Voyant ^Bio

Assaf Magen, PhD
CEO

Assaf Magen, PhD, is the CEO and Founder of Voyant Bio, a recognized expert in computational biology, immunology, and data science, with extensive experience in spatial biology research.Dr. Magen earned his PhD in Computational Biology and has published influential research on immune cell interactions and their role in cancer resistance mechanisms in prestigious journals, including Nature Medicine. His visionary leadership combines innovative computational techniques with deep biological insights, guiding Voyant Bio’s development of precision immunotherapies.Under his guidance, the company’s unique AI-driven microscopy platform is redefining therapeutic strategies by precisely targeting cellular interactions within tumors, significantly improving the potential for successful immunotherapy outcomes for patients with treatment-resistant cancers.

Jozsef Karman, PhD
Interim CSO

Dr. Karman is a leading immunologist and computational biologist with over 15 years of pharmaceutical industry experience at Merck, AbbVie, Syros Pharmaceuticals, and Genzyme, where he led bioinformatics groups, pioneered machine learning approaches for target identification in immunological diseases, and advanced rare disease therapeutics including gene therapy programs. His expertise spans both innate and adaptive immunology—from IBD to rheumatic as well as neurological diseases—combined with deep computational biology capabilities in single-cell genomics, multiomics integration, and AI/ML-driven patient stratification. He brings this unique translational expertise to Voyant Bio's mission to decode immune dysfunction in cancer.

Max Fereydouni, PhD
Head of R&D, Cell Biology

Dr. Fereydouni eading immuno-oncology scientist with industry experience at Adanate Inc., Innate-N-Adaptive Tx Consulting, and Sangamo Therapeutics, where he worked on immunology programs and led regulatory FDA submissions. His academic research focused on cancer immunotherapy, mast cell engineering, and HER2-positive tumor targeting, and he brings this translational expertise to Voyant Bio’s mission to decode immune dysfunction in cancer.

Gunjan Thakur, PhD
Bioinformatics & AI/ML

Dr. Thakur is a seasoned Machine Learning Scientist with over six years of experience at the intersection of computational biology and drug discovery. He brings deep expertise in deep learning, graph neural networks (GNNs), and generative AI to accelerate therapeutic development through integrated multi-omics data analysis.Gunjan is a patent holder in multi-omic biomarker discovery and has a strong track record of translating complex data into actionable insights. His work bridges advanced computational models with experimental validation to drive innovation in precision medicine.

Gavin Thurston, PhD
Oncology Advisory

A leader in oncology with extensive industry experience, Dr. Thurston previously served as SVP of Immuno-Oncology at Regeneron, where he played a pivotal role in advancing cutting-edge cancer therapies.

George Smith, PhD, MBA
Scientific & Business Advisory

Dr. Smith is a biotech executive and drug developer with 28 years of experience, multiple exits and commercial successes. Recently, he led development and operations at Myst, then, post-acquisition by Turnstone, was VP Cell Therapies at Turnstone, steering the company to an IPO. In IQVIA’s management consulting team, he built IQVIA into the advanced therapy market leader. He invented Paxlovid, helped develop Prevnar20, built Pfizer’s therapeutic vaccines department, and built Althea Technologies’ CRO business. He was CDO at Visicell and advises startups. George has a PhD and MBA from UCSD.

Robert Schreiber, PhD
Immunology Advisory

A world-renowned immunologist and key opinion leader, Dr. Schreiber is affiliated with Washington University in St. Louis. His groundbreaking work continues to shape the field of cancer immunology.

Ugur Eskiocak, PhD
Immuno-oncology Advisory

A seasoned executive and innovator in immuno-oncology, Dr. Eskiocak is currently CEO of Voro Tx. He has previously held positions at Janux Therapeutics, Takeda, and other leading biotech companies.

Mohosin Sarkar, PhD
Protein Engineering Advisory

With a background in protein engineering, Dr. Sarkar has held leadership roles at Pfizer and EvolveImmune Therapeutics, contributing to the development of novel biologics and therapeutic platforms.

Mark Oldroyd, JD, MS
Strategic Development Advisory

Executive leader with 30 years in pharma, biotech, and lab industries, specializing in commercialization and strategic partnerships. Proven success in product launches, RWD/RWE monetization, and driving growth for early-stage companies.