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Stefan Pflanz
Executive Director Boehringer-Ingelheim Venture Fund USA
Professional Background
Stefan Pflanz is a highly accomplished, innovation-oriented immunologist with a remarkable career spanning over fifteen years. His extensive experience in the international pharmaceutical industry, both in the USA and Europe, has established him as a leader in the field of immunology. With expertise in the design and implementation of cross-site and cross-functional research strategies, Stefan is adept at building and managing successful discovery research portfolios. His versatility is evident in his work on IND-enabling pre-clinical proof-of-concept studies across various disease settings, including chronic infections, inflammatory conditions, and immuno-oncology.
Stefan’s comfort with handling large “systems biology” data sets showcases his capability in leading multi-site, cross-functional teams effectively. His commitment to supporting clinical trials is reflected in his ability to define relevant biomarkers, understand patient subpopulations, and explore key endpoints while also adhering to regulatory requirements. This breadth of knowledge allows him to evaluate in-licensing opportunities adeptly, further reinforcing his role as an invaluable asset in the pharmaceutical industry.
Education and Achievements
Stefan Pflanz embarked on his academic journey at the prestigious University of Aachen, where he earned his PhD in Immunology, Molecular Biology, and Biochemistry. This rigorous educational background laid the foundation for his deep understanding of immune-regulatory molecular and cellular networks, crucial for addressing compromised tissue homeostasis in various disease settings.
Throughout his professional career, Stefan has held significant positions in several esteemed organizations. Currently, he serves as the Executive Director of the Boehringer-Ingelheim Venture Fund USA at Boehringer Ingelheim, leading initiatives that require both strategic foresight and scientific rigor. His previous roles include Director of Cancer Immunology and Immune Modulation at Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals and Senior Research Scientist at Gilead Sciences. At UCSF Medical Center, he furthered his expertise as a Visiting Scientist in the Department of Dermatology.
Achievements
Stefan has not only excelled in his roles but has also contributed immensely to advancing immunology research. His leadership as the Head of Cytokine Biology at Schering-Plough Biopharma and Head of Target Research at Micromet Inc has enabled him to put into action his insights on immune-regulation and cytokine biology.
His role as Group Leader at SCA Therapeutics and postdoctoral fellow at the DNAX Research Institute (USA) helped to solidify his knowledge and skills in immunology and molecular biology, further enhancing his ability to execute innovative research strategies. Noteworthy is his relentless drive to foster a challenging yet rewarding work environment; he actively encourages individual initiatives, recognizes team success, and supports disciplined risk approaches.
In addition to his scientific accomplishments, Stefan is recognized for his collaborative spirit, having successfully identified and executed partnership opportunities with key figures in both academia and Contract Research Organizations (CROs). This proficiency not only expands research possibilities but also instills a sense of community and shared purpose within the scientific field.
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Clay works by automatically bringing together your contacts from various sources like email, calendar, address book, iOS Contacts, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp, and iMessage. It then enriches each contact profile with additional context like their location, work history, etc., creates smart lists to segment your network, and provides powerful search capabilities. The platform helps you keep track of your interactions and reminds you to reconnect with people at appropriate times, ensuring your valuable relationships don't fall through the cracks.
Clay offers several powerful features including:
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Clay offers many advantages over other personal CRMs. Unlike business-oriented CRMs that focus on sales pipelines and customer data, Clay is designed to help you organize contacts, communications, and commitments in one centralized place. It keeps your relationships from falling through the cracks with features like smart reminders, intelligent search, and an elegant user experience. Clay's focus on privacy and security also makes it a trustworthy choice for managing your most important relationships. Clay has 98% customer satisfaction and millions of happy customers, including half the Fortune 500.
Clay is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Clay beneficial.
Clay offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Clay offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Clay's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
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