Leadership
Andrew Lightfoot, PhD, MBA
Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Lightfoot, PhD, MBA
Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Lightfoot, CEO, is a serial biotech entrepreneur & company builder. He is a medicinal chemist by training, with 12 years leadership in drug discovery at GSK UK, taking multiple compounds to DC selection and beyond, primarily in CNS disorders.
Subsequently he has spent the last 16 years in early-stage therapeutics biotech building: translating ideas to clinical assets, raising the first investments, building the first teams and driving the science. For example, he was the first CEO of Tessellate BIO, working with BGV/Forbion to build a solid company with a substantial series A.
Franck Lebrin, PhD, Co-Founder
Director, Translational Microvascular Medicine Laboratory, Leiden University Medical Center
Franck Lebrin, PhD, Co-Founder
Director, Translational Microvascular Medicine Laboratory, Leiden University Medical Center
Franck Lebrin is a vascular biologist with more than 20 years of experience in vascular biology and hereditary vascular diseases, with internationally recognised expertise in Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) and pericyte biology.
His research focuses on understanding and targeting microvascular dysfunction, integrating vascular and regenerative biology, drug discovery, and advanced functional ultrasound imaging to develop new therapeutic and diagnostic approaches for microvascular diseases.
He is Director of the INSERM–LUMC International JointLab SPRINT-MH and Vice-Chair of the Global Research and Medical Advisory Board of CureHHT International. He has authored more than 40 scientific publications and is an inventor of therapeutic and imaging technologies in the field of microvascular medicine.
Nikki D’Arcy, PhD
Director of Operations
Nikki D'Arcy, PhD
Director of Operations
Nikki is a highly experienced Operations Director for early-stage Biotech companies. Her proactive approach has resulted in the successful start-up of laboratory sites and implementation of governance and diligence structures within the biotech industry.
Nikki is a PhD scientist with significant research experience spanning academia and industry before moving into Operations-based roles. She leads cross-functional teams and has had success in establishing and maintaining key stakeholder relationships and bringing teams together to achieve a common goal. Nikki is PRINCE2 qualified and experienced in teaching and staff training. Nikki has a BSc (Hons) in Microbial and Cellular Biology and a PhD in the microbiology of indoor environments.
Jérémy Thalgott, PhD, Co-Founder
Senior Scientist, Leiden University Medical Center
Jérémy Thalgott. PhD, Co-Founder
Senior Scientist, Leiden University Medical Center
Jérémy Thalgott is a microvascular engineering specialist with more than 10 years of research experience in Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) and vascular biology.
His expertise spans microvascular engineering, vascular disease models, endothelial–pericyte interactions, and experimental and imaging approaches to assess vascular function and therapeutic response.
He is co-author of more than 10 scientific publications and co-inventor on three patents in vascular biology and HHT.
Board
Sandra Gluckmann, PhD
Chair and Non-Executive Director
Sandra Gluckmann, PhD
Chair and Non-Executive Director
Sandra Glucksmann is President and CEO of Sensorium, a company developing first-in-class therapeutics for central nerve diseases. She is a serial entrepreneur with 31+ years of launching and building innovative biotech companies.
Previously, she was President and Chief Executive Officer at Cedilla Therapeutics and an Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Third Rock Ventures where she focused on company formation.
Before that, she was a founding employee and the Chief Operating Officer at Editas Medicine. She was also a founding employee and Senior Vice President of research and business operations at Cerulean Pharma.
She began her career at Millennium Pharmaceuticals as a research scientist and held roles of increasing responsibility, culminating in the role of Vice President of platform technology groups, prior to transitioning into a senior position in strategic program management and operations.
Sandra earned her PhD in Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology from the University of Chicago and completed her postdoctoral fellowship at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
She serves on the board of directors of gene therapy public company, REGENXBIO, and on the supervisory board of an oncology small molecule public company, TME Pharma, based in Berlin.
Andrew Lightfoot, PhD, MBA
Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Lightfoot, PhD, MBA
Chief Executive Officer
Andrew Lightfoot, CEO, is a serial biotech entrepreneur & company builder. He is a medicinal chemist by training, with 12 years leadership in drug discovery at GSK UK, taking multiple compounds to DC selection and beyond, primarily in CNS disorders.
Subsequently he has spent the last 16 years in early-stage therapeutics biotech building: translating ideas to clinical assets, raising the first investments, building the first teams and driving the science. For example, he was the first CEO of Tessellate BIO, working with BGV/Forbion to build a solid company with a substantial series A.
Edward van Wezel
Non-Executive Director
Edward van Wezel
Non-Executive Director
Edward is Managing Partner and co-founder of BGV. Edward started his career as process engineer for Chiron Inc. He subsequently worked in product development and corporate licensing at Johnson & Johnson. Since 2000 he expanded his experience as CEO of several life sciences companies in the Netherlands. He currently serves on the supervisory boards of Azafaros, Scenic Biotech, Confo Therapeutics, Epsilogen, Kivu Bioscience and Rouge Therapeutics.
He previously served on the supervisory boards of Progentix Orthobiology (acquired by Nuvasive ), Noviogendix (acquired by MDxHealth), was founding investor and supervisory board member of Acerta Pharma (acquired by AstraZeneca) and was supervisory board member at Synaffix (sold to Lonza). Edward is also on the board of LEH, a Leiden University owned company that creates, supports and invests in spin-out companies related to Leiden University.
Edward holds an M.Sc. in chemistry from the University of Utrecht and an MSc in Biochemical Engineering from the Delft University of Technology.
Regina Hodits, PhD
Non-Executive Director
Regina Hodits, PhD
Non-Executive Director
Regina is a Managing Director at Angelini Ventures. Prior to this role, she was the Managing Partner at Wellington Partners Life Sciences (WPLS) and represented the WPLS funds on the Boards of Minervax, Seamless, Sidekick Health, SNIPR Biome, and TRiCares. She was a founding investor in Rigontec (acquired by MSD), Sapiens (acquired by Medtronic), Middle Peak Medical (acquired by Symetis / Boston Scientific), invested in Themis Medical (acquired by MSD). In addition, she serves on the Board of the BII BioInnovation Institute, is the Chairperson in of the Vienna university founders organization INiTS and is a member of the advisory group for KfW Capital and the SME council of the German Ministry of Economics BMWK.
Before this role, Regina led the European life sciences efforts of Boston-based Atlas Venture. She was the founding investor in Bicycle Therapeutics (NASDAQ: BCYC), F-star, and Jenavalve, and served on several Boards, including U3 Pharma (acquired by Daiichi Sankyo), Nitec Pharma (became part of Horizon Pharma NASDAQ: HRZN), Shanghai-based Novamed, and has been an external director at GlaxoSmithKline’s Respiratory TA Board. Before, Regina worked for Apax Partners, and started to build her extensive network in the global healthcare industry during her tenure at McKinsey. In the 90s, Regina gained initial insights into the fast-growing biotech sector as post-doctoral researcher at the MRC Cambridge UK. Regina studied chemical engineering in Vienna and holds a PhD in biochemistry.
Hadrien Bouchez
Non-Executive Director
Hadrien Bouchez
Non-Executive Director
Hadrien is a Partner at Kurma Partners, where he has participated in a dozen investments across Kurma Biofund II and III. He has actively contributed to the creation and development of several portfolio companies, including Corlieve Therapeutics (acquired by uniQure), Emergence Therapeutics (acquired by Lilly), ImCheck Therapeutics (acquired by IPSEN), Evidence Bio and Evla Bio. He also served as a Board member of Memo Therapeutics (acquired by Ipsen).
Hadrien holds a PharmD from the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Lille and an MSc in Entrepreneurship from ESSEC Business School.
Stéphane Verdood
Non-Executive Director
Stéphane Verdood
Non-Executive Director/h4>
Stéphane Verdood has over 26 years of experience in the life sciences industry.
In 2007, he Co-Founded Vesalius Biocapital after a long career in business consulting and mergers and acquisitions in Europe, and served as Managing Partner for VBC I, VBC II, VBC III VBC IV.
Stéphane was Founder and Managing Partner at Value4Growth, a specialized life science consulting firm. He also founded and led Arthur Andersen’s Business Consulting division in Belgium and Luxembourg and served on the European Board of Partners of Arthur Andersen. Stéphane was also an active venture coach for early-stage companies. He has an MBA and a Master’s degree in Commercial Engineering from the Catholic University of Leuven.
Elizabeth Roper, PhD
Non-Executive Director
Elizabeth Roper, PhD
Non-Executive Director
Liz has more than 25 years of experience in the life science and healthcare industry, either as a venture investor, director or an operating executive. She focuses on shaping and building early-stage life science opportunities into successful companies and investments.
Liz is a Managing Partner of Epidarex Capital, a venture capital firm which finds, invests in, and builds early-stage breakthrough life sciences companies in emerging hubs.
In her role at Epidarex she is responsible for all aspects of the firm from sourcing and leading investments, managing the portfolio to developing the strategy for the firm’s future growth.
Prior to joining Epidarex, Liz was Head of Business Development and part of the management team at Chroma Therapeutics Ltd where she established several major company-building alliances. Liz is a former executive with the life science venture capital team at the Investments Division of The Wellcome Trust. She is also a former member of the life Science team at Atlas Ventures, London.
Liz has held numerous directorships throughout her career including Nodthera, Exeed, Mironid, AdoRx Therapeutics, Enterprise Therapeutics, Dunad, EM Imaging, Macomics, and Kynos, where in the majority of cases she was the founding investor.
Liz holds a B.Sc. (Hons) in Biochemistry (1st class) from the University College Cork, and a PhD from the Imperial Cancer Research Fund.
Adinda Woelderink
Non-Executive Director
Adinda Woelderink
Non-Executive Director
Adinda Woelderink is a healthcare investor focused on Biotechnology and HealthTech. She leads the Life Sciences & Health investment activities at ROM Utrecht Region, one of RougeTx’s founding investors, and serves in several board and observer roles within biotech companies. Before transitioning into venture capital, she worked in consulting and project management, with a focus on innovation and product development for international clients, including Organon. She holds an MSc in Innovation Sciences with a specialization in Medical Biotechnology from Utrecht University.
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