Parker Institute Welcomes New Co-Directors for PICI Centers at Stanford, UCSF & Penn

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) today announced the appointments of Ansu Satpathy, MD, PhD, Julia Carnevale, MD, and Saar Gill, MBBS, PhD, FRACP, as Co-Directors of the PICI Centers at Stanford Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, and the University of Pennsylvania, respectively. These appointments reflect PICI's strategy to leverage leaders with expertise in translating scientific discoveries into innovative cancer immunotherapies, accelerating the development of breakthrough treatments through collaboration.

The new Co-Directors are distinguished leaders in cancer immunotherapy research. Dr. Satpathy, a longstanding PICI Investigator and former Parker Bridge Scholar, has made significant advances in T cell immunotherapies and genomics. Dr. Carnevale has pioneered innovative approaches in T cell engineering and large-scale CRISPR screening. Dr. Gill is known for his numerous contributions to cellular therapy and genetic engineering for blood cancers.

Importantly, these leaders bring extensive expertise at translating scientific discoveries into new technologies and treatments, as well as building the companies that will deliver them to patients. Dr. Satpathy has co-founded biotech companies including Cartography Biosciences and Immunai, which are applying advanced genomics to enhance immunotherapy development. Dr. Gill has launched Carisma Therapeutics and Interius Biotherapeutics, moving novel cell therapies from lab to clinic. Dr. Carnevale’s patented CRISPR screening method is propelling the creation of next-generation cell therapies, laying the groundwork for future biotech ventures.

"In Drs. Satpathy, Carnevale and Gill, we have leaders who bridge the gap between scientific discovery and advancing new treatments to patients," said PICI Chief Scientific Officer John Connolly, PhD. "Each is a leading expert in their field, with a shared passion for advancing cancer immunotherapy and a commitment to collaborating across institutions to accelerate the development of breakthrough immune therapies."

At Stanford Medicine, Dr. Satpathy joins Crystal Mackall, MD, Director of the PICI Center at Stanford Medicine, and Co-Director Mark Davis, PhD, in site leadership.

"Ansu brings a rare combination of scientific insight and translational expertise to his new role as Co-Director of our PICI Center," said Dr. Mackall. "His groundbreaking work in immunogenomics, coupled with his success in launching multiple biotechnology ventures, demonstrates his ability to transform complex biological concepts into viable clinical strategies. This blend of scientific rigor and practical application is essential for accelerating our progress in cancer immunotherapy."

Dr. Carnevale joins the leadership of the PICI Center at UCSF, partnering with Center Director Kole Roybal, PhD. She succeeds Lawrence Fong, MD, who has joined the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center in Seattle as Scientific Director of the Immunotherapy Integrated Research Center (IIRC). PICI thanks Dr. Fong for his leadership and contributions to the PICI Center at UCSF.

"Julia's pioneering work in CRISPR-based T cell engineering brings a unique and powerful skillset to our team," said Dr. Roybal. "As a physician-scientist, she's the ideal clinical counterpart to our research efforts, bridging bench discoveries with therapeutic applications. Her leadership will be key in translating our advanced engineered immune cell therapies from the lab to patients."

Rounding out the trio of appointments, at Penn, Dr. Gill joins Carl June, MD, Director of the PICI Center at the University of Pennsylvania and E. John Wherry, PhD, Center Co-Director.

"Saar's exceptional expertise in translational research, combined with his novel insights from regenerative medicine, will undoubtedly propel our immunotherapy efforts at the PICI Center. I look forward to our continued scientific partnership in advancing transformative cancer treatment modalities," said Dr. June.

Learn more about the new Co-Directors by visiting the PICI website.

About the Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy

The Parker Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy (PICI) is radically changing how cancer research is done. Founded in 2016 through a $250 million gift from Silicon Valley entrepreneur and philanthropist Sean Parker, with an additional $125 million commitment announced in 2024, the San Francisco-based nonprofit is an unprecedented collaboration between the country’s leading immunotherapy researchers and cancer centers. PICI Network research institutions include Stanford Medicine; the University of California, Los Angeles; the University of California, San Francisco; the University of Pennsylvania; Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Gladstone Institutes; and Weill Cornell Medicine. PICI also supports top researchers at other institutions, including The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, City of Hope, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Institute for Systems Biology and Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. By forging alliances with academic, industry and nonprofit partners, PICI makes big bets on bold research to fulfill its mission: to accelerate the development of breakthrough immunotherapies to turn all cancers into curable diseases. Find out more at parkerici.org and follow us on LinkedIn, X, Apple Podcasts and Spotify.