Shawn W. Foley
About Shawn W. Foley
Shawn W. Foley is the Director of Bioinformatics at Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, where he has worked since 2024. He previously held various roles at GSK and the University of Pennsylvania, contributing significantly to oncology research and bioinformatics.
Current Role at Deciphera Pharmaceuticals
Shawn W. Foley serves as the Director of Bioinformatics at Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, a position he has held since 2024. In this role, he utilizes his expertise in RNA biology and bioinformatics to support drug discovery programs. His responsibilities include advancing projects from new target identification through to Phase 1 clinical trials, ensuring that data-driven decisions guide the development of therapeutic strategies.
Previous Experience at GSK
Before joining Deciphera Pharmaceuticals, Foley had an extensive career at GSK, where he worked in various capacities from 2017 to 2024. He began as a Computational Biologist, then progressed to Computational Biology Lead, and ultimately served as Associate Director. During his tenure, he led the restructuring of GSK's research unit from a Cancer Epigenetics group to a modality agnostic Tumor Cell Targeting group. He also contributed to projects focused on new target discovery and predictive biomarkers in Oncology R&D.
Academic Background and Research Experience
Shawn W. Foley completed his Bachelor of Arts in Biology with a focus on Neurobiology at the University of Pennsylvania from 2009 to 2013. He continued his education at the same institution, earning a Doctor of Philosophy in Genetics and Gene Regulation from 2013 to 2017. During his academic career, he held various research and teaching positions, including Undergraduate Research Assistant and Teaching Assistant, which provided him with a solid foundation in biological research.
Expertise in Bioinformatics and RNA Biology
Foley possesses specialized knowledge in RNA biology and bioinformatics, which he applies to enhance drug discovery initiatives. His expertise encompasses the analysis of data from genomics, proteomics, and functional genomics platforms. This skill set enables him to contribute effectively to the identification of new therapeutic targets and the development of predictive biomarkers, particularly in the field of oncology.