Elizabeth Smith, PhD MBA, CBO. Dr. Smith received her PhD and MBA from the U. of Chicago. She has nearly 25 years of biotech BD experience. At Fzata Dr. Smith works closely with executive leadership to define and execute BD vision and strategy. She leads raising dilutive funding, strategic planning, strategic partnering, prioritizes pipeline strategies, negotiates and manages all agreements and manages the intellectual property portfolio. Prior to Fzata, Dr. Smith worked at the U. of Chicago Technology Transfer Office where she managed out-licensing and startup efforts for over 30 biotherapeutic patent portfolios. She then worked at Celsion Corp. (oncology therapeutics focus) where she led alliance management, intellectual property management and technology search. There she drove a drug development program from non-clinical directly to Phase II clinical. She led and drafted response documents and clinical protocol revisions for Phase II IND clearance. For the last 13 years, she has consulted with dozens of biotech companies on commercialization strategy, licensing & partnerships, and patent strategy. She has assisted in raising over $15M in non-dilutive funding for her clients. Dr. Smith is committed to making molecular biology based therapeutics accessible to all patients in need.