Laurence Cheng
About Laurence Cheng
Laurence Cheng serves as the Vice President of Clinical Development at RAPT Therapeutics, where he oversees the clinical development of new therapies for inflammatory diseases. He has held various roles in academia and industry, including positions at UCSF and Amgen, and has a strong educational background with an MD and PhD from the University of Washington.
Work at Rapt Therapeutics
Laurence Cheng serves as the Vice President of Clinical Development at RAPT Therapeutics, a position he has held since 2020. In this role, he oversees the clinical development of new therapeutic modalities specifically targeting inflammatory diseases. His responsibilities include the design, execution, monitoring, analysis, and reporting of Phase I/II clinical studies. Cheng plays a crucial role in liaising with both internal teams and external collaborators to advance research and development initiatives within the organization.
Education and Expertise
Laurence Cheng holds an MD and a PhD in Immunology, which he earned from the University of Washington between 1996 and 2004. He also completed his undergraduate studies at the University of California, Berkeley, where he obtained an A.B. in Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology from 1992 to 1996. This educational background provides him with a strong foundation in both clinical medicine and immunological research.
Background
Before his current role at RAPT Therapeutics, Laurence Cheng worked as a Medical Director at Amgen from 2015 to 2019. He also served as an Assistant Professor at UCSF from 2011 to 2015. Additionally, he held the position of Senior Medical Director at RAPT Therapeutics for 11 months in 2019 to 2020. Since 2015, he has been involved as Volunteer Clinical Faculty at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital.
Achievements
In his role at RAPT Therapeutics, Laurence Cheng has been instrumental in advancing the clinical development of therapies for inflammatory diseases. His leadership in the design and execution of clinical studies contributes significantly to the organization's research goals. His extensive experience in both academia and the pharmaceutical industry enhances his capability to drive innovative R&D initiatives.