Description:

This interactive webinar will provide a practical, and at times cynical, framework for identifying and attracting “appropriate” scientific and clinical advisors to a life science start-up company. Beyond simply filling advisory board seats, the session will examine how to evaluate potential advisors for genuine alignment with company goals, how to avoid common pitfalls when expectations are mismatched, and how to structure advisor roles to maximize value for both parties. The webinar will also address different models of advisor engagement, including equity vs. cash remuneration, time commitments, and the often-overlooked importance of defining deliverables. Participants will leave with actionable strategies for building a strong, effective advisory network that can provide credibility, open doors to investors and partners, and accelerate the growth of early-stage ventures.

Speaker Bio
Steven R. Deitcher, M.D., FSM ’86, FSM ’88 is the Founder, CEO, and Chairman of Bespoke Biotherapeutics, a Bay Area company developing genome-engineered B-cell therapeutics for hemophilia A and HER2+ breast cancer, and co-founder of a stealth clinical-stage cell therapy company focused on brain regeneration. He previously held executive roles at Radimmune Therapeutics, Medeor Therapeutics, and Talon Therapeutics, where he led Marqibo® from IND to FDA accelerated approval and eventual acquisition by Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, as well as at Nuvelo. Earlier in his career, he was Chief of Hematology and Coagulation Medicine as well as Director of Thrombosis and Vascular Medicine Research at the Cleveland Clinic, with prior academic posts at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. A graduate of Northwestern’s Honors Program in Medical Education (B.S., M.D.), he trained in internal medicine at Barnes Hospital/Washington University and completed hematology/oncology fellowships and post-doctoral protein chemistry work at Tufts University School of Medicine.