Ziopharm oncology CEO and leadership

Laurence J.N. Cooper transitioned from CEO to Scientific Advisor in February of 2021. Laurence joined Ziopharm Oncology as chief executive officer in 2015 after the Company licensed technology for a non-viral approach for genetically modifying T cells from MD Anderson Cancer and the University of Minnesota. This technology is designed to reduce the cost and complexity of genetically modified T cells. Prior to joining Ziopharm, Laurence was a tenured Professor at MD Anderson with joint appointments in the Division of Pediatrics and Department of Immunology. There, he served as Section Chief of Cell Therapy at the Children’s Cancer Hospital and helped lead scientific efforts to develop new treatment approaches which pair genetic engineering with immunotherapies. He remains a visiting scientist at MD Anderson. Laurence has coauthored dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles, abstracts, and book chapters. He has initiated multiple trials under INDs infusing T cells and NK cells. He obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and he completed his training in Pediatric Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.

Raffaele Baffa, M.D., Ph.D., joined Ziopharm as Chief Medical Officer in November 2020. Most recently, he was Head of R&D and Chief Medical Officer for Medisix, an immune engineering company developing novel cellular therapies to address T cell malignancies. Previously, Dr. Baffa was Vice President and Therapeutic Area Head of Oncology, Global Clinical Development for Shire, and, subsequent to the acquisition of the oncology division by Servier, he served as Chief Medical Officer of Servier Pharmaceuticals. Raffaele has also held industry leadership positions as Executive Director, Early Oncology Development and Clinical Research at Pfizer and at Sanofi, where he was Head of Translational Sciences - External Science & Innovation, Global Biotherapeutics. Dr. Baffa earned an M.D. from University of Padova, School of Medicine, and a Ph.D. from University of Parma, both in Italy. As an associate professor at the Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia, he also served as Director of Urology Research and as Co-Director of the Genito-Urinary Cancer Program. Dr. Baffa has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed articles, invited articles and book chapters.

Laurence J.N. Cooper transitioned from CEO to Scientific Advisor in February of 2021. Laurence joined Ziopharm Oncology as chief executive officer in 2015 after the Company licensed technology for a non-viral approach for genetically modifying T cells from MD Anderson Cancer and the University of Minnesota. This technology is designed to reduce the cost and complexity of genetically modified T cells. Prior to joining Ziopharm, Laurence was a tenured Professor at MD Anderson with joint appointments in the Division of Pediatrics and Department of Immunology. There, he served as Section Chief of Cell Therapy at the Children’s Cancer Hospital and helped lead scientific efforts to develop new treatment approaches which pair genetic engineering with immunotherapies. He remains a visiting scientist at MD Anderson. Laurence has coauthored dozens of peer-reviewed journal articles, abstracts, and book chapters. He has initiated multiple trials under INDs infusing T cells and NK cells. He obtained his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland and he completed his training in Pediatric Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplantation at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle.