Ruby Cheema

Currently a Vice President of Portfolio Planning and Program Management at Viracta, Ruby has 24 years of industry experience as a scientist, and in the disciplines of project, portfolio, and alliance management along with patient advocacy. She developed experience in multiple disease areas (infectious disease, oncology, immuno-oncology, ophthalmology and rare diseases, among others) over the course of her career, while working at both large and small pharma companies. She started her career at Johnson & Johnson as a research associate. She then moved to Aviron/Medimmune Vaccines as an associate scientist before joining Genentech.  Over the course of her 13-year tenure at Genentech, Ruby  managed multiple projects from early stage to launch, including the mAbs Perjeta™ and Tecentriq™ and ADC Polivy™, among others. Thereafter, she transitioned to Unity Biotechnologies as the Director of Portfolio and Program Management. Prior to Viracta, Ruby was the Senior Director and Head of Strategic Alliances and Patient Advocacy at 4D Molecular Therapeutics. Ruby has participated in the filing of multiple INDs/INDa(s), PMPs, and 2 BLAs.

Ruby has a great passion for science, strategy, and collaboration.  She is keen to take this combination to new horizons.  She has served as BioPharmaPM Network Co-chair since 2017 and has been involved with the organization in a leadership role since 2015 as Director of Membership. In addition to BPPM, Ruby serves as an advisor to University of California San Diego and University of Washington, Seattle for their Program Management Certification.  Furthermore, she is a business mentor with CELS (Canadian Entrepreneurs in LifeSciences) and a business advisor to a privately held company Core Mobile Inc.