Parallel Bio
Parallel Bio, formerly known as Parallel Biosystems Inc, is a healthcare company based in Cambridge, MA, and Los Angeles, CA, specializing in drug discovery and delivery through its innovative 'immune system in a dish' platform.
Company Overview
Parallel Bio, formerly known as Parallel Biosystems Inc, is an active healthcare company specializing in drug discovery and delivery. Founded by Robert M. DiFazio and Juliana Hilliard, the company operates with a team of 9 employees and has locations in Cambridge, MA and Los Angeles, CA. Part of the Y Combinator S21 batch, Parallel Bio serves regions including the United States, America/Canada, and offers remote and partly remote services.
Founders
Parallel Bio was founded by Robert M. DiFazio and Juliana Hilliard. Robert DiFazio, the CEO, holds a PhD in Immunology and has experience as a Stanford University department director. He managed a $100M R&D portfolio and led the program to invent the first immune organoid. Juliana Hilliard, the CSO, has an MSc in Bioengineering and vast experience leading R&D drug discovery teams. She developed novel organoid technologies, discovered novel disease targets, and created and commercialized organoid drug discovery platforms.
Innovative Drug Discovery Platform
Parallel Bio has developed a groundbreaking 'immune system in a dish,' which replicates the elements of a human immune system. This innovative platform allows for the testing of drugs and vaccines in conditions that simulate actual patient responses. To date, it has been used to test 12 drugs and vaccines against 8 different diseases, aiding in the discovery of drugs and immunotherapies more likely to succeed in clinical settings.
Team and Advisors
The team at Parallel Bio includes key members such as Katie Hulse (Head of Immunology), Kelly Volk (Associate Scientist), Olivia Balduf (Senior Research Associate), and Victor Carriere (Associate Scientist). The company also has a panel of distinguished advisors, including Nima Aghaeepour (Data Science, Vice Chair of Research at Stanford University), Darrell Irvine (Bioengineering & Immunology, Underwood-Prescott Professor at MIT, HHMI), Matt Hicks (Communications, Former Facebook, Zendesk, Celonis), Sara Sperling (People & Culture, Oxegen Consulting), and Anya Flood Taylor (Senior Research Associate).
Locations
Parallel Bio operates out of two primary locations: Cambridge, MA, and Los Angeles, CA, in the United States of America. The company caters to regions including the United States, America/Canada and offers both remote and partly remote services, emphasizing its flexible operational model.