Team

Jetze Tepe, PhD

University of Virginia
Previously, Michigan State University

As a chemist, Jetze Tepe has over 20 years of experience in academic drug discovery. Research in his laboratory is primarily focused on the synthesis of small molecules to targeting “undruggable proteins” to treat cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. By developing new synthetic methodologies, drug-like molecules are prepared and evaluated for their clinical significance in his lab. His research group has published in journals such as the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Cell Chemical Biology, and ACS Chemical Neuroscience.

He has received awards from the American Cancer Society (2003), the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (2008 and 2010) and the International Myeloma Foundation (2013 and 2019). Tepe also has been recognized with the AbbVie Innovation Midwest Award (2021) and Michigan State University’s Innovator of the Year Award (2022). His current research is funded by grants from the National Institutes of Health. In addition to his academic drug discovery effort, he was the founder of two biotechnology companies.

Tepe received his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Jacksonville (Fla.) University (1992). He obtained his Ph.D. from the University of Virginia under the guidance of Timothy L. Macdonald (1997) and completed his postdoctoral studies at Colorado State University (1998-2000) with Robert M. Williams. Before joining UVA, he was an assistant, associate, and full professor at Michigan State University (2000-2023). At UVA, he is fostering an inclusive and highly collaborative research environment with UVA’s Comprehensive Cancer Center. In addition, he is continuing his passion for teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in organic chemistry. 

Jeff Brinza, JD

Pfizer, Parke-Davis, Quatrx,
Millendo (MLND)

Mr. Brinza has extensive in-house legal experience particularly relating to life sciences company operations and has practiced law for over 30 years. Mr. Brinza has acted as Chief Administrative Officer and General Counsel and for Millendo Therapeutics and as General Counsel for QuatRx Pharmaceuticals and RGIS, LLC, a Blackstone portfolio company with operations in 44 countries and over 30,000 employees. Earlier in his career, Mr. Brinza held various positions at Parke-Davis, the pharmaceutical division of Warner-Lambert Company. He began his professional career in private practice as a corporate attorney handling numerous mergers and acquisitions and corporate financial transactions.

He holds a Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Michigan Law School, Ann Arbor, and a B.A. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor with a double major in economics and computer science

Jessica Sorrentino, PhD

IMMvention, Ribometrix, G1
Therapeutics, Istari Oncology
UNC-Chapel Hill

Jessica Sorrentino is an accomplished biopharmaceutical leader with extensive experience in research and development across multiple organizations. She is the SVP of Research and Development at Portera Therapeutics, with over 15 years of experience in research management, drug discovery, and drug development. She also serves as part-time CSO of IMMVention Therapeutics, leading development of small-molecule BACH1 inhibitors for sickle cell disease, and advises biotechnology companies and venture firms on preclinical and early clinical strategy.

Previously, she held senior leadership roles at Ribometrix, Istari Oncology, and G1 Therapeutics, where she led translational medicine and preclinical strategy across oncology and immunology programs, managed multidisciplinary teams and budgets up to $15M, and supported partnerships and fundraising. She holds a BS from the University of Rochester and a PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.