Former Takeda Ventures Director Joins Investment Company to Spur Systems Biology Business Creation and Innovation
Corundum Systems Biology, a leading investment company dedicated to advancing life-changing systems biology solutions for human health and well-being, today announced it has appointed Jessica Schneider, PhD, MPH as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).
Dr. Schneider will be responsible for the scientific strategy and execution across Corundum Systems Biology’s portfolio companies and development projects in the areas of artificial intelligence, microbiome, and integrative-omics. In this role, she will work closely with Corundum Systems Biology’s portfolio teams from research and ideation phases through product development, helping to provide the scientific foundation and strategic direction needed to translate their innovative ideas into successful, impactful health solutions.
“We are delighted to welcome Jessica to Corundum Systems Biology,” said Hidehiko Otake, CEO of Corundum Systems Biology. “Her scientific expertise and experience in driving the development of cutting-edge solutions will be invaluable as we continue to support entrepreneurs and scientists in bringing their innovations to market.”
Dr. Schneider brings almost two decades of experience as a bacterial geneticist and microbiome researcher. She joins Corundum Systems Biology from Takeda Ventures where she managed investment in novel therapeutic modality platforms, having previously served as Director of Takeda Pharmaceuticals’ Gastroenterology Drug Discovery Unit where she helped build the microbiome therapeutics portfolio spanning discovery to Phase 2. Prior to Takeda, Dr. Schneider was Senior Scientist at Vedanta Biosciences where she was instrumental in building the company’s live biotherapeutics products (LBP) platform, and VE303, currently in Phase 3 trials for recurrent Clostridium difficile infection. She received her PhD in Immunology and Microbial Pathogenesis from Cornell University and was a recipient of the Center for Translational Research Project Award at The Rockefeller University as a postdoctoral fellow where she studied small molecules made by the human gastrointestinal microbiome.
“I’m passionate about the transformative potential of innovation leveraging a systems biology approach to human health. Corundum Systems Biology impressed me with their unique long-term, platform-based approach – supporting innovators from the earliest development stages to growth and impact,” said Dr. Schneider. “Corundum Systems Biology’s dedication to providing not just funding, but also the ecosystem and resources necessary to bring groundbreaking ideas to fruition, was a major draw for me. I’m excited to collaborate with the talented team at Corundum Systems Biology to guide these emerging ventures as they develop.”
In addition to her role as Chief Scientist, Dr. Schneider is a member of the Board of Trustees for the Corundum Convergence Institute, a non-profit organization sponsoring research in the fields of neuroscience, systems biology, and artificial intelligence (AI).
