Decode functional gene networks for safer, more effective therapies for patients

Dr. Chun-Hao Huang founded Algen, serves as the CEO with the mission to decode functional gene networks and radically transform patient outcomes. As a genetic engineer and drug developer, Chun-Hao pioneered disease-relevant models using CRISPR and RNAi, which led to the discovery of new therapeutic strategies for treating cancer and inflammatory diseases. He also applied machine learning to the study of gene functions and invented methods to identify biomarkers that predict drug responses. Chun-Hao conducted his postdoctoral research in Jennifer Doudna's lab at UC Berkeley, and received his PhD in Scott Lowe's lab at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center/Weill Cornell Medicine. He is the 64th Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting Fellow, UN’s UNLEASH Sustainable Development Goals Talent, Innovators Under 35, and AACR Basic Cancer Research Fellow. He has authored over 10 patents filed or issued, 40 scientific papers, and 4,000 citations across top-tier journals.

Ms. Christine Du is the Co-Founder and CBO of Algen Biotechnologies. Christine co-founded Algen to apply a biology-first, data-driven approach to discovering and developing new medicines. Trained as a scientist, Christine has spent nearly 20 years bridging science and business across academic research, biotech startups, and large pharma— she has driven exponential growth for early-stage companies by translating breakthrough science into impactful strategies, products, and partnerships. Earlier in her career, Christine contributed to research resulting in a highly cited study that remains influential in the field of dermatology. She received her MBA from Wharton School of Business with a focus in Healthcare Management.

As Chief Scientific Officer of Algen, Dr Jeff Whitten is bringing new classes of small molecule therapeutics to the clinic that are novel and biologically differentiated from other oncology drugs that are in clinical development. Jeff is an experienced biopharmaceutical science executive with 40+ years of experience leading multiple, rapid, and successful INDs such as AUGTYRO® (Repotrectinib), the first designed kinase inhibitor to overcome drug-resistant cancers, and the anti-inflammatory CRAC channel inhibitor Auxora for use in multiple inflammatory diseases. He has been an integral part of growing startups to clinical-stage public companies, including as SVP of Pre-Clinical Development at Turning Point Therapeutics, and Vice President of Chemistry at CalciMedica and Neurocrine Biosciences. Jeff received his BSc and PhD from The University of Salford Manchester, England, was a Senior Research Fellow in Sir Jack Baldwin's lab at Oxford University and also has an MBA from The Ohio State University.