Summary
Overview
Work History
Education
Skills
Websites
Accomplishments
Timeline
Generic

Juston C. Weems

Kansas City,MO

Summary

Oncology and translational science leader with a PhD in Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and over 15 years of experience spanning oncology drug discovery, biomarker development, translational medicine, and clinical research in biotech and pharma. Proven success in leading oncology discovery programs from target validation to candidate nomination, designing and executing molecular/cellular assays, and collaborating across matrixed teams to accelerate development of novel therapeutics. Adept at identifying novel targets, developing actionable biomarkers, and translating science into strategy. Recognized for scientific rigor, innovation, mentorship, and impactful publications.

Overview

19
19
years of professional experience

Work History

Director, Assay Strategy Execution | Gene Therapy & Translational Biomarkers

Sarepta Therapeutics
Cambridge, USA
01.2022 - 09.2025
  • Directed biomarker and translational assay strategies supporting oncology and rare disease discovery programs, aligning scientific strategy with therapeutic area goals.
  • Led design and execution of molecular and cellular assays to evaluate therapeutic potential, including immune cell modulation and vector biology relevant to oncology translational models.
  • Analyzed complex assay data, resolved issues, and made strategic program decisions in cross-functional governance settings.
  • Developed biomarker strategies and translational plans, ensuring integration into early development and discovery projects.
  • Mentored scientists in assay design, data analysis, and translational research best practices.
  • Collaborated with pharmacology, clinical development, and external CRO partners to enable in vivo pharmacology studies and generate candidate selection data packages.

Director, Research & Development / Director, Clinical Trials

Transplant Genomics (Eurofins Group)
Mansfield, USA
01.2016 - 01.2022
  • Led oncology-adjacent biomarker discovery and validation programs, designing molecular assays to identify gene expression signatures and therapeutic response markers.
  • Built and executed translational biomarker plans, incorporating molecular biology, genomics, and clinical data to inform therapy development.
  • Designed and executed multi-center biomarker-driven studies, serving as the scientific and operational lead for validation and clinical utility studies.
  • Partnered with discovery scientists, statisticians, and CROs to integrate biomarkers into therapeutic programs and discovery pipelines.
  • Authored publications and scientific reports in peer-reviewed journals, presenting data at congresses and investigator meetings.

Associate Director, Clinical Operations & Translational Support

Veloxis Pharmaceuticals
Cary, USA
01.2014 - 01.2016
  • Partnered with discovery and translational teams to integrate molecular biomarkers and pharmacology insights into immunosuppression studies.
  • Oversaw CRO collaborations for in vivo pharmacology studies supporting clinical pipeline decision-making.
  • Collaborated cross-functionally with clinical development, regulatory, and translational medicine to align drug discovery outputs with clinical readiness.

PI & Postdoctoral Fellow

University of Oklahoma
01.2007 - 12.2013
  • Conducted oncology-focused molecular biology and biochemistry research, publishing extensively in peer-reviewed journals.
  • Designed and executed molecular and cellular assays to study oncogenic pathways and therapeutic targets.
  • Mentored graduate and undergraduate researchers in experimental design, molecular biology, and data interpretation.
  • Presented findings at scientific meetings and contributed to advancing the understanding of cancer biology and translational mechanisms.

Education

PhD - Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

University of Oklahoma
OK, USA
01.2012

BS - Biology

Oklahoma City University
Oklahoma City, OK, USA

Skills

  • Oncology Drug Discovery
  • Molecular & Cellular Biology Techniques
  • Biomarker Discovery
  • Translational Application
  • In Vivo Pharmacology
  • CRO management
  • Data interpretation
  • Cross-Functional Team Leadership
  • Matrixed Team Leadership
  • Scientific Strategy
  • Decision-Making
  • Team Mentorship
  • Publication
  • Scientific Communication
  • Biomarker strategy
  • Assay design

Websites

Accomplishments

  • Led translational assay development and biomarker strategy at Sarepta, contributing to novel therapeutic readiness in oncology and rare diseases.
  • Directed discovery-to-validation biomarker programs at Transplant Genomics, building molecular assays that directly informed clinical decision-making.
  • Oversaw CRO-partnered pharmacology studies for Veloxis and Sarepta, ensuring translational relevance for therapeutic programs.
  • Authored 16 peer-reviewed publications in top-tier journals including Cell, Journal of Biological Chemistry, and PNAS, communicating oncology and translational biology findings to the global scientific community.

Timeline

Director, Assay Strategy Execution | Gene Therapy & Translational Biomarkers

Sarepta Therapeutics
01.2022 - 09.2025

Director, Research & Development / Director, Clinical Trials

Transplant Genomics (Eurofins Group)
01.2016 - 01.2022

Associate Director, Clinical Operations & Translational Support

Veloxis Pharmaceuticals
01.2014 - 01.2016

PI & Postdoctoral Fellow

University of Oklahoma
01.2007 - 12.2013

PhD - Biochemistry & Molecular Biology

University of Oklahoma

BS - Biology

Oklahoma City University

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