Amy Rhoden Smith
Senior Director, Research @Torque Bio
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WORK HISTORY
Senior Director, Research @Torque Bio
Durham, NC, US
Own and drive nonclinical and translational strategy across the portfolio from discovery through IND-enabling studies, empowering teams to design and execute decisive experiments that generate clear go/no-go data.• Lead R&D organization composed of Platform Development, Discovery, and In Vivo Pharmacology teams (15 staff, RA through Assoc. Dir. level), setting priorities, developing talent, and aligning execution to company goals.• Pioneered use of a novel kidney-tropic AAV capsid and local kidney delivery approach for gene therapy in polycystic kidney disease; advanced the lead program from concept to development candidate nomination in <2 years.• Advanced circRNA expressed from AAV as a novel therapeutic modality, demonstrating robust circRNA expression in a large animal model for first time. • Serve as Regulatory lead for nonclinical and translational strategy for FDA engagements, securing alignment on development strategy for the lead program and de-risking path to IND.• Own R&D budget and FTE planning, proactively identifying capability and capacity gaps and securing incremental headcount or external consultants to ensure critical milestones are met.• Develop R&D materials for BoD meetings, fundraising pitches, and data rooms. Regularly present R&D progress to BoD.• Regularly toggles communication between hands-on work with R&D scientists and high-level strategy to rest of senior leadership and BoD.
EDUCATION
College of Charleston
Bachelor of Science (BS), Chemistry
The University of Texas at Austin
Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Organic Chemistry
SKILLS
ABOUT AMY RHODEN SMITH
Creative and driven interdisciplinary scientist with 13 years of research experience and deep expertise in defining program strategy to translate early ideas into next generation therapeutics.• Proven ability to build and lead cross-functional teams to initiate and drive multiple projects involving both direct and matrix reporting structures with a goal-oriented focus to realize the potential of novel therapeutics. • Key areas of expertise include gene-editing technology (CRISPR/Cas9 and ARCUS) for in vivo and ex vivo therapeutic applications, mRNA and oligonucleotide therapeutic modalities coupled with lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery, adeno-associated virus (AAV) delivery, and therapeutic areas of allogeneic CD19 CAR T cell therapy, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, primary hyperoxaluria type I, and hepatitis B.
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