Dr. Michael Kauffman has dedicated over 25 years to transforming the treatment of cancer and rare diseases. As the CEO and President of Nereid Therapeutics, he directs pioneering research into biomolecular condensates — an innovative frontier in precision medicine. Previously, he co-founded and led Karyopharm Therapeutics from startup to publicly traded company, guiding its first-in-class cancer therapy through global approval. Earlier roles include Chief Medical Officer at Onyx Pharmaceuticals, where he led clinical development of a breakthrough multiple myeloma treatment.

Dr. Kauffman earned his MD and PhD from Johns Hopkins and trained at Harvard-affiliated hospitals, blending scientific rigour with entrepreneurial drive. Guided by Objectivist principles — reason, purposeful achievement, and individual responsibility — his philosophy underpins a strategic vision and relentless pursuit of innovation that have paved the way for more than half a dozen first-in-class drugs.