The Mark Foundation for Cancer Research, which actively partners with scientists, research institutions, and philanthropic organizations around the world to accelerate research in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer, recently announced that Ryan Schoenfeld, PhD, has been appointed Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Dr. Schoenfeld will oversee the Foundation’s scientific programs, investments, and operations and will be responsible for shaping how the organization allocates the $500 million in additional funding recently committed by its founder.
Ryan Schoenfeld, PhD
Raymond N. DuBois, MD, PhD
“In 4 years at The Mark Foundation, Ryan has played a pivotal role in leading the scientific team in identifying and supporting promising high-risk, high-reward grants and investments,” said Raymond N. DuBois, MD, PhD, Executive Chairman of the Board. “He has helped establish The Mark Foundation as a leader in accelerating innovative cancer research across diverse areas of science, including molecular biology, chemistry, immunology, genetics, and data science.”
Expanding Research Opportunities
Dr. Schoenfeld joined The Mark Foundation in 2018 and was named Chief Scientific Officer in February 2021. In August 2021, he also assumed the role of Interim Chief Executive Officer.
During his tenure, Dr. Schoenfeld has been instrumental in increasing the research portfolio from five grants in January 2018 to over 200 grants in May 2022, representing more than $160 million in funding. Together with his colleagues at The Mark Foundation, Dr. Schoenfeld also helped create and launch the ASPIRE, Drug Discovery, Endeavor, and Emerging Leader award programs. He was also instrumental in establishing Mark Foundation Centers at Johns Hopkins University, University of Pennsylvania, and University of Cambridge.
Professional Background
“It’s an honor to take on the CEO role at The Mark Foundation at this significant time in its growth,” said Dr. Schoenfeld. “I am confident we will continue to make an impact by investing in teams, companies, and individuals around the globe who embrace risk and innovation in their scientific and entrepreneurial pursuits, ultimately helping us to achieve our mission of accelerating research that will transform the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of cancer.”
Prior to joining the Mark Foundation, Dr. Schoenfeld was Senior Director of Data Sciences at Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, where he built and led a large global team of data scientists who delivered high-impact machine learning and artificial intelligence–based solutions for a wide range of problems across all therapeutic areas.
Earlier in his career, Dr. Schoenfeld led medicinal chemistry and chemical biology teams at Roche Pharmaceuticals, where he played a major role in the discovery and advancement of multiple novel small-molecule therapeutics to human clinical trials.
Dr. Schoenfeld received a PhD in chemistry from Cornell University. He is the author of numerous peer-reviewed scientific publications and is an inventor on more than 25 patents.
For additional information visit www.themarkfoundation.org.
