Biography
Dr. Shoshana Shendelman, PhD is a scientist and entrepreneur, founder of several biotech companies, and a pioneer in developing drugs and therapeutics for rare and underserved diseases.
Dr. Shendelman received a PhD from Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Integrated Program in Cellular, Molecular and Biophysical Studies, where she also completed her Master’s Degrees (both an MA and MSc). Dr. Shendelman’s neurobiological research at Columbia focused on molecular mechanisms driving neurogenerative diseases, and her Doctoral thesis centered around molecular mechanisms of Parkinson’s Disease. She completed her Bachelor’s Degree at Brandeis University, with a BA in biochemistry.
Dr. Shendelman has significant experience in the biotech industry. She is presently the President of Retension Pharmaceuticals and Response Pharmaceuticals – both private biotech companies developing therapeutics. At Retension Pharmaceuticals, she is working on a drug for refractory and resistant hypertension, an underserved disease; and at Response Pharmaceuticals, she is developing a treatment for post-GLP-1 weight loss maintenance and separately, for prevention of anti-psychotic induced weight gain. Further, Dr. Shendelman sits in Advisory Roles for several early stage biotech companies, including companies working in the AI and oncology spaces.
Previously, Dr. Shendelman was the Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chair of the Board of Directors at Applied Therapeutics, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company. She licensed IP from Columbia University, and developed and patented unique compounds. Further, she led the company’s private funding rounds, an IPO, and multiple public financings. During her tenure at Applied Therapeutics, the company developed two drugs through Phase Three: Govorestat for Galactosemia, a drug for the devastating pediatric disease with no treatment; and Caficrestat for Diabetic Cardiomyopathy, a form of diabetic heart failure.
Prior to Applied Therapeutics, Dr. Shendelman founded Clearpoint Strategy Group, a boutique life sciences consulting firm, where she served as the Managing Director and in an Advisory role; and served as an Analyst and Scientific Consultant at Bridge Scientific Consulting.
Dr. Shendelman is a member of the Board of Trustees of Columbia University, and is the Vice Chair of the Board of Advisors at Columbia University Medical Center and Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons.
Her work and research has been published regularly, including articles in publications such as Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, The Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, Frontiers in Aging, JCI Insight, The Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes (JPRO), and PLoS Biology.
Dr Shoshana Shendelman is an Entrepreneur