Introducing the Nucleate Leadership Council to Support the Next Generation of Biotech Leaders
BOSTON, MA — June 1, 2026 — Nucleate is proud to announce the launch of the Nucleate Leadership Council (NLC), a new community of biotech leaders and disruptors committed to supporting the next generation of scientists and entrepreneurs.
Nucleate was built to ensure that early-career scientists don’t have to navigate the path-to-impact alone (read our 2024–2025 Impact Report here). Today, Nucleate supports a global community spanning thousands of trainees, founders, operators, and industry professionals across 40+ chapters in more than 20 countries. As the biotech industry continues to evolve during a period of significant uncertainty, the NLC brings together individuals who believe deeply in the importance of mentorship, community, and leaving the ladder down for the next generation.
“We created Nucleate because scientists and founders often lack access to the mentorship and networks needed to navigate careers in the biotech industry,” said Oliver Dodd, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Nucleate. “We created the NLC to strengthen our programs through a philanthropic board of leaders who can advise us on strategies and best practices to support the rapidly changing needs of our community.”
“The future of biotechnology depends on whether we are willing to invest in the next generation of leaders,” said Greg Erman, Inaugural Chairman of the Nucleate Leadership Council. “Nucleate has built an extraordinary global network of innovators, and the NLC will provide crucial strategic guidance to help shape the future of the organization.”
“As one of the first founders supported through Nucleate’s programming, I’ve experienced firsthand how transformative this community can be for early-stage biotech entrepreneurs,” said Cheri Ackerman Araromi, Co-Founder & CEO of Concerto Biosciences, “Nucleate played a pivotal role in Concerto’s origin story, and today our core technology has produced an atopic dermatitis drug advancing to Phase 2, as well as groundbreaking activities in personal care and food. The Leadership Council is my opportunity to pay that forward and ensure the next generation of founders has access to the same mentorship and community that kickstarted our journey.”
Members of the NLC will serve as advocates for the next generation of biotech leaders while helping shape and strengthen Nucleate’s long-term future. Through this organization, members will have opportunities to engage with emerging founders, support Nucleate’s global community and programming, and contribute to building a more connected, accessible, and mission-driven biotech ecosystem for years to come.
To view more details about the Nucleate Leadership Council and to see a list of the leaders and disruptors who have Co-Founded the NLC and pledged to support the next generation of biotech innovation, please visit the Leadership Council page. The NLC is an invite-only initiative. Leaders interested in learning more or requesting an invitation may contact oliver@nucleate.org or be referred by an existing member of the NLC.
About the NLC Co-Founders:
The NLC and its mission is only possible due to the generosity of spirit of its 29 co-founding members. We would like to thank all the co-founders for offering to share their wisdom with the next generation:
Greg Erman (NLC Chairman, Luzatu Therapeutics), Cheri Ackerman Araromi (Concerto Biosciences), Vas Bailey (Anomaly), Peter Barrett (Atlas Venture), Warren Browne (Citrin Cooperman), Sarah Cork (Cork Maloney LLP), John Cumbers (SynBioBeta), Francesca Devine (Devine Insights Group), Ann DeWitt (Engine Ventures), Chris Garabedian (Xontogeny), Dan Goddard (CFGO), Sheila Gujrathi (SilverArc Capital), Adam Jenkins (BioLabs), Samuel Kessel (Locust Walk), Josie Kishi (Digital Biology), Lida Kourita (Gladstone Institutes), Jeffrey Koury (ResearchHub Foundation), Ben Kromnick (Rho), Lou Lieto (Wilson Sonsini), Julien Pham (Third Culture Capital), Michal Preminger (BioMed X Venture Labs), Chandra Ramanathan (Nucleate), Brock Reeve (Eos BioInnovation), Leonard Smith (Withum), Reginald Swift (Rubix LS), Jo Viney (Seismic Therapeutics), Mandi Williams (Washington University in St. Louis / Nucleate), Tere Williams (DUB Therapeutics), Lara Zibners (Calla Lily Clinical Care)
About Nucleate
Nucleate is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to empowering the next generation of biotech leaders. With chapters spanning 45 geographic regions and participation from over 280 academic institutions, Nucleate sparks new intellectual communities and embeds emerging talent within a global biotech community. Through open-access educational programming, Nucleate helps democratize biotech innovation — removing barriers and helping founders concentrate on building transformational technologies.
