Derek Smith
About Derek Smith
Derek Smith is a Senior Scientist specializing in Cell Line Development at Sana Biotechnology, Inc. He has extensive research experience, including positions at The Ohio State University, UT Southwestern Medical Center, and Genentech.
Current Role at Sana Biotechnology
Derek Smith serves as a Senior Scientist in Cell Line Development at Sana Biotechnology, Inc. He has held this position since 2021, contributing to the Technical Operations team. His work focuses on the development of cell lines, which are essential for various biotechnological applications. Prior to this role, he worked as a Scientist in the same department from 2019 to 2021, under the management of Athena Wong.
Previous Experience in Research
Derek Smith has a diverse research background. He worked as an Undergraduate Researcher at The Ohio State University from 2009 to 2011 in the Department of Biochemistry, where he was advised by Venkat Gopalan. He then progressed to a Graduate Researcher role at UT Southwestern Medical Center from 2011 to 2016 in the Department of Neuroscience, under the guidance of Chun-Li Zhang. Following his graduate studies, he completed a Postdoctoral Researcher position at Genentech from 2016 to 2019 in the Department of Molecular Oncology, where he worked with advisors Andrew Peterson and Frederic de Sauvage.
Educational Background
Derek Smith earned a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Neuroscience from The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, completing his studies from 2011 to 2016. Prior to this, he obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics from The Ohio State University, where he studied from 2007 to 2011.
Early Research Involvement
Derek Smith was involved in early research activities as an Intel International Science and Engineering Fair Finalist while working at Sandia National Laboratories from 2005 to 2007. This experience included collaboration with The Ohio State University and Wright State University, providing him with foundational research exposure.