Managing Director on the Venture Team at RA Capital Management. Laura works on new company creation and early-stage investments, and serves as a Board Director for Be Biopharma, Expansion Therapeutics, Hemab, and Aliada Therapeutics. Laura has a BS in Chemistry from Yale University and a PhD in Chemical Biology from Harvard University. Prior to RA, Laura was a Principal at MP Healthcare Venture Management. Prior to MP, she was a Consultant at Clarion Healthcare.

Stacie Weninger is the President of FBRI, and a Venture Partner with F-Prime. Prior to this position, she was the Senior Director of Science Programs for the Fidelity Foundations. In 2005, Dr. Weninger served as the Project Manager and Senior Analyst for the Task Force on Women in Science at Harvard University. From 2001-2005, Dr. Weninger was a Senior Scientist at Cell Press for the journal Neuron. Before joining Cell Press, Dr. Weninger was a postdoctoral research fellow at Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School with Dr. Bruce Yankner. She was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute predoctoral fellow in the Program in Neuroscience at Harvard University. While a graduate student and postdoctoral research fellow, Dr. Weninger was actively involved in undergraduate teaching, winning six teaching awards.

Dr. Weninger received a Ph.D. in neuroscience from Harvard University, and a B.S. degree in chemistry with highest honors from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. She currently chairs the Collaboration for Alzheimer’s Prevention; serves as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors for Rugen Therapeutics; serves as a member of the Board of Directors for Aratome, Atalanta, Eikonizo, Sironax, and Target ALS; serves as a member of the External Advisory Board for Boston Children’s Hospital’s Rosamund Stone Zander Translational Neuroscience Center; serves as a member of the Scientific Advisory Boards for the Breuer Foundation, Brown University’s Carney Center for Alzheimer’s Disease Research, Denali Therapeutics, the Indian Institute of Science’s Centre for Brain Research, the MIT Yang-Tan Center for Molecular Therapeutics, Boston Children’s Hospital Technology Development Fund, the Harvard Blavatnik Biomedical Accelerator Fund, the Tufts Launchpad Accelerator, the UK Dementia Research Institute, and is part of the Harvard Experts in Residence (XIR) network. She served as the President of Alzforum for over a decade and continues as a special advisor to the site. She was a founding member of the Board of Directors for Denali Therapeutics (NASDAQ: DNLI); as well as a member of the Board of Directors for Annexon Biosciences (NASDAQ: ANNX), BRI-Alzan (acquired by MeiraGTx), Digital Cognition Technologies (acquired by Linus Health), Enspectra, Inscopix (acquired by Bruker Corporation), Neumora Therapeutics (NASDAQ: NMRA), and Syllable Life Sciences (acquired by Neumora).

Jamil joined SV Health Investors in January 2024 as a Partner on the Biotech team. He currently sits on the board of AdvanCell Isotopes and previously sat on the board of Draig Therapeutics.

Jamil is a life science investor and company builder focused on advancing break-through science into transformational medicines for patients. Prior to joining SV, Jamil was a Partner at 5AM Ventures, a US-based life sciences venture fund, where he was responsible for investing in biotech companies across therapeutic areas and modalities and ranging from company creation to later, clinical-stage companies.

Over his career, Jamil has been involved in over twenty private financings, seven public offerings, and four M&A transactions. He has operated in six venture-backed startups and contributed to the advancement of multiple FDA approved products. Select investments and operating roles include Akouos (NASDAQ: AKUS, acquired by Eli Lilly), Aprea (NASDAQ: APRE), Kinaset Therapeutics, Nido Biosciences, RallyBio (NASDAQ: RLYB), Renasant Bio, Sage Therapeutics (NASDAQ: SAGE, acquired by Supernus), Transave Inhalation Therapeutics (acquired by Insmed) and several stealth biotech startups. Jamil brings a wealth of entrepreneurial and operational expertise from

his time building companies like Sage Therapeutics, Nido Biosciences, and Renasant Bio.

Outside of SV, Jamil enjoys being in the great outdoors, whether backpacking, fishing, or scuba diving in the summer or snowboarding in the winter.

Academic credentials: BSE, Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania Master of Biotechnology, University of Pennsylvania MBA, Healthcare Management, Entrepreneurial Management, The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania (where he was recipient of the Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation Merit Award)

Pegydone-6: An improved small molecule to treat HFpEF.

Translating immune-evasive mechanisms from the cancer cell to the β cell.

A novel drug discovery platform to treat atrial fibrillation.

S1P transport inhibitors as a therapy for kidney disease.

Transforming cystic fibrosis care: an effective solution for pulmonary mucus obstruction.

First-in-class, oral approach to addressing chronic inflammation through selective elimination of pathogenic macrophages.

Next-generation genetic medicines for neurodegenerative disease.

Best drugs for Best disease: Small molecule drugs for the treatment of best vitelliform macular dystrophy.