Laura Brass
InvestorManaging Director at Novartis Venture Fund · Board director at HYKU Biosciences · Board director at Immunitas Therapeutics · Board director at Protego Biopharma
Cambridge, MA, USA
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555 people in our graph share verified history with Laura — schools, employers, funds. One of them is your warm intro.
Yusuf ÖzdalgaunlockedLaura: together at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business (2001)
Laura: together at University of Chicago
×4Laura: together at University of Missouri-Columbia
Laura: together at Novartis Venture Fund
About
Laura Brass is a Managing Director at the Novartis Venture Fund in Cambridge, MA, where she invests in biotechnology and biopharma companies. Before joining NVF, she was a Managing Director at MPM Capital and part of the founding management team at TriNetX, where she served as SVP of Business Development. Earlier in her career she held roles in business development and IP strategy and was CEO of Aferon, an early-stage antiviral startup. She holds a BA in Philosophy and BS in Biochemistry from the University of Missouri-Columbia, plus a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology and an MBA, both from the University of Chicago.
Contact· published on Laura's own website
Beyond investing
- Founded
- Was a member of the founding management team of TriNetX.
- Education
- Holds a BA in Philosophy and BS in Biochemistry from the University of Missouri-Columbia. Earned a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology and an MBA, both from the University of Chicago.
From Laura's own website — common ground for a warm intro.
Board director at HYKU Biosciences
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In turn, Laura can intro founders to HYKU Biosciences's investors below.
HYKU Biosciences's investors · 4
Co-founders at HYKU Biosciences
KC
KLEEM CHAUDHARYExecutive Officer, Director, Promoter
K(
Ku-Lung (Ken) Hsu, PhDEndowed Associate Professor of Chemistry
Board director at Immunitas Therapeutics
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In turn, Laura can intro founders to Immunitas Therapeutics's investors below.
Immunitas Therapeutics's investors · 10
Agent CapitalWaltham · since 2021DC Investment PartnersMcLean · $10M checks · since 2021Leaps by BayerLeverkusen · since 2021Longwood FundBoston · since 2021M VenturesLos Angeles · $10.8M checks · since 2021Medical Excellence CapitalNew York · since 2021MPM BioImpactBoston · $1M – $15M checks · since 2019Novartis Venture FundBasel · $5M – $25M checks · since 2021Ono Venture Investment, Inc.South San Francisco · since 2021Solasta VenturesBoston · since 2021
Board director at Protego Biopharma
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In turn, Laura can intro founders to Protego Biopharma's investors below.
Protego Biopharma's investors · 8
Digitalis VenturesNew York · $100K – $10M checks · since 2025Droia VenturesLeuven · $540K checks · since 2025ForbionNaarden · since 2025Lightspeed Venture PartnersMenlo Park · $1.7M – $87M checks · since 2025MPM BioImpactBoston · $1M – $15M checks · since 2025Novartis Venture FundBasel · $5M – $25M checks · since 2025Vida VenturesLos Angeles · since 2025YK BioventuresBurlingame · since 2025
Experience
- Novartis Venture FundManaging Directorcurrent2018 — presentCambridge, MA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired EngineeringVisiting Scholar2014 — 2018Boston, MA
- MPM CapitalManaging Director2015 — 2018Cambridge, Massachusetts
- TriNetX, Inc.SVP Business Development2013 — 2016Boston, MA
- Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired EngineeringDirector of Business Development2010 — 2013Boston, MA
- Harvard UniversityDirector of Business Development2005 — 2013
- Elixir PharmaceuticalsSenior Manager, Business Development2002 — 2005
Skills & more
Drug Discovery8Lifesciences16Molecular Biology3Biotechnology14Business Development9Licensing10Genomics4Biochemistry4Technology Transfer7Protein Chemistry4Medical Devices5Drug Development5
+1 more
Pharmaceutical IndustryFrom Laura's professional profile.
Investments
Board seats
AlestaAtalantaAverna TherapeuticsEpiBiologics
Investor
Alesta TherapeuticsAnokionEpiBiologicsImmunitas Therapeutics
Sources: the investor's own website · curated public sources.
Colleagues at Novartis Venture Fund
Adam Cotton
Principal at the Novartis Venture Fund
Anís
Head of Scoping, Pharma at Deep Science Ventures
Anja Koenig
Global Head of NVF at Novartis Venture Fund
Anja König
Global Head at Novartis Venture Fund
Bart Dzikowski
Managing Director, Head of Transactions & Legal at Novartis Venture Fund
Beat Steffen
Managing Director at Novartis Venture Fund
Campbell Murray
Advisor
Christoph Meier
Investor at Novartis Venture Fund
Network3
Brian Goodman
Partner at MPM BioImpact
Christiana Bardon
Managing Partner of MPM BioImpact, leading the firm's public market investing
David Moskowitz
Principal at MPM BioImpact
Investors connected to Laura in public investor directories — a warm-intro map.
Frequently asked questions
- Who is Laura Brass?
- Laura Brass is a Managing Director at the Novartis Venture Fund in Cambridge, MA, where she invests in biotechnology and biopharma companies. Before joining NVF, she was a Managing Director at MPM Capital and part of the founding management team at TriNetX, where she served as SVP of Business Development. Earlier in her career she held roles in business development and IP strategy and was CEO of Aferon, an early-stage antiviral startup. She holds a BA in Philosophy and BS in Biochemistry from the University of Missouri-Columbia, plus a PhD in Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology and an MBA, both from the University of Chicago.
- Where does Laura Brass work?
- Laura Brass is Managing Director at Novartis Venture Fund and Board director at HYKU Biosciences and Board director at Immunitas Therapeutics and Board director at Protego Biopharma.
- What boards does Laura Brass sit on?
- Laura Brass holds tracked board seats at Alesta, Atalanta, Averna Therapeutics, EpiBiologics.
- What companies has Laura Brass invested in?
- Investments tracked here include Alesta Therapeutics, Anokion, EpiBiologics, Immunitas Therapeutics.
- Where did Laura Brass go to school?
- Laura Brass studied at The University of Chicago Booth School of Business (MBA, Organizational Management); University of Chicago (PhD, Molecular Genetics and Cell Biology); University of Missouri-Columbia (BA, Philosophy).
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Shared employers
Also worked at Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering49
David KoleskyPrincipal at MPM BioImpactDr Jonathan AvesarScientific Lead at Lever VCJustin FengSenior Associate at Atlas VentureHelen WangChief AI and Data Science Officer at Apex GroupAishu SukumarAlzheimer's Moonshot Impact Board at StartUp HealthPriya YadavVice President, Investments at MassVentures
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Also worked at MPM Capital51
Christiana BardonManaging Partner of MPM BioImpact, leading the firm's public market investingDetlev BiniszkiewiczManaging Director at MPM BioImpactGisella de la RochaVice President of Legal at MPM BioImpactChristian DesmarteauxDirector of Investor Relations at MPM BioImpactLuke EvninAdvisor at MPM BioImpactTodd FoleyManaging Director at MPM BioImpact
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Also worked at TriNetX, Inc.5
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