About Us

Paul has more than 30 years of experience in biotech finance and corporate development leadership roles. He was a member of the founding management team at Otonomy and served as its Chief Financial and Business Officer for 14 years. During that time, the company created a pipeline of novel therapeutics targeting hearing and balance disorders, raised over $550 million through multiple private and public financings including a successful IPO, and completed numerous asset transactions and corporate collaborations. He joins Engrail from Ashvattha Therapeutics, where he served as Chief Financial Officer and led the business development activities. Mr. Cayer received his bachelor’s degree in Biomechanical Engineering from Harvard University and MBA from the Harvard Business School.

Sue is a clinical research professional with over 30 years of experience. She holds a BA in Psychology from the University of Notre Dame and a BSN from Oakland University. Sue began her career in psychiatric nursing across various settings, including inpatient, outpatient, and psychiatric ER, before transitioning to clinical research in 1991. With extensive experience in monitoring, clinical management, and project management for Phases I–III clinical trials, Sue has worked on large, complex, global trials in both pharmaceutical and CRO organizations. Her expertise spans Alzheimer disease, bipolar disorder, depression, panic disorder, schizophrenia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson disease psychosis, and stroke. Previously, Sue served as VP of Clinical Operations at NeuraWell, Senior Director for Clinical Project Management at Intra-Cellular Therapies, and Project Manager at ACADIA Pharmaceuticals.

Tiba Aynechi is a General Partner of Norwest Venture Partners, where she leads the biotech practice within the healthcare team. Prior to joining Norwest, Tiba was a Senior Partner at Novo Holdings A/S, one of the top life sciences investment firms, with offices in the US and Europe. She has served on various public and private boards including iRhythm Technologies, Mirum Pharmaceuticals, Nkarta Therapeutics, Arcellx, Spruce Biosciences, and MDLive. Earlier in her career Tiba was a banker focused on M&A, licensing, and financing transactions involving biotech/pharma. Tiba attended the University of California Irvine, where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics with a biomedical concentration. She holds a PhD in biophysics from the University of California San Francisco, where she also did her postdoctoral fellowship. Tiba is also a published author of scientific articles and book chapters in rational drug design.

Jasper currently serves as General Partner for the Growth Fund at Forbion. He was previously Senior Vice President and Managing Director at M Ventures, the venture arm of Merck, where he led a team with a fund size of €400 million invested over more than 50 biotech, life science tools, and tech companies. His investment activities ranged from seed-stage to cross-over and IPO. Jasper also has operational experience in portfolio companies and helped create multiple successful spin-out companies from Merck. He received his PhD in Pharmacy from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.

Heath Lukatch has extensive experience with investing in the life science industry, with 38 career investments. He is currently Managing Partner and Co-founder of Red Tree Venture Capital. Previously, he served as Partner, Managing Director and Life Sciences Investment Team Leader at TPG, Co-founder of Novo Ventures’ San Francisco office, and Managing Director at Piper Jaffray Ventures and SightLine Partners. Currently, Heath serves as board chair of Acrigen Biosciences and Magnus Medical; is a board member at Bicara Therapeutics, Excellergy Therapeutics, and Vaxcyte (PCVX); and is a board observer at Ceribell. He also has experience as a strategy consultant and bench scientist. Heath received his BA in Biochemistry from the University of California at Berkeley and PhD in Neuroscience from Stanford University.

Niall is currently Managing Director at RiverVest, where he focuses on biopharmaceutical opportunities. He has also served as a board member for multiple pharmaceutical companies, including Reneo Pharmaceuticals, Avalyn Pharma, Glycomine, Sparrow Pharmaceuticals, and Spruce Biosciences. Niall is also the co-founder of Reneo Pharmaceutical, where he served as interim CEO, and Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Inc. His career experience includes serving as the interim Chief Medical Officer at Lumena Pharmaceuticals and as an immunologist at Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research and Development. Niall received a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Dundee, an MA in Biochemistry from Pembroke College, and an MBA from Rady School of Management of the University of California.

Saira has over 25 years of life sciences experience successfully building companies as an advisor, board member, and operational executive. She is Managing Partner of Life Sciences Advisory, a firm she founded to provide strategic advice for life sciences companies. Previously, Ms. Ramasastry spent 10 years as an investment banker with Merrill Lynch & Co., where she helped establish the biotech practice to support capital market and strategic transactions. She serves on the board of directors for VIR Biotechnology, Mirum Pharmaceuticals, Day One Biopharmaceuticals, and Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd., and is on the Industry Advisory Board of the Michael J. Fox Foundation. Ms. Ramasastry received her bachelor’s degree in Economics and master’s degree in Management Science from Stanford University, and MPhil in Management Studies from University of Cambridge.

Stacie Weninger currently serves as President of FBRI and as a Venture Partner with F-Prime Capital. Previously she held pivotal roles as Senior Director of Science Programs for the Fidelity Foundations, a Senior Scientist at Cell Press for Neuron, and as the Project Manager and Senior Analyst for the Task Force on Women in Science at Harvard University. She chairs the Collaboration for Alzheimer’s Prevention, is a member of the World Dementia Council, and is the CEO and Chairman of the Board of Directors for Rugen Therapeutics. In addition, she serves as a member of numerous other external and scientific advisory boards including as a member of the Board of Directors for Atalanta, Sironax, TargetALS, and the Governance Committee for the Targets to Therapies (T2T) MJFF collaborative initiative. She previously served as the President of Alzforum and was a founding member of the Board of Directors for multiple companies including Denali Therapeutics, Neumora, and Annexon. Stacie received a BS in chemistry from the University of North Carolina and a PhD in Neuroscience from Harvard University.

Dr. Brannan is a neuroscience drug development expert with over 15 years of industry experience. He has held senior roles in clinical development and medical affairs, including Chief Medical Officer at Karuna Therapeutics, Therapeutic Head of Neuroscience at Takeda, Vice President for Clinical Research and Medical Affairs at Forum Pharmaceuticals, and senior roles at Novartis, Cyberonics, and Eli Lilly. Dr. Brannan has been active in the development of multiple, important central nervous system treatments including Cymbalta, Exelon Patch, Trintellix, and VNS for treatment-resistant depression. He is experienced in drug development, registration, medical affairs, launch, and lifecycle management in the areas of anxiety, depression, epilepsy, neuropathic pain, schizophrenia, migraine, cognition, and Alzheimer and Parkinson diseases.

Dr. Brannan is a member of several scientific societies and groups, including ACNP, ISCTM (Scientific and Executive Committees), ISCDD, AARR, IOM Neuroforum, and CNS Summit (founding member). Prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry, Dr. Brannan was a faculty member at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UTHSCSA), specializing in mood and anxiety patient care, running a clinical research unit, and conducting neuroimaging research. He trained in psychiatry at UTHSCSA and holds an MD from the University of Texas Health Science Center at Dallas. He has over 50 publications and routinely speaks at industry conferences.

Dr. Mathew is the Marjorie Bintliff Johnson and Raleigh White Johnson Jr Chair for Research and Professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Baylor College of Medicine. He currently serves as Director of the Mood and Anxiety Disorders Program at Baylor College of Medicine and on the boards of the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology and the Anxiety and Depression Association of America.

Dr. Mathew received his medical degree from Baylor College of Medicine and trained in psychiatry and research at Columbia University and the New York State Psychiatric Institute. His research program focuses on experimental therapeutics and pathophysiology of treatment-resistant mood and anxiety disorders, as well as PTSD, with a particular focus on rapid-acting glutamate-modulating agents like ketamine. He has published over 200 manuscripts and book chapters.

Dr. Nemeroff is Chair and Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin. He also serves as Co-director of the Center for Psychedelic Research and Therapy and directs the Institute for Early Life Adversity Research within the Mulva Clinic for the Neurosciences. He is president-elect and a member of the board of directors of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and sits on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Brain and Behavioral Research Foundation. Previously, he served as President of the American College of Psychiatrists, the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology, and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Dr. Nemeroff received his medical degree and doctorate degrees in neurobiology from the University of North Carolina School of Medicine. After psychiatry residency training at UNC and Duke University, he held faculty positions at Duke University Medical Center, Emory University School of Medicine, and University of Miami.

His research explores the pathophysiology of mood and anxiety disorders, with a focus on the impact of child abuse and neglect. Dr. Nemeroff has also conducted research on how mood disorders contribute to major medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. He has published more than 1100 research reports and reviews, and his research is currently supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Stein is Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Public Health, and Vice Chair for Clinical Research in Psychiatry at the University of California San Diego. He is also a staff psychiatrist at the VA San Diego Healthcare System. Murray serves as a member on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Anxiety and Depression Association of America and as a fellow of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology. He previously was Scientific Chair of the NIMH Interventions in Mood and Anxiety Review Group and a member of the DSM-5 Anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum, Posttraumatic, and Dissociative Disorders Work Group; National Academy of Medicine Board on the Health of Select Populations; National Academy of Medicine Committee to Review NASA’s Evidence Reports on Human Health Risks; and FDA Psychopharmacologic Drugs Advisory Committee.

Dr. Stein received his medical degree from the University of Manitoba and completed his residency and post-residency fellowship at the University of Toronto and the National Institute of Mental Health. He subsequently completed a Master of Public Health degree at Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health.

His research interests include the epidemiology, neurobiology, and treatment of anxiety and trauma-related disorders, particularly social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and PTSD. He has published over 800 peer-reviewed manuscripts.