Panther's Team
Meet the scientists and engineers behind Panther’s pioneering venture. The experienced and accomplished management team combines deep industry knowledge with a passion for innovation.
Meet the scientists and engineers behind Panther’s pioneering venture. The experienced and accomplished management team combines deep industry knowledge with a passion for innovation.
Formulation Engineer
Lawson is a scientific leader and innovator with extensive experience in biomedical engineering, drug delivery systems, and materials science. Previously, as a doctoral researcher at Carnegie Mellon University, he spearheaded the development of novel nanoscale metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for the encapsulation and intracellular delivery of mRNA and other nucleic acids, driving advancements in gene therapy and thermally stable vaccine storage. He earned a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.
VP, People and Operations
Talie is a dynamic, business-oriented Human Resources leader with over a decade of experience scaling organizations through critical stages of growth. She thrives in fast-paced startup environments, building People functions from the ground up and designing programs that attract, retain and develop high-performing teams. Her professional experience spans diverse and complex industries, including Financial Services, Intelligence and Media. Prior to joining Panther, Talie served as Chief People Officer at CoinDesk, where she scaled the company over six years and led it through a successful acquisition. Talie holds a Bachelor of Science in Policy Analysis and Management from Cornell University.
Formulation Engineer
Muhammad Sohaib Khan is a scientific leader with expertise in microneedle array patch (MAP) technology, vaccines, and biologics development. As a founding research leader at GAPHAS Pharmaceutical Inc., he advanced dissolvable MAP formulations toward preclinical readiness, optimizing polymer matrices, antigen design, dissolution profiles, and GMP-compatible processes with a focus on vaccine delivery. At Galapagos NV, he led CAR-T and antibody discovery programs. He earned a Ph.D. in Infectious Diseases & Microbiology from the University of Pittsburgh and a B.S. in Biology from Bridgewater College.
Process Development Engineer
Rachael is a Process Development Engineer at Panther Life Sciences, where she scales microneedle array patch (MAP) technologies from pilot to commercial manufacturing. She works across process design, optimization, and scale-up to enable next-generation drug delivery platforms. She holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Bucknell University, where she was a Presidential Fellow focused on polymer-based drug delivery research. She is passionate about bridging innovation and manufacturing to bring effective treatments closer to patients.
Sr Director, Device Development
Jay Salazar is a product and technology leader with over eight years of experience developing disruptive healthcare innovations that address complex unmet clinical needs. He has worked across the medical device lifecycle, advancing technologies from concept through development with a focus on improving patient outcomes and experience. Prior to joining Panther Life Sciences, Jay contributed to novel technology development at Johnson & Johnson. At Panther Life Sciences, he leads patient-centric innovation efforts aimed at transforming how therapies are delivered and experienced. Jay holds a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering from Baylor University.
