Eight internationally renowned experts join Bioptimus to pioneer large-scale foundation models that will transform science and medicine
PARIS, Sept. 11, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Bioptimus, the pioneering start-up building the world’s first universal foundation model for biology, today announced the formation of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), bringing together some of the most influential minds at the intersection of biology, artificial intelligence, and medicine.
The SAB will guide Bioptimus’ scientific strategy as the company pursues its ambitious mission: to develop large-scale AI models that can accelerate discoveries across life sciences, transforming how we understand and treat disease.
The board’s members represent an unparalleled network of global expertise across computational biology, genomics, oncology, systems biology, and AI:
- Sarah Teichmann, PhD, Chair of the SAB (University of Cambridge) — World leader in single-cell genomics and co-founder of the Human Cell Atlas.
- Jakob Nikolas Kather, MD, PhD (University Hospital Dresden) — Pioneer in applying AI to computational pathology and cancer diagnostics.
- Caroline Uhler, PhD (MIT, Broad Institute) — Renowned expert in machine learning, causal inference, and genomics.
- Regina Barzilay, PhD (MIT, CSAIL) — MacArthur Fellow and leading authority in AI-driven drug discovery and precision medicine.
- Nikolaus Rajewsky, PhD (BIMSB, MDC Berlin) — Medical systems biology pioneer and global leader in RNA research & spatial omics.
- Fabrice André, MD, PhD (Gustave Roussy) — Internationally recognized cancer researcher and translational oncology expert.
- John Connolly, PhD (Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, National University of Singapore) — Immunology innovator advancing next-generation cell-based therapies.
- Andrea Califano, Dr. (Columbia University, CZ Biohub NYC) — Systems biology pioneer and AI-driven drug discovery trailblazer.
“Solving biology’s deepest challenges requires building models at a scale and fidelity that has never been attempted before,” said Jean-Philippe Vert, CEO and co-founder of Bioptimus. “This SAB brings together an extraordinary constellation of global leaders whose expertise spans the full spectrum of biology, AI, and medicine. Their guidance will be instrumental as we pursue our mission to transform the future of life sciences.”
Bioptimus’ foundation model is designed to integrate multi-scale biological data — from molecular profiles to whole-organism systems — enabling breakthroughs in disease understanding, drug discovery, and synthetic biology.
“Bioptimus has the potential to fundamentally reshape biological research and medicine,” said Sarah Teichmann, Chair of the SAB. “I’m excited to join this exceptional team and help shape the future of AI-driven biology.”
With this announcement, Bioptimus signals its scientific ambition and global leadership, uniting experts from leading institutions across Europe, the U.S., and the world.
About Bioptimus
Bioptimus is a global AI tech company that is pioneering the world's first universal foundation model for biology. By combining cutting-edge AI with massive multimodal, proprietary data generation, Bioptimus is connecting all scales of biology, from molecules to patients in a framework that delivers interpretable, dynamic, and actionable insights. The first model released by Bioptimus, H-optimus, is an industry-leading model, adopted across research, drug discovery, and clinical pipelines.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/898eaffe-4d5d-4e49-82a6-566c9fafd516
Media requests: julie.gerardi@bioptimus.com