MSE Colloquium September 30: Xi-Yong (Sean) Fu: From Tribology to Biotechnology - Dare to Learn after Graduation
All dates for this event occur in the past.
Fontana Laboratories - Room 2040
140 W. 19th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43210
United States
Abstract
Dr. Fu will share his journey from an Ohio State MSE PhD graduate trained in the field of tribology to a research scientist at Merck & Co., to becoming the co-founder and CEO of RVAC Medicines, a biotechnology company focusing on mRNA therapeutics. RVAC current has over 80 employees globally and has raised over $170M since its inception. He will talk about his experiences and lessons learned along the way.
Xi-Yong (Sean) Fu
Xi-Yong (Sean) Fu is a co-founder and the CEO of RVAC Medicines, an mRNA platform company established in 2021. Headquartered in Singapore with R&D operations in Boston and Shanghai, RVAC Medicines has assembled a team of top industry talent and established a pipeline of innovative products to treat diseases with unmet medical needs. Since its inception, RVAC has raised $170 million in funding.
Prior to founding RVAC, Fu was Group VP and head of International R&D of Luye Pharma, overseeing organizations in Boston, Princeton, Germany, Switzerland and Japan. He was also the CEO of GeneLeap, a Luye subsidiary company focusing on DNA and RNA therapeutics. Previously, Fu worked at Merck & Co. for 15 years with responsibilities covering R&D, business development, finance and operational management. He managed the finances of a $300 million late-stage clinical portfolio and led the integration of global R&D network after the landmark $42 billion merger between Merck and Schering-Plough.
His numerous honors include Merck & Co’s highest award for R&D innovation—the Best Business Value Award, The Ohio State University’s William Oxley Thompson Alumni Award and the Materials Research Society’s Research Gold Award.
Fu earned a Master’s (’00) and PhD (’01) in materials science and engineering from Ohio State, and an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a member of the External Advisory Committee of the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Ohio State.
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