About the Lecture:
Biotech in US :The Past, the Current, and What’s Next?
The Past
The U.S. biotech industry has transformed dramatically over four decades. The early era proved engineered proteins could become blockbuster therapies — recombinant insulin, growth hormone, and erythropoietin opened the floodgates. The antibody revolution followed, evolving from immunogenic murine monoclonals to fully human formats through phage display and transgenic mouse platforms.The Current
Today, the field extends well beyond conventional monoclonals. Bispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and nanobodies are reshaping oncology and autoimmune treatment. AI-driven protein engineering is compressing discovery timelines from years to months, while advanced manufacturing challenges traditional CHO-based production.What’s Next?
Looking ahead, several trends will define the next chapter: computationally designed de novo proteins with functions not found in nature and mRNA-encoded biologics that turn the patient into the factory. The convergence of synthetic biology, machine learning, and advanced manufacturing suggests the most transformative applications remain ahead of us.And what’s your next step? Let’s discuss.
About the Speaker:
Tsung-I Tsai, PhD
SELF-INTRODUCTION
I work in the biotechnology industry where protein engineering, antibody science, and computational methods converge - my driving purpose is to move bold scientific ideas all the way to the clinic. Across antibody discovery, bispecific and multi-specific design, and antibody-drug conjugates, I have been fortunate to contribute to programs that not only entered clinical trials but created real partnership value along the way.
Over three industry roles, I have built and led biophysics and discovery teams, and along the way created platforms that genuinely changed how fast and how confidently we could work — from end-to-end antibody discovery and single-cell BCR sequencing to biophysical characterization and LLM-powered data infrastructure, all the way through IND package preparation. Two moments stand out: leading a COVID-19 antibody program from conception to IND submission in just nine months, and contributing to BL-B01D1 (Izalontamab brengitecan), a first-in-class dual-targeted ADC that earned FDA Breakthrough Therapy Designation and CDE China approval across three Phase III indications. Beyond those, I have helped advance several other early- and late-stage clinical candidates, filed six patents, and published 18 peer-reviewed papers in journals including JACS, PNAS, and Nature Chemistry.
