Akoya Biosciences Announces that Garry Nolan, Ph.D., James Allison, Ph.D., and Padmanee Sharma, M.D., Ph.D., Join Newly Created Scientific Advisory Board

Leading immunotherapy and immunobiology experts will offer strategic direction and expertise in translational, clinical, and diagnostic applications of Akoya’s spatial biology solutions

MARLBOROUGH, Mass., Jan. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Akoya Biosciences, Inc., (NASDAQ: AKYA), The Spatial Biology Company, today announced the establishment of its Scientific Advisory Board (SAB) to provide strategic guidance and consult on the Company's efforts to deliver spatial biology solutions for the life sciences industry, from discovery to diagnostics.

The initial members of Akoya’s Scientific Advisory Board are:

• Garry Nolan, Ph.D., Rachford and Carlota A. Harris Professor in the Department of Pathology at Stanford University School of Medicine, co-founder of Akoya Biosciences and inventor of the CODEX technology (now PhenoCycler)
• James Allison, Ph.D., Regental Professor and Chair of the Department of Immunology, the Olga Keith Wiess Distinguished University Chair for Cancer Research, and Director of the James P. Allison Institute at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center; recipient of the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine
• Padmanee Sharma, M.D., Ph.D., Professor in the Departments of Genitourinary Medical Oncology and Immunology, Associate VP of Immunobiology, the T.C. and Jeanette D. Hsu Endowed Chair in Cell Biology, and Director of Scientific Programs for the James P. Allison Institute at MD Anderson
  

"Our SAB includes leaders in immunotherapy, immunobiology and innovation with deep knowledge and experience in translational research, the discovery of ground-breaking clinical therapies and the development of disruptive and high impact technologies," said Brian McKelligon, Chief Executive Officer of Akoya Biosciences. "By bringing together experts with unparalleled track records of success, the SAB will enable us to better serve customer needs, accelerate our leadership position in spatial biology, and support Akoya’s mission to catalyze discovery and improve patient care."

Garry Nolan, Ph.D.

Professor Nolan will transition from his role on the Akoya Board of Directors to Chair of the SAB. He co-founded Akoya Biosciences in 2015 and is the Rachford and Carlota A. Harris Professor in the Department of Pathology at Stanford University School of Medicine. As a co-inventor of the CODEX technology, Garry has focused his research efforts on developing novel technologies and computational methods for research into cancer, leukemia, immunology, and autoimmune disease. Professor Nolan was the founder of a number of life sciences companies in addition to Akoya, including Rigel Inc. (NASDAQ: RIGL), DVS Sciences (purchased by Fluidigm), Nodality, Inc., BINA (sold to Roche Diagnostics), Apprise (sold to Roche Sequencing Solutions), Scale Bio (single cell ATAC, RNA, and protein), and serves as an advisor and board member for several biotechnology companies. He has published over 350 research articles and is the holder of 50 US patents and has been honored as one of the top 25 inventors at Stanford University. He trained with Leonard Herzenberg (for his Ph.D.) and Nobelist Dr. David Baltimore for postdoctoral work. Professor Nolan is the first recipient of the Teal Innovator Award (2012) from the Department of Defense and has been honored with a number of awards including Nature Publishing “Outstanding Research Achievement”, Stohlman Scholar from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and Burroughs Wellcome Fund New Investigator Award.