Dr. Haak-Frendscho serves as President and CEO of Spotlight Therapeutics. She brings over two decades of expertise in the discovery, translation and early development of novel therapeutics primarily for the treatment of immunological and oncological diseases. Prior to Spotlight, she was a venture partner with Versant Ventures and CEO of Blueline Bioscience, Versant’s vehicle for new company creation in Canada. Earlier Dr. Haak-Frendscho established and served as Chairman of Compugen, Inc., CEO of Igenica Biotherapeutics, and was the founding President and CSO of Takeda San Francisco. Mary began her industry career at Genentech, where she played a key role in the development of omalizumab (Xolair®). 

Dr. Haak-Frendscho has 70 scientific publications and over 40 patents. An immunologist by training, she received her BS from the University of Michigan, MLA from Washington University, MS from SUNY-Stony Brook, CSEP from Columbia University Graduate School of Business and PhD from the University of Wisconsin.