Our Team

Dilip Kodira is the Vice President and Head of Platforms and Analytics at Violet Therapeutics, where he leads the development of the C-to-C Engine to map cellular connectivity and signaling in CNS diseases. With over two decades of experience in bioinformatics, data science, and computational biology, he has been instrumental in advancing multi-omics platform development and biomarker discovery across oncology, gene therapy, and neuroimmunology. Prior to Violet Therapeutics, he held leadership roles at PureTech Health, GE Global Research, Roche 454, Celera Genomics, and the Broad Institute, where he developed high-throughput genomics and machine learning-driven discovery platforms. As an early architect of the human genome annotation project at Celera Genomics, he led the efforts on cataloging the first draft of human reference genes. His expertise spans biomarker discovery, single-cell analysis, and AI-driven drug development. Throughout his career, he has built and led high-performing teams, fostered strategic collaborations, and driven advancements in genomics and translational medicine.

Evan has 10 years of experience discovering and developing small molecule drugs for diseases of the central nervous system (CNS). His work has spanned multiple modes of pharmacology, target classes, and therapeutic areas with a particular focus on neurodegenerative and neuropsychiatric diseases. He is a trained neuroscientist, pharmacologist, and medicinal chemist who has led drug discovery teams across all stages of preclinical development through translational and early clinical development. Additionally, he has held prior roles of increasing seniority at Pfizer, the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, and most recently at Nido Biosciences. To-date, he has helped deliver 7 preclinical candidates for clinical development with 4 of these programs actively undergoing clinical trials. Evan holds a PhD in neuroscience from Emory University. Outside of work Evan loves to run ultra-distance trail races, cook, garden, and play both games and music.

Francisco Quintana, PhD, is a founder of Violet Therapeutics and inventor of C-to-C Communication Maps and SPEAC-seq.  He is a Professor of Neurology at the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, the Director of the Program on Immunology of Aging at the Gene Lay Institute of Immunology and Inflammation, and an Associate Member at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT.

Dr. Quintana’s research is focused on Neuroimmunology, investigating signaling pathways that control inflammation and neurodegeneration, with the ultimate goal of identifying novel therapeutic targets for immune-mediated and neurodegenerative disorders.  Dr. Quintana has published over 230 peer reviewed articles and book chapters.  Dr. Quintana’s work identified the transcription factor AHR as an important regulator of inflammation driven by adaptive and innate immune cells. He defined mechanisms by which cell-cell interactions, metabolism, the microbiome, and environmental chemicals control inflammation and neurodegeneration. Dr. Quintana’s work guided the development of Tapinarof, the first FDA-approved AHR-targeting drug for the treatment of psoriasis.

Darby Schmidt is currently CSO of Violet Therapeutics. She was previously VP of Drug Discovery at Sonata Therapeutics, where she led creation of their small molecule pipeline. She has 20 years’ experience at small and large companies, including Merck, Caraway Therapeutics, Syros Pharmaceuticals, and Quartet Medicine. Dr. Schmidt has experience leading teams in the areas of pain, neurodegeneration, inflammation, and oncology and has worked in lead generation, hit to lead, lead optimization, and preclinical development. She has contributed to 9 development candidates and 3 INDs. Darby received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from Harvard University working with Stuart Schreiber and performed postdoctoral studies with James Leighton at Columbia University where she worked on a natural product synthesis.

Jim has over 30 years of research management and drug discovery experience. He currently serves on the boards of directors, scientific advisory boards and as an advisor to multiple biotechnology companies and venture capital firms.  Previously, he was Vice President of Neuroscience Research at AbbVie, where he led efforts located in Ludwigshafen Germany, Lake County, IL and Cambridge, MA focused on the discovery of new drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, pain, and psychiatric disorders. Under his leadership, teams have advanced more than twenty compounds into clinical development.

Michael Wheeler is an Assistant Professor of Neurology at Brigham & Women’s Hospital.  He has expertise in using interdisciplinary approaches to study neuroimmune interactions that influence the function of the nervous system. He is an inventor of C-to-C Communication Maps, FIND-seq, and SPEAC-seq which are cutting edge technologies for understanding cell type-specific interactions.  He is an expert on Immunology and Neuroscience, with an emphasis on using interdisciplinary approaches to study neuroimmune interactions that influence the function of the nervous system in health and disease. His lab focuses on neuroimmune cross-talk in behavior and disease and its regulation by glia, neurons, and immune cells.

Mr. Sekhri has over 35 years of experience in the Life Science Industry. His experience encompasses senior management in large corporate pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, as well as private equity and venture capital.  

Mr. Sekhri is President and Chief Executive Officer of vTv Therapeutics, Inc. Most recently he served as President and CEO of eGenesis, Inc. from 2019-2022 where he was a Board Member and Senior Advisor to the Chairman until 2024.  Prior to joining eGenesis, he was President and CEO of Lycera Corp. from 2015-2019.  Prior to this, he served as Senior Vice President, Integrated Care for Sanofi from 2014-2015.  Previously, he served as Chief Strategy Officer and Group Executive Vice President, Global Business Development for Teva Pharmaceutical Industries, Ltd.

Prior to joining Teva, he spent five years as Operating Partner and Head of the Biotechnology Operating Group at TPG Biotech, the life sciences venture capital arm of TPG Capital.  From 2004-2009, Mr. Sekhri was Founder, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Cerimon Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Prior to founding Cerimon, Mr. Sekhri was President and Chief Business Officer of ARIAD Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Previously, Mr. Sekhri spent five years at Novartis as Senior Vice President, and Head of Global Search and Evaluation, Business Development and Licensing for Novartis Pharma AG.

Mr. Sekhri has been a Director on more than 35 private, public company, and non-profit Boards and is currently a member of the Board of Directors of Veeva Systems, Chair of the Board at Compugen Ltd., and Kaerus Bioscience. He is also on the Board of AdhereTech Inc. He was, until recently, the Chairman of the Board of Pharming N.V. and was also Chair of the Board of Longboard, Inc. until its recent sale to Lundbeck. He also spent 5 years on the Board of Ipsen, S.A. Additionally, he is on the Board of Directors of The Metropolitan Opera, and was a member of the Board of Trustees of Carnegie Hall. Most recently, he was nominated as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Young Concert Artists, Inc.

Meredith Fisher is a Partner with Mass General Brigham Ventures where she focuses on early-stage investments and company creation. Previously, she was Director of Private Investments in the private/family office at Bracebridge Capital where she led investments in early-stage life science companies. She previously led business development for Ginkgo BioWorks, was Senior Director at PureTech Ventures, and was a research scientist at Idenix Pharmaceuticals and Anadys Pharmaceuticals.

Meredith has co-founded multiple MGBV portfolio companies including three as founding CEO. She holds board seats at Brave Bio, Claris Bio, Falcon Therapeutics, FireCyte Therapeutics, Mediar Therapeutics, Violet Therapeutics and Sena Therapeutics. Her previous investments include Amolyt Pharma (sold to AstraZeneca/Alexion – 2024) and Scorpion Therapeutics (sold to Eli Lilly – 2025).  

Meredith holds an undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke College, an M.B.A. from the MIT Sloan School of Management, and a PhD from Harvard University. While at Harvard, she co-founded Harvard Graduate Women in Science and Engineering (HGWISE).

Bill Yelle, M.S., M.B.A., has over 30 years in the biopharmaceutical industry, with experience ranging from large pharma to early-stage, venture-backed companies across a wide range of therapeutic areas.

Bill is an independent director at Violet.  He also serves as CEO of FireCyte Therapeutics.  Prior engagements include Entrepreneur in Residence at MGH-Brigham Ventures, Executive Chair at Envisia Therapeutics, and CEO of Aldea Pharmaceuticals. Bill was Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Licensing for Sunovion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (formerly Sepracor Inc.) and responsible for the consummation of 30+ material transactions, including the company’s sale to Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma for $2.6 billion. He was also instrumental in Sepracor’s transition from an early-stage clinical organization into a fully integrated pharmaceutical company. Prior to Sepracor, he served in various positions in Pfizer’s U.S. Pharmaceuticals Group.

Bill has an M.B.A. in Management/Marketing from Columbia University, an M.S. in Organic Chemistry from the University of California at Berkeley, and a B.S. cum laude from the University of Massachusetts Lowell.

Atsushi Usami holds a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences from the University of Tokyo. Prior to joining the University of Tokyo Edge Capital Partners (UTEC) in October 2013, he worked as a consultant at Mitsubishi Research Institute, advising pharmaceutical companies, medical device manufacturers, and other industries on mid- to long-term business strategy and new business development.

As a Partner and Board Director at UTEC, he focuses on venture investments and hands-on support for seed and early-stage startups in the life sciences sector. He played a key role in founding companies such as OriCiro Genomics, Inc. (acquired by Moderna, Inc.) and Repertoire Genesis, Inc. (acquired by Eurofins Scientific SE), leading investments and providing operational support. He currently serves on the boards of approximately 10 startups in Japan and the U.S.

In 2023, he was named one of Japan’s most influential venture capitalists by Forbes Japan and received the Venture Capitalist Encouragement Award at the 23rd Japan Venture Awards. He also serves as a project evaluation committee member for the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED).

Jonathan Behr, Ph.D., joined SV Health Investors in 2019, bringing over 18 years of venture and venture creation experience. He co-leads the Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF) and serves as a Director or Observer on the Boards of several DDF portfolio companies, including Montara Therapeutics, Nitrase Therapeutics, QurAlis, Ribometrix, Sudo Therapeutics, Transposon Therapeutics and Violet Therapeutics, and had served on the Board of Caraway Therapeutics (acquired by MRK).  

Previously, Jon was the first Managing Director of the T1D Fund, where he built the fund’s investment strategy, team, and portfolio, leading to notable successes such as Inversago Therapeutics (acquired by NVO), Pandion Therapeutics (PAND, acquired by MRK), Provention Bio (PRVB, acquired by SNY), and Semma Tx (acquired by VRTX).  Before that, he served as Market Sector Leader and Executive in Residence at Partners Healthcare Innovation (now Mass General Brigham Innovation), leading neuroscience technology translation, with successes like Tilos Therapeutics (acquired by MRK). Jon has held senior venture creation roles at PureTech Ventures and Enlight Biosciences, where he co-founded and supported seven companies.  He has served on or observed over 14 company boards throughout his career. 

Outside of SV, Jon is an Independent Director of Parkinson’s Research Ventures, a subsidiary of Parkinson’s UK.   

Jon earned a Ph.D. in Biological Engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a Howard Hughes Medical Institute fellow, and received his B.S. in Bioengineering summa cum laude as phi-beta-kappa co-valedictorian from Rice University.