Blake Rust
About Blake Rust
Blake Rust is a Senior Scientist at AskBio, specializing in immune biomarkers related to clinical gene therapies. He has extensive experience in the field, having held positions at notable organizations including Bristol Myers Squibb and Fred Hutch.
Work at Asklepios BioPharmaceutical
Blake Rust serves as a Senior Scientist at Asklepios BioPharmaceutical, Inc. (AskBio) in Durham, North Carolina. He has been in this role since 2022, focusing on assessing immune biomarkers related to clinical gene therapies. His work contributes to the advancement of gene therapy techniques and their applications in treating various diseases.
Previous Experience at Bristol Myers Squibb
Blake Rust held the position of Principal Scientist at Bristol Myers Squibb for a duration of six months in 2022, based in Seattle, Washington. Prior to this, he worked as a Senior Scientist at the same company from 2020 to 2022, also in Seattle. During his tenure, he contributed to the development and manufacturing of the Breyanzi CAR T-cell therapeutic.
Research Background and Postdoctoral Training
Blake Rust has a substantial research background, having worked as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at Benaroya Research Institute from 2016 to 2018. He also served as a Research Associate at Fred Hutch from 2018 to 2020, where he focused on immune responses to gene therapy and CAR T cells as potential treatments for HIV. His postdoctoral training included analyzing the role of antigen-specific T cells in allergic diseases and cancer.
Education and Academic Qualifications
Blake Rust earned his Ph.D. in Biomedical Sciences from Tulane University School of Medicine, where he studied from 2010 to 2015. His doctoral research focused on structural immunology, particularly the relationship between protein structure and CD4+ T cell effector phenotype. He also completed his undergraduate studies in Chemistry, achieving a degree in Biochemistry from Hood College from 2006 to 2010.
Early Career and Research Experience
Blake Rust began his research career as a Summer Research Assistant at Hood College in 2008. He also worked as a Graduate Research Assistant at Tulane University from 2010 to 2016. Additionally, he was an ORISE Undergraduate Fellow at USAMRIID from 2009 to 2010, gaining early exposure to research methodologies and practices in immunology.