Sam Pfaff, PhD

Director, Quantitative Biology
Sam Pfaff received a PhD in biophysics from the University of California, San Francisco, where he studied nuclear hormone receptor structure and biochemistry with Robert Fletterick. His post-doctoral work with Michelle Arkin at UCSF was focused on biophysical and fragment-based drug discovery. Sam spent 5 years at Prolynx LLC, where his primary research focus was the optimization of releasable microsphere technology for use in long-acting drug formulations. At Silver Creek, he is helping lead in vitro and in vivo research directed at advancing Smart Growth Factors into the clinic and beyond. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and two children.

Sam Pfaff, PhD

Director, Quantitative Biology
Sam Pfaff received a PhD in biophysics from the University of California, San Francisco, where he studied nuclear hormone receptor structure and biochemistry with Robert Fletterick. His post-doctoral work with Michelle Arkin at UCSF was focused on biophysical and fragment-based drug discovery. Sam spent 5 years at Prolynx LLC, where his primary research focus was the optimization of releasable microsphere technology for use in long-acting drug formulations. At Silver Creek, he is helping lead in vitro and in vivo research directed at advancing Smart Growth Factors into the clinic and beyond. He lives in San Francisco with his wife and two children.

Yan Zhang, MD, PhD

Associate Director, Pre-Clinical Sciences
Yan Zhang was the first in-vivo scientist hire for Silver Creek. She performs in-vivo preclinical experiments, pharmacokinetics and pharmacological (PK/PD) studies and efficacy studies of our lead molecules during the whole process of drug development. Prior to joining Silver Creek, she completed 5 years postdoctoral experience on stem cell biology in the Cardiac Translational Stem Cell Laboratory, UCSF. She received her MD from Sun-Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences in 1992, and a PhD in Medical Sciences in 2005 from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, China. She completed residency in Internal Medicine and Echocardiography (non-invasive Cardiology) in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (協和醫院) and was a faculty member until 2005.

Yan Zhang, MD, PhD

Associate Director, Pre-Clinical Sciences
Yan Zhang was the first in-vivo scientist hire for Silver Creek. She performs in-vivo preclinical experiments, pharmacokinetics and pharmacological (PK/PD) studies and efficacy studies of our lead molecules during the whole process of drug development. Prior to joining Silver Creek, she completed 5 years postdoctoral experience on stem cell biology in the Cardiac Translational Stem Cell Laboratory, UCSF. She received her MD from Sun-Yat-Sen University of Medical Sciences in 1992, and a PhD in Medical Sciences in 2005 from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, China. She completed residency in Internal Medicine and Echocardiography (non-invasive Cardiology) in Peking Union Medical College Hospital (協和醫院) and was a faculty member until 2005.

Teresa Maes

Operations Manager
Teresa Maes joined Silver Creek as the Operations Manager in the beginning of 2017. She supports accounting, HR/Payroll, lab management, preclinical studies, and paralegal functions. Teresa has over twenty years of broad experience working in the pharmaceutical industry. Her experience includes ten years at Chiron in the materials management and production planning departments. She worked for COR Therapeutics for three years as a production planner, and Bio Rad labs and Volcano Therapeutics as a consultant.

Teresa Maes

Operations Manager
Teresa Maes joined Silver Creek as the Operations Manager in the beginning of 2017. She supports accounting, HR/Payroll, lab management, preclinical studies, and paralegal functions. Teresa has over twenty years of broad experience working in the pharmaceutical industry. Her experience includes ten years at Chiron in the materials management and production planning departments. She worked for COR Therapeutics for three years as a production planner, and Bio Rad labs and Volcano Therapeutics as a consultant.

Tim Throsby

Tim was formerly CEO of Barclays Bank Plc, President of Barclays International and Chief Executive Officer of its Corporate and Investment Bank. Based in London, he was also a member of its Group Executive Committee. Prior to joining Barclays in January 2017, Tim worked for JP Morgan where he held a variety of senior management roles, most recently serving as Global Head of Equities. Tim has had an extensive career in banking and asset management, working initially for Credit Suisse and Macquarie, before joining Goldman Sachs in 1995 as a Managing Director and Co-Head of Equity Derivatives for Asia. In 2002, he joined Lehman Brothers to lead its Asia Equities Division, before relocating to New York in 2004 to run its global equity derivatives business as well as risk arbitrage. In 2005, he became President of Citadel Asia where he oversaw the investment firm’s Asia business. Tim also serves as Deputy Chair of Human Dignity Trust, a charity focused on LGBT rights; and was a school governor at the Ark Oval Primary Academy. Tim holds a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney.

Tim Throsby

Tim was formerly CEO of Barclays Bank Plc, President of Barclays International and Chief Executive Officer of its Corporate and Investment Bank. Based in London, he was also a member of its Group Executive Committee. Prior to joining Barclays in January 2017, Tim worked for JP Morgan where he held a variety of senior management roles, most recently serving as Global Head of Equities. Tim has had an extensive career in banking and asset management, working initially for Credit Suisse and Macquarie, before joining Goldman Sachs in 1995 as a Managing Director and Co-Head of Equity Derivatives for Asia. In 2002, he joined Lehman Brothers to lead its Asia Equities Division, before relocating to New York in 2004 to run its global equity derivatives business as well as risk arbitrage. In 2005, he became President of Citadel Asia where he oversaw the investment firm’s Asia business. Tim also serves as Deputy Chair of Human Dignity Trust, a charity focused on LGBT rights; and was a school governor at the Ark Oval Primary Academy. Tim holds a Bachelor of Economics from the University of Sydney.

James Marks, MD, PhD

James Marks is Chief of Anesthesia at San Francisco General Hospital; Professor of Anesthesia at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF); and Vice Chairman of the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care at UCSF. A world-recognized pioneer in the fields of antibody and protein engineering, Dr. Marks is a practicing anesthesiologist and intensivist with clinical interests in trauma anesthesia and critical care and research interests in the area of antibody and protein engineering. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Anesthesia, and Critical Care Medicine. Prior to becoming Chief of Anesthesia, Dr. Marks was the Medical Director of the Trauma ICU at SFGH. He is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Marks received his MD from UCSF and a PhD in Molecular Biology from the Medical Research Council (MRC) in Cambridge, England. He completed residencies in Internal Medicine and Anesthesia as well as a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine, all at UCSF. Jim helps oversee Silver Creek’s discovery and preclinical studies.

James Marks, MD, PhD

James Marks is Chief of Anesthesia at San Francisco General Hospital; Professor of Anesthesia at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF); and Vice Chairman of the Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Care at UCSF. A world-recognized pioneer in the fields of antibody and protein engineering, Dr. Marks is a practicing anesthesiologist and intensivist with clinical interests in trauma anesthesia and critical care and research interests in the area of antibody and protein engineering. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine, Anesthesia, and Critical Care Medicine. Prior to becoming Chief of Anesthesia, Dr. Marks was the Medical Director of the Trauma ICU at SFGH. He is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Marks received his MD from UCSF and a PhD in Molecular Biology from the Medical Research Council (MRC) in Cambridge, England. He completed residencies in Internal Medicine and Anesthesia as well as a fellowship in Critical Care Medicine, all at UCSF. Jim helps oversee Silver Creek’s discovery and preclinical studies.

Mark Agne

Mark Agne is a managing partner at Softbank Investment Advisors, fund manager for the 100 billion dollar Vision Fund. Mark was with Goldman Sachs from 1997 until his retirement in 2016. He became a partner in 2006 and held various senior leadership roles in Asia, including head of Asia Equity Trading and Head of Securities (Equities and Fixed Income), Japan. He was a member of Asian Operating Committee, Asian Risk Committee. Mr. Agne services on the boards of The Nature Conservancy, Hawaii and The Hawaii Community Foundation. Mark has been instrumental in fund raising.

Mark Agne

Mark Agne is a managing partner at Softbank Investment Advisors, fund manager for the 100 billion dollar Vision Fund. Mark was with Goldman Sachs from 1997 until his retirement in 2016. He became a partner in 2006 and held various senior leadership roles in Asia, including head of Asia Equity Trading and Head of Securities (Equities and Fixed Income), Japan. He was a member of Asian Operating Committee, Asian Risk Committee. Mr. Agne services on the boards of The Nature Conservancy, Hawaii and The Hawaii Community Foundation. Mark has been instrumental in fund raising.

Thomas Murtagh

Thomas Murtagh is a Co-Founder of Clarion Healthcare LLC, a boutique life sciences strategy and organizational consultancy based in Boston, MA. His main areas of practice include:

• Architecting innovative product profiles that will meet patient needs 5-10 years in the future
• Strategic trade-off and investments decisions for pipeline assets (e.g., indication selection and prioritization)
• Defining investment requirements to support effective commercialization in the era of evidence-based medicine
• Anticipating new organizational requirements to support the rapidly evolving healthcare system and fundamental changes in the model for bringing therapeutics to patients

Prior to founding Clarion in 2003, Mr. Murtagh was a Vice President in Braun Consulting’s Healthcare Practice, a former member of the management team at Vertex Partners, and a former member of Arthur D. Little’s Healthcare team. He holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago and an AB from Dartmouth College. Tom oversees Silver Creek’s business strategy and organizational structure.

Thomas Murtagh

Thomas Murtagh is a Co-Founder of Clarion Healthcare LLC, a boutique life sciences strategy and organizational consultancy based in Boston, MA. His main areas of practice include:

• Architecting innovative product profiles that will meet patient needs 5-10 years in the future
• Strategic trade-off and investments decisions for pipeline assets (e.g., indication selection and prioritization)
• Defining investment requirements to support effective commercialization in the era of evidence-based medicine
• Anticipating new organizational requirements to support the rapidly evolving healthcare system and fundamental changes in the model for bringing therapeutics to patients

Prior to founding Clarion in 2003, Mr. Murtagh was a Vice President in Braun Consulting’s Healthcare Practice, a former member of the management team at Vertex Partners, and a former member of Arthur D. Little’s Healthcare team. He holds an MBA in Finance from the University of Chicago and an AB from Dartmouth College. Tom oversees Silver Creek’s business strategy and organizational structure.

Benoit G. Bruneau, PhD

Benoit Bruneau is a Professor of Pediatrics at UCSF and the director of the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease. He has distinguished himself internationally as a leading figure in the field of epigenetics and gene regulation, particularly as it relates to cardiac biology and disease.

Benoit G. Bruneau, PhD

Benoit Bruneau is a Professor of Pediatrics at UCSF and the director of the Gladstone Institute of Cardiovascular Disease. He has distinguished himself internationally as a leading figure in the field of epigenetics and gene regulation, particularly as it relates to cardiac biology and disease.