About Us

Nessan Bermingham, Ph.D.
Executive Chairman

Nessan Bermingham is Executive Chairman of Triplet Therapeutics, Inc. He is a serial biotech entrepreneur and investor who has founded several companies including Triplet, Korro Bio and Intellia Therapeutics, “one of the top 10 biotech start-ups in 2014” and a “Fierce 15 biotech company,” taking the company from concept to IPO and large partnering deals with approximately 200 employees. He has nearly two decades of experience in Life Sciences startups and investments, including small molecules, biologics, medical devices, and diagnostics through venture, public, and secondary markets. As a venture partner at Atlas Venture and managing partner at Omega Funds, he successfully invested in and managed multiple investments across the United States and Europe. Currently he is also a venture partner at Atlas Venture and is Chairman of the Board of Directors of F-star and Akrevia Therapeutics. He served as Intellia’s President and CEO from inception until December 2017. Previously he was an independent advisory board member of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and MerckSerono KGaA. He received his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from Imperial College London and was a Howard Hughes Associate Fellow at Baylor College of Medicine. He is an avid mountain biker, snowboarder and trail runner.

Jean-François Formela, MD
Atlas Venture

Jean-François Formela is a partner at Atlas Venture which he joined in 1993 to build the US life sciences franchise. He focuses on new advances in biology and drug discovery technologies as well as novel therapeutics.

He is on the Board of Directors of Triplet Therapeutics and serves on the boards of Intellia Therapeutics (NASDAQ: NTLA), Korro Therapeutics, Ikena Therapeutics (NASDAQ: IKNA), Spero Therapeutics (NASDAQ: SPRO), Scorpion Therapeutics and Translate Bio (NASDAQ: TBIO) which he co-founded.

Jean-François has been involved in the formation of many biotech companies such as Exelixis, Morphosys, Decode, Translate Bio, Intellia and IFM.

He received his M.D. from Paris University School of Medicine and his M.B.A. from Columbia University.

Shinichiro Fuse, Ph.D.
MPM Capital

Dr. Shinichiro (Shin) Fuse is a Partner at MPM Capital and focuses on investing in and building companies that develop innovative therapeutics. Shin is also an investment committee member of MPM’s impact collaboration with UBS that is a public/private crossover vehicle managed by MPM, and serves as interim Senior Vice President of ElevateBio, an MPM portfolio company focused on next-generation cell and gene therapies. Additionally, Shin supports MPM’s relationship with Astellas and is a board observer for CODA Biotherapeutics and Repare Therapeutics.

Prior to joining MPM, he was Director of Business Development at bluebird bio, where he was instrumental in executing and managing key industry and academic partnerships in the fields of cell and gene therapy, cancer immunotherapy and genome editing. Previously, he was an Engagement Manager at Campbell Alliance (Syneos Health), where he worked with clients in the life science industry to support business development strategies and new product launches. Prior to joining Campbell Alliance, he was an Associate at PureTech Ventures, where he was a founding member of Vedanta Biosciences. He also serves as a columnist and contributing writer for Nikkei Biotech, the leading journal covering the biotech industry in Japan.

Shin received his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Immunology from Dartmouth College, an M.S. in Biomedical Science from the University of Tokyo, and a B.Eng. in Applied Chemistry from Keio University in Japan.

Douglas Kerr MD/PhD/MBA
Independent Director

Doug is a neurologist and neuroscientist with over 120 publications in medical journals. He has led the development of several therapies for neurologic and rare genetic diseases while working in the biotechnology industry. He has participated on the boards and SABs of several non-profit organizations, including the Transverse Myelitis Association, CureSMA and the ALS Association as well as several biotechnology companies. Doug has been actively involved in gene and cell therapy programs and is on the Scientific Review Panel of the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine.

Doug graduated from Princeton university with a degree in molecular biology where he worked with Paul Schedl and Nobel Laureate Christiane Nusslein-Volhard on developmental genes in drosophila. Doug then completed an MD/PhD program from Jefferson Medical College with his research dissertation in molecular neurovirology.

After completing a neurology residency at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in Baltimore Maryland, Doug served on the faculty Johns Hopkins for 10 years. He had appointments in the Departments of Neurology and Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and Cellular and Molecular Medicine. Doug ran a lab that investigated fundamental aspects of motor neuron/axon biology, provided direct patient care and ran clinical trials, mainly spinal cord and neuromuscular disorders.

Doug then joined Biogen to lead their efforts in neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative disorders. Doug was the global lead for a series of programs in Alzheimer’s disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Doug led the team that developed the drug Spinraza, now approved for SMA.

After Biogen, Doug ran the development activities of the rare neuroscience programs at Shire, including those in lysosomal storage disorders as well as a series of programs in neurodegenerative disorders and gene therapy candidates.

In 2017, Doug joined Generation Bio as the EVP, head of Research and Development/CSO. Generation Bio is a biotech company focused on non-viral gene therapy approaches to genetic diseases.

Nikola Trbovic, Ph.D.
Pfizer Ventures

Nikola Trbovic, Ph.D. is Executive Director, WRD and Principal at Pfizer Ventures. Nikola is responsible for identifying, evaluating, making and managing equity investments aligned with the future directions of Pfizer. He currently has responsibility for Pfizer’s investments in Arrakis, Artios, Complexa, Cydan, Jnana, Lodo, Nimbus, Palleon, and TRex.

Prior to his current role, Nikola held responsibilities for R&D technology investments, R&D strategy and early clinical portfolio management in Worldwide Research & Development at Pfizer. Nikola joined Pfizer from McKinsey Co., where he served as an Associate Principal and senior member of the Pharmaceuticals Practice, advising top pharmaceutical, biotech, and healthcare companies on a range of strategy, corporate finance and commercial topics across geographies and therapeutic areas.

Nikola received a BS in Biochemistry from the University of Frankfurt, Germany, and holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics from Columbia University.

Stephen Webster
Independent Director

Mr. Webster served as the Chief Financial Officer of Spark Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly traded biotechnology company, since July 2014. He was previously Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Optimer Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a publicly traded biotechnology company, from July 2012 until its acquisition by Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in October 2013. Prior to joining Optimer, Mr. Webster served as SVP and Chief Financial Officer of Adolor Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company, from 2008 until its acquisition by Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in 2011. From 2007 until joining Adolor Corporation in 2008, Mr. Webster served as Managing Director, Investment Banking Division, Health Care Group for Broadpoint Capital Inc. (formerly First Albany Capital). Mr. Webster served as co-founder, President and Chief Executive Officer for Neuronyx, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, from 2000 to 2006. Mr. Webster previously served in positions of increased responsibility, including as Director, Investment Banking Division, Health Care Group for PaineWebber Incorporated. Mr. Webster has served as a director of Nabriva Therapeutics plc, a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company, since August 2016 and Viking Therapeutics, Inc., a publicly traded biopharmaceutical company, since May 2014. Mr. Webster received an A.B. in economics from Dartmouth College and an M.B.A. in finance from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.