Fundraising Fox

Maria Fardis

Investor

Venture Partner at Frazier Life Sciences

Palo Alto

About

Maria Fardis joined Frazier Life Sciences as a Venture Partner in 2021 and has more than 20 years of scientific and management experience across public and private companies. She currently serves as CEO of Lassen Therapeutics and previously held leadership roles including President and CEO of Iovance Biotherapeutics, COO of Acerta Pharma, and senior positions at Pharmacyclics and Gilead Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from UC Berkeley, a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and an M.B.A. from Golden Gate University.

Invests in

Biotech

Experience

  1. AirNexis Therapeutics Inc.Chief Executive Officercurrent2026 — present
  2. CRISPR TherapeuticsMember Board Of Directorscurrent2022 — presentCambridge, Massachusetts, United States
  3. Obsidian TherapeuticsChair Of The Board Of Directorscurrent2021 — presentCambridge, Massachusetts, United States
  4. Frazier Healthcare PartnersVenture Partnercurrent2021 — presentSan Francisco Bay Area
  5. Quanta TherapeuticsMember Board of Directorscurrent2021 — presentSouth San Francisco, California, United States
  6. Lassen TherapeuticsChief Executive Officer2023 — 2026San Diego, California, United States
  7. Kartos TherapeuticsMember Board Of Directors2018 — 2021Redwood Shores
  8. Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc.President & Chief Executive Officer2016 — 2021San Francisco Bay Area
  9. Acerta Pharma B.V.Chief Operating Officer2015 — 2016San Carlos, CA
  10. PharmacyclicsChief of Oncology Operations and Alliances2013 — 2014Sunnyvale, CA
  11. PharmacyclicsEVP of Operations and Alliances2012 — 2013
  12. PharmacyclicsVP, Alliances and Global Project Management2011 — 2012Sunnyvale, CA
  13. PharmacyclicsSenior Director, Global Project Management2011Sunnyvale, CA
  14. Gilead SciencesAssociate Director, Project and Portfolio Management2010 — 2011
  15. Gilead SciencesSenior Manager, Project and Portfolio Management2006 — 2010
  16. Gilead SciencesSenior Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry2005 — 2006
  17. Gilead SciencesScientist II, Medicinal Chemistry2004 — 2005
  18. Gilead SciencesScientist, Medicinal Chemistry2001 — 2004
  19. Intrabiotics PharmaceuticalsScientist, Medicinal Chemistry2001
  20. Kosan Biosciences acquired by Brisol-Myers SquibbScientist, Medicinal Chemistry1998 — 2000
  21. UC BerkeleyGraduate Student1993 — 1998

Skills & more

Biotechnology99Clinical Development99Clinical Trials86Clinical Research46Project Management37Oncology99Lifesciences18GMP19Cancer30Drug Discovery23Medicinal Chemistry12GCP23
+12 moreRegulatory AffairsDrug DevelopmentCross-functional Team LeadershipBiopharmaceuticalsFDAFormulationInfectious DiseasesRegulatory SubmissionsCTMSINDPharmaceutical IndustryCRO

From Maria's professional profile.

Deals · 1

Quanta TherapeuticsBoard seat

via Frazier Life Sciences · filed Jun 2026 · $89.1M raise

Attribution from SEC filings, press coverage, and firm rosters.

Colleagues at Frazier Life Sciences

Adam Simpson
Venture Partner at Frazier Life Sciences
Aditya Kohli
Partner at Frazier Life Sciences
Albert Cha
Managing Partner at Frazier Life Sciences
Ali Jackson
Vice President and Counsel, Public Funds at Frazier Life Sciences
Amanda Wilson
Senior Tax Manager at Frazier Life Sciences
Angel Martin
Senior Associate at Frazier Life Sciences
Angie You
Senior Advisor at Frazier Life Sciences
Anna H. Chen
Partner at Frazier Life Sciences

Frequently asked questions

Who is Maria Fardis?
Maria Fardis joined Frazier Life Sciences as a Venture Partner in 2021 and has more than 20 years of scientific and management experience across public and private companies. She currently serves as CEO of Lassen Therapeutics and previously held leadership roles including President and CEO of Iovance Biotherapeutics, COO of Acerta Pharma, and senior positions at Pharmacyclics and Gilead Sciences. She holds a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from UC Berkeley, a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and an M.B.A. from Golden Gate University.
Where does Maria Fardis work?
Maria Fardis is Venture Partner at Frazier Life Sciences.
What does Maria Fardis invest in?
Maria Fardis invests in Biotech.
What boards does Maria Fardis sit on?
Maria Fardis holds tracked board seats at Quanta Therapeutics.
Where did Maria Fardis go to school?
Maria Fardis studied at Golden Gate University (MBA, Management); University of California, Berkeley (Ph.D., Organic Chemistry); University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (B.S., Organic Chemistry).

Founder mafias

University of California, Berkeley mafia538

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Steve WozniakBSFounded AppleTony XuB.S.Founded DoorDashAravind SrinivasDoctor of Philosophy - PhDFounded PerplexityAli GhodsiPost-docFounded DatabricksRyan PetersenBAFounded FlexportDavid FriedbergBAFounded Climate +2

+ 531 more

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign mafia146

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Max LevchinBSFounded PayPal +1Luke NosekBSFounded PayPalAnsuman SatpathyPhilosophyFounded Santa Ana Bio +2DeVaris BrownB.S.Founded Super Heroic +2Harish AgarwalB.S.Founded Nori +2Amitt MahajanBSFounded Rare Bits +1

+ 139 more

Frazier Life Sciences mafia14

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Christian SchadeSenior AdvisorFounded Halda Therapeutics +2Scott ByrdEntrepreneur-in-ResidenceFounded Outpost Medicine +1Aditya KohliPartnerFounded Phathom PharmaceuticalsJames LiVenture PartnerFounded JW TherapeuticsMitch GoldVenture PartnerFounded Alpine Immune SciencesTao FuVenture PartnerFounded Attovia Therapeutics

+ 7 more

Frazier Healthcare Partners mafia7

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Brian FarmerEntrepreneur in ResidenceFounded InipharmGordon McMurrayEntrepreneur In ResidenceFounded Outpost MedicineChris PeetzEntrepreneur-in-ResidenceFounded Mirum PharmaceuticalsAngie YouSenior AdvisorFounded Architect TherapeuticsMark GilreathOperating PartnerFounded United DigestiveKrishna PoluEntrepreneur In ResidenceFounded Commit Biologics

Frazierhealthcare mafia4

Also came through, then founded or led a company.

Gordon McMurrayEntrepreneur In ResidenceFounded Outpost MedicineChris PeetzEntrepreneur-in-ResidenceFounded Mirum PharmaceuticalsAngie YouSenior AdvisorFounded Architect Therapeutics

Same school

Also attended Golden Gate University33

David PhuController at Felicis VenturesKate MitchellFounder at Scale Venture PartnersChristine SamsAssistant Controller at Crosslink CapitalSamantha ChoPartner, Accounting at Lux CapitalLaura TseVP of Finance at ParadigmKandi CraddockInvestor at Notable Capital

+ 27 more

Also attended University of California, Berkeley1,458

Byron DeeterPartner at Bessemer Venture PartnersSteve WozniakCo-founder of AppleTony XuCo-founder & CEO of DoorDashAravind SrinivasCo-founder & CEO of Perplexity AIAli GhodsiCo-founder & CEO of DatabricksRyan PetersenFounder & CEO of Flexport

+ 1,452 more

Also attended University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign421

Max LevchinCo-founder of PayPal; founder, chairman & CEO of Affirm; partner at SciFi VCLuke NosekCo-founder of PayPal; co-founder of GigafundSundeep PeechuGeneral Partner at Felicis VenturesDeep NisharInvestment Team at General CatalystPrashant ShahPartner at Monta Vista CapitalNoorPartner at Clear Ventures

+ 415 more

Shared employers

Also worked at Kartos Therapeutics2

Roger UlrichSenior Advisor at Frazier Life SciencesIain DukesVenture Partner at OrbiMed

Also worked at Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc.1

Iain DukesVenture Partner at OrbiMed

Also worked at Gilead Sciences23

Uri LopatinInvestor at Khosla VenturesJay ParrishVenture Partner at ARCH Venture PartnersPatrick LoerchBio Advisor at Amplify PartnersLan WuAnalyst at FusionAriel RahamimPrincipal at Concept VenturesMuz MansuriAdvisor at Delin Ventures

+ 17 more

Also worked at Kosan Biosciences acquired by Brisol-Myers Squibb1

Helen KimPartner at The Column Group