Dr. Bumol was the Senior Vice President of the Biotechnology and Immunology Research component at Lilly Research Laboratories, and the Site Head & President of Lilly’s Biotechnology Center of San Diego, which included the former Applied Molecular Evolution subsidiary of Lilly Research Laboratories and early clinical development for immunology until his retirement on December 31st, 2017. Currently, Dr. Bumol is the Executive Vice President of the Allen Institute and Director of the Allen Institute for Immunology in Seattle, a position he assumed on March 1st, 2018 for a new research institute focused on human immunology in both health and disease. This institute was launched on December 12th, 2018 funded by a 125 million dollar philanthropic gift from Paul G. Allen.
A native of Detroit, Michigan, he received his B.S. degree in microbiology from the University of Michigan in 1975. He subsequently completed his Ph.D. in microbiology-immunology from the University of Minnesota in 1980. Dr. Bumol was the recipient of a Damon Runyon-Walter Winchell Cancer Research Fellowship for his postdoctoral studies in the Department of Molecular Immunology at Scripps Clinic and Research Foundation in La Jolla, California from 1980 to 1982. He joined Lilly Research Laboratories as a Senior Immunologist in 1982 where he remained for his career of over 35 years until his retirement. Dr. Bumol has over 50 publications and reviews, 8 issued U.S. patents and his former Lilly team and collaborators have nominated over 100 molecules for clinical development including dulaglutide (launched as Trulicity), ixekizumab (launched as Taltz), galcanezumab (launched as Emgality), mirikizumab (an IL23 p19 antibody in phase III development), and tirzepatide (a dual GIP GLP-1 receptor agonist in phase III development) while at Lilly. In addition, through strategic alliances, his teams helped develop and launch/support abciximab (ReoPro) with Centocor (acquired by J&J) and baricitinib (Olumiant) with Incyte.