Tian Zhao, PhD

Vice President of R&D at OncoNano Medicine Inc.

Speaker

I lead the strategic vision and tactical execution of the Research and Development team at OncoNano and is responsible for directing all phases of technical product development at the company. Previously, I worked at UT Southwestern Medical Center during which time I developed the pH-activatable near IR nanoprobes for imaging guided cancer surgery. I comprehensively investigated the nanoprobes from synthesis, characterization to in vivo pharmacology and toxicity. The nanoprobe technology was later licensed by OncoNano Medicine for clinical translation. After joining OncoNano I have assembled a team of talented and experienced drug development experts and scientists and translated its lead product Pegsitacianine from bench top to Phase II clinical trial. My experience in organic chemistry, polymer chemistry, nanoparticle characterization, in intro and in vivo pharmacology and safety evaluation makes me well-prepared to carry out the proposed project. I have more than 1,900 citations on my peer-reviewed publications and more than 30 media coverages on my work involving nanomedicine.