Our Team

Brian Freeman, MD 
Chief Executive Officer, Founder

Dr. Freeman is an entrepreneur and physician with over 20 years of experience in forming, funding, and operating innovative biotechnology companies. He previously co-founded Zafgen (ZFGN), a venture-backed company developing new therapeutics for obesity based on targeting the vasculature, and served as the company’s founding Vice President of Business Development. He was formerly an Engagement Manager at MEDACorp (now Leerink), where he advised pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies on strategic acquisitions, in-licensing, pipeline prioritization, and clinical development. Previously he worked with the Neuroscience Clinical Development group at Wyeth and in medical diagnostics development at Mitsubishi Pharma. Dr. Freeman performed his clinical training in neurology at the University of Pennsylvania, obtained his medical degree and Masters in Molecular Cell Biology from Washington University in St. Louis, and completed his undergraduate work at MIT.


Olivier Boss, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer, Founder

Dr. Boss is an expert in energy metabolism and mitochondria, and has broad experience in various industry roles, most recently in key R&D positions at Sirtris (acquired by GlaxoSmithKline) and Adipogenix. Previously, he served as head of a target discovery/validation group for diabetes and obesity, and led a major program on mitochondrial bioenergetics at Novartis. Prior to this Dr. Boss discovered Energesis' brown adipocyte progenitor cells in skeletal muscle as well as the novel thermogenic mitochondrial uncoupling proteins UCP2 and UCP3. He has more than 50 publications in peer-reviewed journals, and his report on the discovery of UCP2 and 3 has become one of the most frequently cited papers in physiology. He also edited a book on the Pharmacotherapy of Obesity (CRC Press) and has several issued and pending patents. Dr. Boss performed his post-doctoral training at Harvard Medical School with Dr. Brad Lowell and working in close association with the laboratory of Bruce Spiegelman.
  

Jean-Paul Giacobino, MD, PhD
Founder

Dr. Giacobino is Professor Emeritus of Medical Biochemistry at the University of Geneva Medical School, Switzerland. He is an expert on adipose tissues (white and brown), endocrine disorders, and obesity. He has published more than 100 peer-reviewed manuscripts, most of them in the fields of obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and pharmacology. Dr. Giacobino co-discovered the brown adipose tissue progenitor cells in skeletal muscle, and also led the team that discovered the novel thermogenic mitochondrial uncoupling proteins UCP2 and UCP3. His work has been the basis of several issued and pending patents.