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NYBC Ventures
420 Boylston Street
Suite 501
Boston, MA 02116
©2025 NYBC VENTURES
Cristina Csimma is a biopharmaceutical leader with decades of experience in global drug development, new company formation and value creation in biotechnology, large pharma and venture capital.
Dr. Csimma is a Board Director of Syncona Ltd (UK FTSE 250) and a Board Director of Asgard Therapeutics. She also serves on the Harvard MRCT Center External Advisory Board and the Muscular Dystrophy Association Venture Philanthropy Advisory Committee. Previously, Dr. Csimma was the Chair of the Board of Directors of Caraway Therapeutics (acquired by Merck), Executive Chair of the Board of Directors of Forendo Pharma (acquired by Organon), of Exonics Therapeutics (acquired by Vertex), and a Board Director of Juniper Pharma (acquired by Catalent), Vtesse (acquired by Sucampo), Aceragen Inc (formerly Idera Pharma), Palisade Bio (formerly Seneca/Neuralstem) and T1DX (non-profit Type 1 Diabetes). She was the founding CEO, President, and a Board Director of Cydan.
She has served on multiple NIH and other non-profit advisory committees including the NIH NeuroNext External Oversight Committee and the TREAT-NMD Advisory Committee for Therapeutics (founding chair). Earlier in her career, Dr. Csimma was a principal with Clarus Ventures LLC (now Blackstone), VP of Drug Development at Virdante Pharma (platform acquired by Momenta/J&J) and she held multiple roles in Clinical Development and Translational Research at Pfizer (formerly Wyeth and Genetics Institute), and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.
Dr. Csimma holds a Bachelor of Science and a Doctor of Pharmacy from Massachusetts College of Pharmacy, and a Master of Health Professions from Northeastern University.
Since joining NYBC Ventures in 2024, Kuan has played an important role, identifying and assessing companies within NYBCV’s core focus areas. His passion for investing in early-stage companies enables him to successfully support the firm’s broader investment strategy and growth. Kuan brings a background of life sciences investment banking and consulting, with experience spanning from large pharmaceutical companies to early-stage biotechnology companies. Kuan graduated with two bachelor’s degrees from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and as part of the Vagelos Life Sciences and Management Program. His enthusiasm for the biopharma industry and the intersection of life sciences and business positions him as a key member of the team.
Meg Wood is a key member of the team at NYBC Ventures, where she leverages her expertise in venture capital and strategic investments to identify and support innovative companies. With a strong background in investing and a passion for emerging technologies, Meg plays an integral role in driving the firm’s investment strategy, fostering growth and value creation across the portfolio. She earned her master’s degree from Boston University’s School of Public Health, where she developed a deep understanding of finance and entrepreneurship. Meg is committed to advancing NYBC Ventures’ mission of shaping the future of industries through transformative investing.
Mr. Rosenthal is the Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Investment Officer of Brighthouse Financial, where he is responsible for the overall management of the company’s investment portfolio. Prior to this role, Mr. Rosenthal served as EVP and Head of Global Portfolio Management at MetLife, Inc. (MetLife) Investments, holding multiple leadership positions during his 32-year tenure with the company. He also served as the Treasurer of the MetLife Foundation and Chairperson of MetLife’s Corporate Blood Program.
Mr. Rosenthal has served on the board of Franklin & Marshall College as Chairman of the Investment Committee and as a member of the Executive Committee. He is a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) and has been a Trustee of the New York Blood Center, Inc. since 2018, and serves as Chair of the Finance Committee.
Mr. Rosenthal earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from Franklin & Marshall College and a master’s degree in business administration from Cornell University.
Ms. Choi is a biotech executive, Board member, and advocate for patients. She was chief business and strategy officer for Global Blood Therapeutics (GBT), a leader in sickle cell disease, and served as head of corporate and business development, corporate strategy, R&D program leadership and management, patient advocacy, and government affairs and policy. She was instrumental in GBT’s $5.8B acquisition by Pfizer. During her career, Ms. Choi has led or managed over 50 transactions exceeding $17 billion in value.
Prior to GBT, she served as senior vice president, corporate development, for InterMune (acquired by Roche) and senior vice president, corporate development, for Chimerix. She held various management positions at Gilead Sciences, including leadership of business development, licensing and mergers and acquisition activities. During her tenure, she built and oversaw the corporate development group and led the U.S. commercial launch of Hepsera® for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B. She also has venture capital and strategy experience, having served as a vice president at Bay City Capital and an engagement manager at McKinsey & Company.
Ms. Choi is currently an entrepreneur-in-residence at Third Rock Ventures and serves on the board of directors of Annexon Biosciences (ANNX), Marea Therapeutics, New York Blood Center, NYBC Ventures, and California Life Sciences. She is an Aspen Health Innovators Fellow and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network. Ms. Choi received a B.A. in human biology and an M.B.A. from Stanford University.
As Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer, Jay Mohr provides business development leadership to the organization and is also responsible for directing New York Blood Center Enterprises’ (NYBCe) cell manufacturing business unit, Comprehensive Cell Solutions®, as well as the Enterprise’s specialty pharmacy. As General Partner, Jay co-manages the Enterprise’s recently launched $50M life sciences investment fund, NYBC Ventures, which focuses on blood- and cell therapy-based innovations.
Jay has over 30 years of successful executive leadership in the biopharmaceutical industry. Before joining NYBCe, Jay served as the Chief Operating and Business Officer of AZTherapies, a privately held biopharma company focused on neurodegenerative diseases. At AZTherapies, Jay implemented financing and business development initiatives, developed, and executed corporate strategy, and managed investor relations.
Having previously served as CEO of several pharma and life science companies, Jay has vast experience in capital formation, P&L management, and corporate and business development. In those roles his efforts generated significant shareholder value. He co-founded Dirigo Therapeutics, Locust Walk Partners, and Gloucester Pharmaceuticals (exit to Celgene, now BMS). Previously, Jay held senior commercial roles at Serono (now Merck KGaA) and Schering-Plough (now Merck, Inc.). Jay currently serves on the boards of Mesentech, Inc., the T1D Exchange, and the Maine Technological Institute. As a General Partner and Board of Managers Member of NYBC Ventures, he serves as a Board Observer to Immusoft, KaloCyte, Inc. and Vittoria Biotherapeutics, Inc. He currently holds Series 79, 24, and 63 securities licenses.
Jay graduated from Vanderbilt University with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and German. He received his Master of Business Administration from The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Christopher D. Hillyer, MD is President and CEO, New York Blood Center Enterprises (NYBCe); General Partner, NYBC Ventures; Distinguished Investigator, Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute; and Professor, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell College of Medicine.
An internationally recognized expert in hematology, transfusion and transplantation, and cellular/gene therapies, Dr. Hillyer brings a unique combination of vision, executional experience, and proven success as a seasoned business executive, scientist, board member, and global leader.
During his tenure, Hillyer has transformed NYBCe into a $600M+/yr multi-faceted life sciences organization with global reach and worldwide recognition for its high humanitarian impact, R&D, and commercialization strategies. Today, NYBCe serves 75M+ people and 400+ hospitals, research organizations, academic institutions, and biomedical companies in nearly 45 countries.
In 2021, Hillyer founded NYBC Ventures, a $50M early-stage life sciences investment fund to enable innovation and advances in hematology, cell therapies, regenerative medicine, and related fields. Editor of 13 textbooks and author of over 200 articles, Hillyer has been recognized with numerous awards, and in Crain’s New York annual “Notable Health Care Leaders” editions for consummate leadership, pioneering accomplishments, crisis management and commitment to mentoring, and in City & State New York’s “Health Care Power 100”.
Prior to joining NYBCe, Dr. Hillyer was the endowed Distinguished Service Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine, where he was Director of the Emory Center for Transfusion and Cellular Therapies and an attending physician on the Bone Marrow Transplant Service.
Dr. Hillyer has served on numerous for-profit and not-for-profit boards; many NIH study sections; and held national leadership positions including President, Board of Directors of AABB, Trustee, National Blood Foundation; and Associate Editor, TRANSFUSION. Dr. Hillyer has been awarded ~$70M in research funding from the NIH, CDC, and other agencies, including T, U, R01, and P01 grants; received two iterative Tiffany Awards from the American Red Cross for his work in Africa as part of the President’s Emergency Plan For AIDS Relief (PEPFAR). He co-founded Transfusion & Transplantation Technologies, Inc. (3Ti), HemeXcel Purchasing Alliance, and HemeXcel Resources, and holds multiple patents.
Dr. Hillyer is board certified in internal medicine, hematology, medical oncology, and transfusion medicine. He received his BS with honors from Trinity College and his MD from the University of Rochester School of Medicine, with postgraduate training and fellowships in hematology-oncology, transfusion medicine, and bone marrow transplantation at Tufts-New England Medical Center in Boston.
David Kabakoff, Ph. D, is an organic and biochemist with over 30 years of experience in leading technology and product development programs in the pharmaceutical, biopharmaceutical, and drug delivery fields and 18 years as a venture investor. He currently serves as Executive Partner with Sofinnova Investments and as Founding Senior Partner of HealthQuest Capital. He is currently the Chairman of NextCure (NXTC), a Director at Rarecyte, and a Board observer at Antiva Biosciences. Previously he served as the Chairman of Trius and Amplimmune, and as a Director of InterMune, Principia, Castle Biosciences, Biotheranostics, Antiva, Rainier and Neurana.
Prior to joining Sofinnova in 2007, David co-founded Salmedix, a developer of cancer drug treatments, and served as the company’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer until its acquisition by Cephalon. David also held the positions of Executive Vice President of Dura, a specialty pharmaceutical and pulmonary drug delivery company, and President and Chief Executive Officer of Spiros Development. Earlier, David was Chief Executive Officer of Corvas International and held senior executive positions with Hybritech.
David received his PhD from Yale University and his BA from Case Western Reserve University.
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