17 First-Time CEOs Selected from Four States and Five Countries
The Termeer Institute today announced the Class of 2026 Termeer Fellows, welcoming 17 first-time CEOs leading early-stage life sciences companies across four U.S. states and five countries.
The Termeer Fellows program supports first-time CEOs through skill competency growth programming, executive coaching, mentoring and network-building opportunities through the Termeer Institute’s leadership development framework.
“Each year, we are inspired by the leaders who step forward to take on the challenges of building organizations that put patients first,” said Catharine Smith, CEO of the Termeer Institute. “The Class of 2026 brings together founders and CEOs from across the globe who are committed to meaningful, positive change. We are proud to support them as they grow as leaders and work toward a future where every patient has a cure.”
The Class of 2026 includes the following Termeer Fellows:
- Dr. Michel Abdel Malek, Founder & CEO, Delphyr
- Ashley Abel, PhD, Co-Founder & CEO, Metri Bio
- Jumai Abioye, PhD, Founder & CEO, Itoka
- Arno Bisschop, CEO, Genewity
- Dr. Frances Lasowski, Co-Founder & CEO, 20/20 OptimEyes Technologies
- Stephen Linderman, MD, PhD, Founder & CEO, Absco Therapeutics
- Andrew Longenecker, Founder & CEO, PBD Project
- Dr. Yue Clare Lou, Co-Founder & CEO, Sift Biosciences, Inc.
- Angel Lucio, CEO, Tetraneuron SL
- Debesh Mandal, Co-Founder & CEO, Nanograb
- Ben Naovarat, Co-Founder & CEO, Enexa Bio
- Dr. Pahini Pandya, Founder & CEO, Panakeia Technologies
- Ben Swanson, Co-Founder & CEO, Skeletalis, Inc.
- Cody Tranbarger, Founder & CEO, Mithril Medicine
- Johanna Vincze Webb, President & CEO, RiverWalk Therapeutics, Inc.
- Mengdie (Mandy) Wang, MD, PhD, Co-Founder & CEO, RedPoint Oncology, Inc.
- Shana Wang, Co-Founder & CEO, PathCision Medicine
This cohort of Termeer Fellows represents organizations based in Massachusetts, California, Maryland and Texas, as well as Canada, Great Britain, the Netherlands and Spain.
The Class of 2026 joins a Termeer network that spans more than 600 life science industry leaders, including 70+ mentors, 28 advisors and a global community committed to advancing cures for patients worldwide.
Fellows across the program’s history have collectively raised $3.45 billion in funding, with 73% remaining in their roles as CEOs and 87% of their companies continuing to advance.
The Institute’s leadership development model is built on the belief that supporting and connecting the right leaders meaningfully increases the probability of delivering cures — and that every patient deserves one.
About the Termeer Institute
The Termeer Institute supports and empowers brilliant life science innovators through values-driven leadership programming, including mentorship, network development and thought leadership to advance groundbreaking, patient-centric solutions. Learn more at termeerinstitute.org.