BioWorld Features Dr. Yousef’s and Dr. O’Connell’s founding story, showcasing Juvena’s proteomics platform to tackle chronic and age-related diseases by mining hESC-secreted proteins
Director of Finance & Controller
Position Description
Juvena Therapeutics, Inc. is a regenerative medicine biotech startup inviting applicants for Senior Director / Director of Finance & Controller who are excited to join a company focused on the discovery and validation of novel disease-modifying biologics that promote tissue regeneration to treat chronic and age-related diseases.
Reporting to the Chief Business and Operating Officer, this role is a broad multi-functional finance role that offers the chance to build the company’s accounting and finance operations from the ground up, and will be key to Juvena’s successful growth. They will support budgeting, forecasting, and long-range planning and will help develop and optimize the company’s accounting, reporting, analytics, and financial planning platform. The position will also be responsible for providing strategic financial analysis and delivering the business insights that drive optimized financial decision-making.
The position is full-time starting as early as possible. This is the perfect opportunity for someone interested in the exciting and fast-paced environment of a startup company and looking to make a difference in human health and healthspan.
*Title commensurate with experience
Company Summary
Juvena Therapeutics is a venture backed biotechnology startup discovering and developing disease-modifying biologics by leveraging their computationally-driven discovery platform to rapidly identify and validate secreted proteins with regenerative potential for multiple rare and chronic diseases.
At Juvena Therapeutics, we are on a mission to discover and develop biologics for rare and chronic degenerative diseases by mapping secreted proteins to unmet medical needs through a machine learning (ML)-enhanced platform. Juvena’s approach integrates proteomics, transcriptomics and imaging with phenotypic human in vitro disease model screening and extensive preclinical validation to mine the therapeutic potential of human stem cell secretomes as a rich source of new medicines that promote tissue regeneration and repair. We are advancing lead drug candidates for muscular dystrophies, atrophy, injury, and osteopathies, and establishing new programs targeting tissue-specific degenerative diseases across multiple therapeutic areas. Since our launch in mid-2018, Juvena has discovered and validated several hits for neuromuscular, skeletal, and metabolic diseases. Juvena’ preclinical programs are supported by funding from the National Institute of Health (NIH) and the California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM). Juvena is advancing a lead program for Myotonic Dystrophy Type 1, a rare autosomal dominant, progressive muscle-wasting disease.
At Juvena we embrace a diversity of backgrounds, experience and approaches that all combine to lead us to world-class scientific results in an inclusive environment.
Position Requirements and Duties
- Financial Planning and Analysis
- Lead and manage the development of financial models/budgets, including long-range planning.
- Collaborate with Business Development to build financial models and presentations to support the evaluation of strategic alternatives at the executive and Board level
- Perform ad-hoc business and strategic analysis as needed
- Lead procurement of key equipment and services Juvena is in need of, including securing multiple quotes and options before selecting the best deals and working with purchasing department to secure
- Controlling, Accounting and Reporting
- Oversee all general accounting functions, including accurate and timely monthly and year-end close processes.
- Manage the CPA, accounting, operations and HR consultant, vendor and verious software support in daily book-keeping, and end of month reconciliations, and accounting functions
- Lead the preparation and review of internal and external financial statements
- Develop and maintain internal controls appropriate for the company
- Research and implement appropriate GAAP and statutory accounting guidance
- Prepare monthly, quarterly, and yearly financial materials, including key performance indicators, for the Executive Leadership and Board of Directors
- Maintain company’s stock records, including capitalization table, stock options, warrants, and stock-based compensation
- Lead the company’s activities with external auditors
- Manage the submission of income, employment, property, franchise, and any other required tax returns
- Manage the company’s commercial banking relationships
- Select, implement and maintain the company’s accounting and other financial systems
- As we grow, internalize functions by hiring and developing a team to meet increasing needs and requirements
- Contribute to building a positive, team-oriented biotech culture
- Listed responsibilities are an essential, but not exhaustive, list of the expected initial duties associated with the position. The role will evolve over time and changes to individual responsibilities may occur due to business needs.
Qualifications
This position is a great fit if you have/are:
- BA or BS degree. MBA and/or CPA strongly preferred
- 8+ years of related experience in a broad range of finance functions incl. FP&A, treasury, accounting, audit and tax
- Biotech or pharma experience a strong plus
- Experience in an entrepreneurial, venture-backed environment preferred
- Can thrive in fast-paced and ambiguous environments
- Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work collaboratively (team player/ability to work cross-functionally)
- Impeccable organization, attention to detail, and communication skills
- Experience with project reporting, operational accounting and reporting
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills
- Strong influencing and strategic thinking skills
- Passionate about our goal of bringing new medicines to patients in need
Compensation and Benefits
- Competitive salary, annual bonus and stock options
- Partial 401K matching for full-time employees
- Health/Dental/Vision insurance
- Paid vacation and holidays
- Flexible time off
Apply Now
To apply for this position please complete the form below. Once the form is complete, email your CV and Cover Letter to apply@juvenatherapeutics.com with the title of the position as the subject line.
Fengling Liu, PhD
Dr. Fengling Liu brings over 10 years of industry experience developing multiple biologics. Since 2010 she served as the Protein Biochemistry lead or group lead of Protein Science in multiple biotechs in the bay area including Medimmune (AstraZeneca), Relypsa, Atreca and Arcus Biosciences.
Her protein science-focused research spanned target identification/confirmation, lead optimization, protein purification and engineering to support vaccine development, small molecule and antibody drug discovery in infectious disease and Immuno-Oncology. She was trained in Biochemistry and Structure Biology during her PhD at Georgia State University. She studied the molecular basis of HIV protease drug resistance through enzyme kinetics and X-ray crystal structures. She solved over a dozen super high resolution crystal structures of HIV/drug complexes and discovered a novel drug resistance mechanism.
During her postdoc in the lab of Professor Ted Jardetzky in the Structural Biology Department at Stanford Medical School, Dr. Liu studied human viral glycoprotein interactions to discover viral entry inhibitors.
Besides her passion for science and technology, Fengling also enjoys gardening and hiking with family and friends.
Learn more about Fengling
Clarence Dunn, PHD
Clay Dunn joined Juvena Therapeutics as a Principal Scientist on the in vitro drug discovery team. Clay received a MPH degree in epidemiology from George Washington University where he worked with Andrew Friedman at the Genetic Epidemiology Branch, NCI, on a study characterizing the clinical features of von Hippel Lindau disease. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Washington, where he was trained in epithelial cell biology in the lab of William Carter, Ph.D.. He focused on studying the elements of outside→in signaling mechanisms in both activated and quiescent keratinocyte cell populations.
Clay completed his post-doctoral training in the lab of Paul Lampe, Ph.D. at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center (FHCRC) in Seattle, WA.. In the Lampe Lab, Clay investigated the biology connecting connexin proteins and Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication (GJIC) to several key cellular functions. His focus was on the kinases and pathways that regulate gap junction function during epidermal wounding and cardiac ischemia.
Clay has spent nearly 10 years in the Bay Area biotech industry developing assays and complex cellular models to support pre-clinical drug development. In five years at Amgen, Clay leveraged high throughput imaging and analysis to conduct IND-enabling studies supporting the development of several assets in Amgen’s pipeline. At Encoded Therapeutics, Clay worked to develop novel bioanalytical assays for the company’s gene therapies, which aim to treat pediatric epileptic seizure syndromes.
Learn more about Clarence
Juvena CEO, Hanadie Yousef, PhD, discusses the market opportunity for their unique discovery platform for mapping secreted proteins to unmet medical needs leading to their growing pipeline of biologics for rare and chronic diseases to senior leaders of Mubadala’s LP.
Jyoti Ahlawat, PHD
Dr. Ahlawat joined Juvena Therapeutics as an Associate Scientist: Drug Discovery. She holds a Master’s degree in Biotechnology from the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee (IITR), and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP). She is a recipient of Academic and Research Excellence award from the College of Science (UTEP). Her dissertation research involved developing materials and testing them in-vitro to develop therapeutics against the gravest of human diseases such as Alzheimer’s (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD).
Dr. Ahlawat has published more than 18 articles and book chapters in international, peer-reviewed, reputed journals. She is a recipient of the title “Rising Star in Nanoscience and Nanotechnology” at the 10th IEE International Conference on nanomaterials and applications (IEEE-NAP 2020). She has won Best presentation awards at the Equniox (2022), 26th Annual BioEnvironmental Polymer Society (BEPS-2019), Graduate Expo (2018), and 8th International conference on smart materials, structure, and systems (ISSS-2017). In addition, she has won various travel awards (2018-2020), four research awards (2019-2021), and graduate scholarships (2019-2020). She is an Editorial board member of the Journal Future Trends in Nanotechnology and is serving as a Guest Editor for Science Progress (SAGE Journal).
She has served as Vice president of Graduate Student Assembly (2018), and as President of BioChem graduate student chapter (2021). She recently received honorarium from Society for Science for serving as a Science Talent Search Evaluator in 2021. She received Certificate of Appreciation from the Graduate School for her contribution to Undergraduate Learning in 2021. She has served as science judge for the Sun Country Science & Engineering fair (2021), Regeneron International Science & Engineering fair (2021) and at 2nd annual El Paso STEM expo competition (2019). She worked as an intern for eight months with a medical device company where she participated and led international projects which included renewal and registration of ophthalmic lenses in Mexico, Creating Instructions for Use (IFUs) and technical files, and Translation of IFUs into European languages.
Dr. Ahlawat serves as a peer-reviewer for journals such as Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics, Nanotechnology for Environmental Engineering, Environmental Science, Journal for Drug Delivery, and technology, and Phytotherapy. She delivered four invited scientific talks at International Conferences in 2021-2022.
Learn more about Jyoti
Horizon Ventures Techcracker conference spotlights Juvena Co-Founder, Hanadie Yousef, PhD as one of 70 founders of innovative new companies developing disruptive technologies that improve lives Oct. 2022
At the Myotonic Dystrophy Foundation Annual conference Juvena Therapeutics joins a community of advocates, people who suffer from this most common muscular dystrophy, their families, caregivers, clinical leaders and experts, and Industry leaders developing therapeutics for this major unmet medical need Sept. 2022
Rohit Jadhav, PHD
Dr. Rohit Jadhav brings more than 12 years of cross disciplinary experience encompassing the fields of oncology, immune aging and auto-immune diseases. He has extensive experience in algorithm development for diagnostic and prognostic biomarker discovery dealing with diverse datasets investigating the Transcriptome, Epigenome and DNA mutations in clinical cohorts.
Dr. Jadhav earned his B.Tech. in Bioinformatics from India, a M.S. in Bioinformatics from Indiana University, Indianapolis, a PhD in Molecular Medicine from UT Health, San Antonio as a CPRIT pre-doctoral fellow, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship in Immunology at Stanford School of Medicine and Mayo Clinic.
Masters & PhD (2009-2016)
Dr. Jadhav worked on identifying epigenetic biomarkers investigating alterations in DNA methylation across different cancer types including breast, ovarian, endometrial, oral and prostate. He was awarded a Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) Predoctoral Fellowship, which enabled him to be involved in collaborative projects focusing on non-invasive approaches for biomarker discovery. One such project involved use of single-cell RNA sequencing to study circulating tumor cells and another involved studying DNA methylation in cell free DNA, both from peripheral blood. As a lead bioinformatician for these studies, he implemented classification-based prediction methods to enable identification of a panel of biomarkers to be used in determining treatment approaches for prostate cancer patients belonging to different subtypes. These studies have led to 3 approved patents from his mentor Dr. Tim Huang. During this time, Dr. Jadhav was also a lead author on the study that identified DNA methylation biomarkers capable of identifying predisposition to breast cancer after prenatal exposure to the compound bisphenol A and preventive effects of genistein.
Postdoctoral Fellowship (2017-2022)
Dr. Jadhav’s work at Stanford University and Mayo Clinic with Dr. Jorg Goronzy who is a leading expert in immune aging and auto-immunity, focused on epigenetics in the context of chromatin accessibility and specifically alterations in the immune cell types like CD4 and CD8 T cells during aging and autoimmune diseases like rheumatoid arthritis. He was also a lead author studying epigenetic alterations in exhausted T-cells post checkpoint blockade therapies in collaboration with Dr. Rafi Ahmed from Emory University. During this time Dr. Jadhav built pipelines deployed in on-prem clusters and in the cloud for analyzing and visualizing data from RNA-seq, ATAC-seq, TCR-seq, single cell multiome (RNA+ATAC), single cell Cite-seq (RNA+Protein) among others.
Dr. Jadhav has published over 30 peer-reviewed papers with over a thousand citations.
Learn more about Rohit
