Team

A drug development team 

that has delivered

Management

Black-and-white portrait of a woman with shoulder-length hair, smiling, wearing a blazer.
Black-and-white portrait of a woman with shoulder-length hair, smiling, wearing a blazer.

Ms Sam Cobb
CEO

  • Sam is the founding CEO of Currus Biologics. Sam has over 25 years’ experience in business development and commercialisation with a focus on biologics. Prior to Currus Biologics, Sam was the founding CEO of AdAlta (ASX: 1AD), where Sam saw AdAlta through several transitions over a 12-year period including listing the company on the ASX. Sam led the development of AdAlta’s novel biologics platform from idea to a Phase I-ready lead candidate and secured multiple big pharma and biotech deals with its platform. Sam has worked for several biotech companies and technology transfer companies, focused on the commercialisation of life-science opportunities. Sam worked at the lab bench at Agen Biomedical as a research scientist, developing a diagnostic test for point of care application, taking the test from research through development and to production. Sam has a Bachelor of Science and a Masters of Intellectual Property Law and has completed the Australian Institute of Company Directors course.

Portrait of a smiling man with glasses wearing a suit jacket and white shirt
Portrait of a smiling man with glasses wearing a suit jacket and white shirt

Dr Swami Murugappan
CMO

  • Swami Murugappan is Currus Biologics Chief Medical Officer and a board-certified hematologist-oncologist and physician-scientist with 15 years of experience driving oncology drug development from discovery through global commercialization across innovative platforms including CAR-T cell therapy, T-cell engagers, oncolytic viruses, mRNA therapeutics, and monoclonal antibodies. Swami has successfully led and supported regulatory approvals for three marketed products (Vectibix®, ImLygic®, Tecartus®) and INDs for CART and T-cell engagers. Swami has expertise in clinical trial design and execution (Phase 1-3), regulatory strategy, cross-functional leadership, and commercial launch planning. In addition Currus Biologics Swami also serves as Founder and Chief Medical Officer of Trident Bio Consulting, providing strategic guidance to biotech and pharma clients developing transformational hematology-oncology therapies. AI enthusiast motivated to incorporate technology in clinical drug development.

Black and white portrait of a woman smiling, with short hair and earrings, wearing a patterned top.
Black and white portrait of a woman smiling, with short hair and earrings, wearing a patterned top.

Ms Nicole Kruger
Clinical Operations

  • Nicole Kruger has over 25 years’ experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry, with over 20 years in the clinical research field. Starting as a Clinical Trial Assistant and progressing through Clinical Research Associate, Project Manager and Operations Manager roles, she has worked with major pharmaceutical companies, Contract Research Organisations and medium to small biotechnology companies to implement and manage their clinical research programs and projects. Nicole is responsible for ensuring delivery of high-quality clinical trials at Currus Biologics.

Black and white close-up portrait of a man wearing glasses with short hair.
Black and white close-up portrait of a man wearing glasses with short hair.

Dr Dallas Hartman
BEAT CMC Manager

  • Dallas Hartman heads up BEAT CMC at Currus Biologics.

    Dallas has significant experience in the oversight and management of product development (cell line development, upstream development, downstream development, formulation, stability and analytic characterization) and manufacturing operations at third-party CDMO service providers in Asia, America and Europe.

    Along with overseeing the BEAT product development and manufacturing he is also responsible for oversight of bioanalytical assays (pharmacokinetics, anti-drug antibodies, receptor occupancy, biomarkers, cytokines release and immunophenotyping) at third-party CRO’s to support Currus Biologics’ first-in-human clinical phase I studies).

Portrait of a man with glasses smiling at the camera, black and white photo.
Portrait of a man with glasses smiling at the camera, black and white photo.

Dr David Hambly
CAR CMC Manager

  • Dr David Hambly is an experienced CAR T-cell manufacturing expert that led Analytical Development for Kite Pharma’s Yescarta, the 2nd CAR T-cell product approved in the US. Thereafter, he led viral vector manufacturing, process and analytical development as well as cell therapy analytical development at Atara Biotherapeutics before founding Advanced Therapy Product Consulting, Inc. Dr. Hambly received his doctorate in Biochemistry from Washington University in St. Louis and spent a decade at Amgen working on analytical development teams within both Research and Development and the Technical Operations functions to support numerous recombinant protein and monoclonal antibody products, and the first FDA approved recombinant virus program, Imlygic®.

Black and white portrait of a woman with shoulder-length straight hair, smiling at the camera.
Black and white portrait of a woman with shoulder-length straight hair, smiling at the camera.

Dr Ebony Heyns
Drug Development Manager

  • Ebony has significant experience in the management of preclinical drug development programs. She has previously worked with ASX-listed biotechnology company AdAlta and early-stage startup Gertrude Biomedical, coordinating their internal and external preclinical research activities. In addition to project management capabilities, Ebony has experience in technical market appraisal including opportunity analysis and reimbursement strategy. Ebony completed a PhD in Cancer Pharmacology at The University of Melbourne concurrently with a Graduate Certificate in Commercialisation at Melbourne Business School.

Black and white portrait of a woman with shoulder-length wavy hair, smiling at the camera, wearing a blazer.
Black and white portrait of a woman with shoulder-length wavy hair, smiling at the camera, wearing a blazer.

Dr Michaela Sharpe
Regulatory

  • Dr Michaela Sharpe is a specialist adviser and consultant on the nonclinical safety assessment of advanced therapy medicinal products (ATMPs) and vaccines with over 20 years’ experience in the biotech and pharma sector.  Dr Michaela Sharpe has developed bespoke nonclinical strategies for over 35 complex therapies to facilitate progression into clinical trial; including pluripotent stem cell therapies, somatic cell therapies, immune therapies, genetically modified cell therapies, tissue engineered products and prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines. Dr Michaela Sharpe has an in depth understanding of regulatory agency (MHRA, EMA and FDA) non-clinical safety requirements for ATMPs, vaccines and GLP regulations. Dr Michaela Sharpe has an expertise in translational research, nonclinical safety, gap analysis, immunology, regulatory engagement, strategic development, due diligence and in-licensing opportunities, research collaborations and acquisitions.

Board

Black and white portrait of a smiling woman with short hair, wearing a light-colored blazer and scarf.
Black and white portrait of a smiling woman with short hair, wearing a light-colored blazer and scarf.

Dr Alessandra Cesano
Chair

  • r Alessandra Cesano has decades of extensive experience in the global clinical development of oncology drugs. She has 25 years of experience in the biopharmaceutical industry focused on oncology, including extensive experience at Biogen, Amgen, and GSK. She was instrumental in the development and approval of two marketed drugs including Vectibix® (panitumumab), an anti-EGFR antibody for the treatment of certain colorectal cancers. Dr Cesano currently serves as the Chief Medical Officer & Executive Vice President at ESSA Pharma, Inc. and on the board of Puma Biotechnology Inc. (NASDAQ: PBYI), a clinical stage oncology company focused on solid tumors. Dr Cesano graduated from the University of Turin with her PhD in tumor immunology and her MD. She is a Board Certified oncologist in Europe.

Black and white portrait of a man wearing glasses and a collared shirt with a sweater, smiling.
Black and white portrait of a man wearing glasses and a collared shirt with a sweater, smiling.

Dr Michael Bettess
Director

  • Dr Michael Bettess is the Chair of Currus Biologics and an Investment Manager at life science specialist venture capital firm Brandon Capital Partners (BCP). He is also an Executive Director at BCP investee companies Cincera Therapeutics Pty Ltd and Foray Therapeutics Pty Ltd (also MRCF investee companies). His prior experience in commercialisation and investment includes leading commercialisation in the Faculty of Medicine at Monash University, the largest medical faculty in Australasia, and 5 years as an Investment Manager (Life Sciences) and acting CEO at the Trans-Tasman Commercialisation Fund where he led diligence on seed investments in HMBL Limited (acquired by Heart Metabolics Ltd.) and Nexvet Biopharma (NASDAQ – NVET: acquired by Zoetis in 2017). Michael holds a PhD from the University of Adelaide, a Hoffman La Roche post-doctoral fellowship at the Swiss Cancer Research Institute (ISREC) in Lausanne, Switzerland and has an MBA specialising in technology management from La Trobe University.

Black and white portrait of a woman with shoulder-length hair, wearing a checked shirt.
Black and white portrait of a woman with shoulder-length hair, wearing a checked shirt.

Dr Aleta Knowles
Director

  • Aleta is a Director of Currus Biologics and Uniseed’s Biotech Investment Manager based in Sydney. 

    Aleta brings extensive commercialisation, clinical research, and product development experience from the animal health industry where she has been involved in and led the development of pharmaceutical and biological products from discovery to product launch within large multinational companies. Her most recent role was leading the Clinical Research and Regulatory Affairs teams at Virbac where she was responsible for driving the strategy and implementation of Virbac’s innovation pipeline in Australia. Often working at the nexus of university research and business, Aleta has held roles at UNSW and in industry that encompass external innovation, technology licensing, commercialisation, and technology transfer.

    Aleta holds a PhD in Immunoparasitology from the University of Queensland.

Black and white portrait of a smiling man with glasses, wearing a suit and tie.
Black and white portrait of a smiling man with glasses, wearing a suit and tie.

Dr Dominic Wall
Director

  • Associate Professor Dominic Wall is a Non-Executive Director of Currus Biologics and the Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) for Cell Therapies Pty Ltd. As the CSO, he oversees the quality and production nominees for the purposes of licensing by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). At the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Dominic has a joint appointment as the Executive Director for Business Ventures, leading its enterprises such as external Pathology services. He also provides executive oversight to the national Centre of Excellence in Cellular Immunotherapy which was established in 2019 with an $80 million contribution from the Commonwealth Government. Dominic’s academic background and interests are primarily in cancer immunotherapy, in vivo cell tracking in human cell therapy (using nuclear medicine and MRI) and regulation of the developing cell and gene therapy field. He has published more than 80 manuscripts, abstracts and presentations in these areas, and has previously been the ANZ regional president of the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy (ISCT). In 1999 Dominic developed the cell therapy program at Peter Mac and was one of the founders of Cell Therapies in 2003, leading it to becoming the first TGA licensed service in this field in Australia.

Dr Elaine Stead
Dr Elaine Stead

Dr Elaine Stead
Director

  • Dr. Elaine Stead is an accomplished venture capitalist and company builder with more than 20 years’ experience spanning science, entrepreneurship, and investment. Trained as a stem-cell biologist with a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Adelaide, she transitioned from research into founding and funding high-growth companies across healthcare, technology, and deep science.

    Elaine has led and co-founded multiple venture funds, backing more than 80 startups across Australia, Southeast Asia, and the U.S., including several that have become global leaders. She is currently a Principal at Main Sequence, CSIRO’s deep-tech venture fund, where she focuses on healthcare innovation at scale.

    Elaine brings to Currus Biologics a unique blend of scientific insight, operational experience, and investment expertise to help guide strategy and growth.

Clinical Advisory Board

Professor Saar Gill
Professor Saar Gill

Professor Saar Gill

  • Associate Professor Saar Gill is a clinician researcher at University of Pennsylvania with considerable experience translating cell therapy research into clinical products. Prof Gill is the principal investigator on multiple CAR T-cell clinical trials and is the co-founder of Interius Biotherapeutics and Carisma Therapeutics.

Professor Michael Brown
Professor Michael Brown

Professor Michael Brown

  • Professor Michael Brown is the Director of the Cancer Clinical Trials Unit at Royal Adelaide Hospital (RAH), and Professor of Medical Oncology, University of Adelaide. His tumour subspecialty interests are in lung cancer. Professor Brown has been the principal investigator on four CAR T-cell trials and will lead the Currus Biologics clinical trials in Adelaide at RAH.

Professor Prasad S Adusumilli
Professor Prasad S Adusumilli

Professor Prasad S Adusumilli

  • Dr. Prasad Adusumilli is a world-leading thoracic surgeon-scientist and Deputy Chief of Thoracic Surgery at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (New York). He also serves as Vice Chair for Translational Research in the Department of Surgery and Co-Director of the Mesothelioma Program.

    Internationally recognized for his pioneering work in tumor immunology and cell therapies, Dr. Adusumilli has led breakthrough research on mesothelin-targeted CAR T-cells, regional immunotherapy delivery, and modulation of the tumor microenvironment. His laboratory’s discoveries have directly informed new clinical trials and advanced the global standard of care for thoracic malignancies, including lung cancer and mesothelioma.

    With over 300 peer-reviewed publications and a track record of mentoring the next generation of physician-scientists, Dr. Adusumilli brings deep translational expertise and clinical insight to Currus Biologics as we advance novel BEAT-enabled CAR-T therapies for solid tumours.

Dr Zahid Bashir
Dr Zahid Bashir

Dr Zahid Bashir

  • Dr Zahid Bashir is pharmaceutical physician with over 16 years of experience in designing and executing clinical programmes for pharma and biotech companies specialising in haematological and solid tumours. Dr Bashir has been instrumental in driving the development and launch of multiple biologics and cell therapy products.