Prakash Rao

Dr. Prakash Rao holds a Ph.D in Cell and Molecular Biology from the University of Pennsylvania, an MBA from Massachusetts Institute of Technology - Sloan School of Management, an M.S. in Cell Biology from Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, and a B.A in Biochemistry-Molecular Biology from the University of California, Santa Barbara.

With a diverse educational background, Dr. Rao has held various impactful roles in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sectors. Currently, he serves as the Director of Corporate Development at i2o Therapeutics. Previously, he played a crucial role as a Founding Member at BARDA Ventures and held the position of Sr. Manager/Portfolio and Programs-DRIVe at Tunnell Consulting. Additionally, Dr. Rao has also been involved in business development at Harvard's Office of Technology Development, Startup Leadership Fellow at Startup Leadership Program, business strategy consulting at Selecta Biosciences, and investment management at Beacon VP.

Dr. Rao's professional journey includes serving as a Group Leader in Cancer Epigenetics at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, an Investigator at Novartis, a Postdoctoral Fellow at Whitehead Institute, a Graduate Student at the University of Pennsylvania, a Research Assistant in Richard Mulligan's Laboratory at Boston Children's Hospital, and a Technical Assistant in Richard Mulligan's Laboratory at the Whitehead Institute.

His expertise spans across various fields, showcasing a well-rounded profile with experience in corporate development, business strategy, project management, investment analysis, cancer epigenetics, and molecular biology. Dr. Rao's educational achievements and extensive professional experience have equipped him with a unique skill set that enables him to make significant contributions to the life sciences and healthcare industry.