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Mike Klimas was formerly Indi Molecular’s senior vice president of strategy and technical business with the responsibility for developing global partners for Indi Molecular in imaging, therapeutics, and biological tools. This included advancing technical strategies aligned to long-term business goals of molecular imaging and therapeutics. He moved to advisor status in September 2021.

Prior to Indi Molecular, Dr. Klimas was the Executive Director Translational Biomarker Immuno-oncology and Cardiometabolic Lead within Translational Medicine for Merck Research Laboratories. He was responsible for high-impact translational imaging and soluble biomarker strategy and network development across therapeutic areas and modalities. Biomarker efforts at Merck are integrated into all phases of drug discovery and development, emphasizing the development of biomarkers for clinical target engagement, early pharmacodynamic response, and disease state characterization.

Dr. Klimas’ pharmaceutical career began with what is now AstraZeneca in neuroscience drug discovery including contributions to Seroquel and ZD3638 for the treatment of schizophrenia. His research included efforts in bipolar disorder, anxiety-depression, stroke, and Alzheimer’s research. Dr. Klimas led the Neuroscience project development for Zeneca Pharmaceuticals concurrent with a medicinal chemistry function management role. He joined GE Medical Systems in 2001 as a founding member of their Molecular Imaging effort. His role at GE included imaging collaboration project development with the pharmaceutical industry and merger and acquisition work that culminated in the acquisition of Amersham. Dr. Klimas led the technological integration of Amersham and GE Medical Systems to form what is today GE Healthcare. He joined Merck’s Imaging group in 2006. His research interests include chemistry applied to understanding biological and pathological signaling and imaging applied to the understanding of pharmacology and adaptive biological responses.

Dr. Klimas received his Ph.D. from Yale University under Stuart L Schreiber in synthetic organic chemistry applied to biological understanding. He also has an MBA from the University of Chicago with an interest in strategy and business development.