Chetna Rao, Ph.D.
About Chetna Rao, Ph.D.
Chetna Rao, Ph.D., is the Director of Business and Research Operations at Bristol-Myers Squibb and serves on the boards of California Life Sciences and Bay Area Council's Science and Innovation Consortium.
Company
Chetna Rao, Ph.D., is currently serving as a Board Member at California Life Sciences (CLS) in South San Francisco, California. She also holds a board member position at the Bay Area Council’s Science and Innovation Consortium (BASIC) group in San Francisco, California. Additionally, she is the Director of Business and Research Operations at Bristol-Myers Squibb in Redwood City, California.
Title
Chetna Rao, Ph.D., holds the title of Director, Business and Research Operations at Bristol-Myers Squibb, where she manages a substantial budget exceeding $100 million for research, capital, and service expenses across their Redwood City and San Francisco sites.
Education and Expertise
Chetna Rao, Ph.D., earned her Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Florida College of Medicine, where she also served as a post-doctoral associate. She completed her Master of Science in Biochemistry at GS Medical College & KEM Hospital, Mumbai, and achieved her Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry & Botany from the University of Mumbai. Her expertise spans over multiple domains, including biochemistry, molecular biology, and protein engineering.
Background
Chetna Rao’s career commenced as a Research Associate at Boots Pharmaceuticals in Mumbai, India. She later transitioned to various roles in the United States, including positions at Coulter Pharmaceuticals, Corixa Corporation, and Medarex, Inc. Before her current role, she served in multiple capacities at Bristol-Myers Squibb, including Associate Director, Director of Protein Engineering, and now Director of Business and Research Operations. Her extensive background also includes academic positions, having served as a post-doctoral associate at both the University of Florida and the University of California, Davis.
Achievements
Chetna Rao has published over 20 papers in peer-reviewed journals and holds over 25 patents globally. She co-chairs the R&ED BMS STEM Council and has spearheaded numerous STEM initiatives in California that support local students from kindergarten through graduate school. She is also a member of the California Life Sciences Association talent pipeline sub-committee for the CLSA Racial and Social Equity Initiative and serves as a representative for the Bay Area Council’s Science and Innovation Consortium (BASIC) group and the Silicon Valley Leadership Group (SVLG). Additionally, she volunteers at a local food bank, assisting in obtaining grants to provide meals to historically excluded communities.