The People Behind the Science
A team with the scientific depth, clinical experience, and commercial expertise to take Kembi from discovery to patients.
Christine Chaffer
B.Sc. (Hons) (Pharmacology), PhD
A/Prof Christine Chaffer is head of the Cancer Cell Plasticity Lab at the Garvan Institute of Medical Research and Director of the Cancer Plasticity and Dormancy Program, where her research established plasticity as a validated, druggable target in therapy-resistant cancers. A/Prof Chaffer's high-impact publications in Cell, Science, Cancer Discovery and Nature Cell Biology have fundamentally reshaped understanding of how cancer cells acquire resistance, forming the scientific foundation of Kembi Therapeutics. A/Prof Chaffer is also the leader of the international AllClear research program, which was awarded the first and landmark $25 million collaborative research accelerator grant by the National Breast Cancer Foundation in August 2025.
Paul Bernath
B.Sc. (Hons) (Pharmacology), L.L.B. (Hons)
Paul Bernath is Managing Director and Australia Office Head at CPP Investments, one of the world's largest institutional investors with C$780.7 billion assets under management as at 31 December 2025, projected to exceed C$1 trillion by 2028. Mr. Bernath leads the Fund's presence in Australia as well as its infrastructure activities across the broader Asia Pacific region (ex. India), and is a member of the Fund's Global Infrastructure Investment Committee. He is also an experienced board member of several large-scale businesses including AirTrunk, Pacific National and WestConnex. Mr. Bernath brings deep expertise in commercial and investment strategy, capital allocation, financing, M&A and governance to Kembi, supporting the company's growth from clinical stage to global biotech.
David Scheer
A.B., M.S.
David Scheer is founder and President of Scheer & Company, a life sciences advisory firm he has led since 1981, with a track record of founding and serving on the board or as chair of companies including Achillion Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Alexion), Viropharma (acquired by Shire/Takeda), OraPharma (acquired by JNJ, now a unit of Valeant) and Esperion Therapeutics (acquired by Pfizer), with collective acquisitions representing over US$7 billion. He is currently a member and chair of the boards of multiple biotechnology companies, including Adela, Ladder Bio and Apriligen, and also serves as a member of the board of directors of BioCT, and on the executive board of the Center for Biomedical Innovation and Technologies at Yale University. Mr. Scheer brings decades of expertise in corporate and pharmaceutical strategy, as well as company development, growth, M&A and governance to Kembi.
Tony Ho
B.S., M.D.
Dr. Tony Ho is a seasoned pharmacology R&D leader who serves as Chief Scientific Officer & Senior Science Partner at Pivotal Life Sciences. Dr. Ho was formerly EVP and Head of R&D at CRISPR Therapeutics (where he brought the first CRISPR-based therapy, Casgevy, to the clinic) and SVP and Head of Oncology Integration at AstraZeneca, where he oversaw the development and commercialisation of Lynparza and Imfinzi, with 10 Phase 3 trials designed under his leadership now having obtained positive results. He also led the development and launch of Zioptan and several Phase 3 programs as Head of Neurology and Ophthalmology at Merck. Dr. Ho's expertise encompasses drug discovery and development through successful regulatory approval and commercialisation across oncology, gene editing, and cell therapy.
Mary Tagliaferri
B.S., M.D., L.Ac
Dr. Mary Tagliaferri is a visionary physician-scientist and biotechnology executive with over 25 years of drug development experience across oncology, immunology and women's health. Currently serving as the Chief Medical Officer of Nektar Therapeutics, she has a proven track record of guiding transformative therapies from early discovery through late-stage global clinical trials and regulatory approval. Dr. Tagliaferri has also held roles as a clinical and regulatory consultant to InterMune, Chief Medical Officer at KangLaiTe USA, as well as Co-Founder, President, and Chief Medical Officer of Bionovo, Inc. Dr. Tagliaferri currently serves on the Board of Directors of Iambic Therapeutics and ADARx Pharmaceuticals and has previously held independent board roles with RayzeBio (Nasdaq: RYZB), Y-mAbs Therapeutics (Nasdaq: YMAB), and Enzo Biochem (NYSE: ENZ).
Milind Deshpande
PhD
Dr. Milind Deshpande is a Venture Partner at RA Capital Management with over 25 years of drug discovery and operational leadership, including roles as President and CEO of Achillion Pharmaceuticals and co-inventor of the first-in-class HCV NS5A inhibitors that led to the approval of Daklinza. Dr. Deshpande is co-founder and board member of Spero Therapeutics, co-founder and chairman of Avilar Therapeutics, was co-founder and CEO of Hyku Biosciences and was CEO of Nayan Therapeutics. He was also Group Leader at Bristol-Myers Squibb for all early stage discovery programs in infectious diseases and neuroscience and has co-authored more than 80 scientific articles. Dr. Deshpande brings deep expertise in small molecule discovery and clinical-stage development to Kembi's drug discovery program.
Elizabeth Woodson
B.S., M.S.
Elizabeth Woodson is an oncology program leader with a 20-year track record in program management across clinical development. Her experience spans complex multi-indication oncology programs of biologics and small molecules in academic, CRO, and biotech settings, partnering with executive leadership to drive R&D strategy. Most recently, at Istari Oncology, she served as Executive Director of Program Management, leading program management for the LUMINOS trials evaluating lerapolturev across glioblastoma, melanoma, and a multi-indication basket study in solid tumors. Prior to Istari, she supported Phase 2 programs of seviteronel in triple-negative breast cancer and castration-resistant prostate cancer at Innocrin Pharmaceuticals. Ms. Woodson has proven expertise in cross-functional program leadership and the operational demands of first-in-class oncology therapeutics, directly applied to driving KMB-464 through clinical development at Kembi.
George Rehm
B.S.F.S., M.S., J.D.
George Rehm was a founding partner of aeris CAPITAL AG, financial advisor to the foundation of SAP founder Klaus Tschira, where he built its healthcare investing strategy across venture, private equity, and hedge funds. His board and observer positions have spanned Butterfly Networks (IPO), QuantumSi (IPO via SPAC), Adamas Pharmaceuticals (acquired by Supernus Pharma), Genome Dx/Decipher (acquired by Veracyte), and Ion Torrent (acquired by Thermo Fisher). He currently serves on the boards of Artera AI, Inkspace Imaging, and Respond Health, and on the Strategic Advisory Councils of Revalisio Health, iSono Health, and Vizma, and as Senior Mentor at Bakar Labs, UC Berkeley. Prior to aeris, Mr. Rehm spent over 20 years as a lawyer and executive in international licensing, technology transfer, and investment across the US, Europe, and Asia.
