Our Company
Leadership Team
Our team is built with experts in the fields of genetic medicine, manufacturing and drug development. Our driven and compassionate team comes to work each day to make progress towards our goal of delivering cures to patients living with devastating diseases.
Board of Directors
Keith R. Harris, Ph.D. has served as a member of our Board of Directors since June 2015 and has served as chairman of our Board of Directors since February 2018. Dr. Harris is a London-based investment banker and financier with a 35‑year career as a senior corporate finance and takeover advisor. Since 1999, Dr. Harris has been the chairman of Keith Harris & Associates, a sports and financial consulting firm. Dr. Harris previously served as Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Investment Bank from 1994 to 1999 and Seymour Pierce Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of which, Seymour Pierce Limited, was acquired in a pre-paid administration under United Kingdom (“U.K.”) law in 2013. Dr. Harris currently serves on the boards of directors of Rural Broadband Solutions Holdings (private), Semper Fortis Esports plc and Global Connectivity PLC and served on the board of directors of vTv Therapeutics Inc. Dr. Harris received a B.Sc. in business and economics (1st Class Honours) from the University of Bradford and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Surrey and in October 2022 became an Honorary Professor of Durham University. Our Board of Directors believes that Dr. Harris’ financial knowledge and experience qualifies him to serve as a member of our Board of Directors.
Alexandria Forbes, Ph.D. has served as our President, Chief Executive Officer and member of our Board of Directors since March 2015. Prior to founding MeiraGTx, Dr. Forbes served as Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations at Kadmon Holdings, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, from September 2013 to April 2015, and served as a member of its board of directors until June 2018. Prior to Kadmon Holdings, Inc., Dr. Forbes spent eleven years as a public markets healthcare investor responsible for investments in biotechnology, specialty pharmaceuticals and diagnostics companies and was portfolio manager of the Sivik Global Life Science Fund. Before entering the hedge fund industry, Dr. Forbes was a Human Frontiers/Howard Hughes postdoctoral fellow at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center from March 1997 to September 2000. Prior to this, Dr. Forbes was a research fellow at Duke University, and also at the Carnegie Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Forbes is also a member of the Emerging Companies Section and Health Section Governing Boards of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and serves as a Trustee and Director of the Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation, the European arm of the Weston Brain Institute, a charity supporting research into neurodegenerative diseases with the aim of speeding the time to the development of disease modifying treatments for these currently intractable diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Forbes received an M.A. in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from Oxford University. Our Board of Directors believes Dr. Forbes’ extensive academic and clinical experience, as well as her knowledge of the industry, qualifies her to serve on our Board of Directors.
Ellen Hukkelhoven, Ph.D. has served as a member of our Board of Directors since October 2017. Since 2023, Dr. Hukkelhoven has served as the Head of Biotechnology Investments at Perceptive Advisors, LLC (“Perceptive Advisors”), a leading healthcare investment firm, prior to which she served as Managing Director from 2018 to 2023 and a Senior Analyst from 2013 to 2018. Dr. Hukkelhoven serves on the boards of directors of Freenome Holdings, Inc., Kindbody and Partner Therapeutics, Inc. and is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Prior to joining Perceptive Advisors in 2013, Dr. Hukkelhoven received a B.A. in molecular biology and finance from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in cancer biology from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Our Board of Directors believes that Dr. Hukkelhoven’s academic and biotechnology investing experience qualifies her to serve as a member of our Board of Directors.
Lord Mendoza CBE has served as a member of our Board of Directors since June 2015. Lord Mendoza is Provost of Oriel College, Oxford University. He has been a member of the House of Lords since October 2020. In 1986, Lord Mendoza founded the custom marketing and publishing agency Forward, subsequently renamed Bookmark Content and Communications, a subsidiary of WPP plc. Lord Mendoza served from 2016 to 2020 as a non-executive director of the Department of Digital Culture, Media & Sport within the United Kingdom government and since 2020 has served as the Commissioner for Cultural Recovery and Renewal within that Department. Lord Mendoza also served as the chairman of Victoria Private Investment Office, a London-based investment advisory firm, from 2010 to 2018. He received an M.A. in Geography from Oxford University. Our Board of Directors believes Lord Mendoza’s extensive experience with investments and public service provides him with the qualifications and skills to serve on our Board of Directors.
Nicole Seligman has served as a member of our Board of Directors since May 2019. Ms. Seligman was the President of Sony Entertainment, Inc., a multinational entertainment company, from 2014 to 2016 and of Sony Corporation of America from 2012 to 2016. From 2005 through 2014, she served as the global General Counsel of Sony Corporation. She joined Sony in 2001 as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Sony Corporation of America. Prior to joining Sony, she was a partner in the litigation practice at Williams & Connolly LLP where she worked on a broad range of complex civil and criminal matters and counseled a broad range of clients, including President William Jefferson Clinton and Hillary Clinton. Ms. Seligman served as law clerk to Justice Thurgood Marshall on the Supreme Court of the United States from 1984 to 1985 and as law clerk to Judge Harry T. Edwards at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 1983 to 1984. Ms. Seligman currently serves on the board of directors of Intuitive Machines, Inc., and served on the boards of directors of Paramount Global (formerly known as ViacomCBS, Inc.), WPP plc, Far Point Acquisition Corporation and Far Peak Acquisition Corporation. Ms. Seligman received her B.A., magna cum laude, from Harvard College (Radcliffe) and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where she was a winner of the Sears Prize. Our Board of Directors believes that Ms. Seligman’s extensive experience as a senior executive at a global public company, together with her exceptional achievements in the legal profession and her corporate governance expertise, provide her with the qualifications and skills to serve on our Board of Directors.
Thomas E. Shenk, Ph.D. has served as a member of our Board of Directors since June 2015. Dr. Shenk was the James A. Elkins Jr. Professor of Life Sciences in the Department of Molecular Biology at Princeton University from 1984 to 2021, when he became Professor of Life Sciences, Emeritus. Dr. Shenk served on the board of directors of Merck and Co., Inc., a pharmaceutical company, from 2001 to 2012. Dr. Shenk also served on the board of directors of each of Vical Incorporated and Kadmon Holdings, Inc. until August 2019 and June 2018, respectively. Dr. Shenk has been elected to membership in each of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. National Academy of Medicine and the American Philosophical Society. He received a B.S. from the University of Detroit and a Ph.D. from Rutgers University. Our Board of Directors believes Dr. Shenk’s expertise and experience serving as a director in the pharmaceutical sector and his academic background provides him with the qualifications and skills to serve on our Board of Directors.
Debra Yu, M.D. has served as a member of our Board of Directors since April 2022. Since March 2023, Dr. Yu has served as Chief Operating Officer and Partner of Panacea Venture, a healthcare focused venture capital firm. Prior to that, Dr. Yu served as President and Chief Strategy Officer of LianBio, a biotechnology company, from October 2021 to December 2022, and previously served as LianBio’s President and Chief Business Officer from October 2019 until September 2021. From August 2016 to September 2019, Dr. Yu served as Managing Director and Head of Cross Border Healthcare Investment Banking at China Renaissance Securities (U.S.), a brokerage firm. Prior to that, she was Managing Director of Labrador Advisors, LLC, where she advised numerous partnerships and licensing transactions from May 2009 to June 2016. Earlier in her career, she held senior positions in corporate and business development, where she advised numerous partnerships and licensing transactions, including at Pfizer in its Worldwide Business Development organization. Dr. Yu also previously served as a partner at two life science focused venture capital firms in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Yu currently serves as a member of the board of directors of JW (Cayman) Therapeutics Co. Ltd. (HKG:2126) and served on the board of directors of ARYA Sciences Acquisition Corp V. Dr. Yu received a bachelor’s degree with high honors in molecular biology from Princeton University and earned a medical degree from Harvard Medical School. Our Board of Directors believes Dr. Yu’s extensive biopharmaceutical and investment experience qualifies her to serve as a member of our Board of Directors.
Keith R. Harris, Ph.D. has served as a member of our Board of Directors since June 2015 and has served as chairman of our Board of Directors since February 2018. Dr. Harris is a London-based investment banker and financier with a 35‑year career as a senior corporate finance and takeover advisor. Since 1999, Dr. Harris has been the chairman of Keith Harris & Associates, a sports and financial consulting firm. Dr. Harris previously served as Chief Executive Officer of HSBC Investment Bank from 1994 to 1999 and Seymour Pierce Holdings Limited, a subsidiary of which, Seymour Pierce Limited, was acquired in a pre-paid administration under United Kingdom (“U.K.”) law in 2013. Dr. Harris currently serves on the boards of directors of Rural Broadband Solutions Holdings (private), Semper Fortis Esports plc and Global Connectivity PLC and served on the board of directors of vTv Therapeutics Inc. Dr. Harris received a B.Sc. in business and economics (1st Class Honours) from the University of Bradford and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Surrey and in October 2022 became an Honorary Professor of Durham University. Our Board of Directors believes that Dr. Harris’ financial knowledge and experience qualifies him to serve as a member of our Board of Directors.
Alexandria Forbes, Ph.D. has served as our President, Chief Executive Officer and member of our Board of Directors since March 2015. Prior to founding MeiraGTx, Dr. Forbes served as Senior Vice President of Commercial Operations at Kadmon Holdings, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, from September 2013 to April 2015, and served as a member of its board of directors until June 2018. Prior to Kadmon Holdings, Inc., Dr. Forbes spent eleven years as a public markets healthcare investor responsible for investments in biotechnology, specialty pharmaceuticals and diagnostics companies and was portfolio manager of the Sivik Global Life Science Fund. Before entering the hedge fund industry, Dr. Forbes was a Human Frontiers/Howard Hughes postdoctoral fellow at the Skirball Institute of Biomolecular Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center from March 1997 to September 2000. Prior to this, Dr. Forbes was a research fellow at Duke University, and also at the Carnegie Institute at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Forbes is also a member of the Emerging Companies Section and Health Section Governing Boards of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and serves as a Trustee and Director of the Hilary and Galen Weston Foundation, the European arm of the Weston Brain Institute, a charity supporting research into neurodegenerative diseases with the aim of speeding the time to the development of disease modifying treatments for these currently intractable diseases, particularly Alzheimer’s disease. Dr. Forbes received an M.A. in Natural Sciences from Cambridge University and a Ph.D. in Molecular Genetics from Oxford University. Our Board of Directors believes Dr. Forbes’ extensive academic and clinical experience, as well as her knowledge of the industry, qualifies her to serve on our Board of Directors.
Ellen Hukkelhoven, Ph.D. has served as a member of our Board of Directors since October 2017. Since 2023, Dr. Hukkelhoven has served as the Head of Biotechnology Investments at Perceptive Advisors, LLC (“Perceptive Advisors”), a leading healthcare investment firm, prior to which she served as Managing Director from 2018 to 2023 and a Senior Analyst from 2013 to 2018. Dr. Hukkelhoven serves on the boards of directors of Freenome Holdings, Inc., Kindbody and Partner Therapeutics, Inc. and is a member of the Board of Advisors of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health. Prior to joining Perceptive Advisors in 2013, Dr. Hukkelhoven received a B.A. in molecular biology and finance from Princeton University and a Ph.D. in cancer biology from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Our Board of Directors believes that Dr. Hukkelhoven’s academic and biotechnology investing experience qualifies her to serve as a member of our Board of Directors.
Lord Mendoza CBE has served as a member of our Board of Directors since June 2015. Lord Mendoza is Provost of Oriel College, Oxford University. He has been a member of the House of Lords since October 2020. In 1986, Lord Mendoza founded the custom marketing and publishing agency Forward, subsequently renamed Bookmark Content and Communications, a subsidiary of WPP plc. Lord Mendoza served from 2016 to 2020 as a non-executive director of the Department of Digital Culture, Media & Sport within the United Kingdom government and since 2020 has served as the Commissioner for Cultural Recovery and Renewal within that Department. Lord Mendoza also served as the chairman of Victoria Private Investment Office, a London-based investment advisory firm, from 2010 to 2018. He received an M.A. in Geography from Oxford University. Our Board of Directors believes Lord Mendoza’s extensive experience with investments and public service provides him with the qualifications and skills to serve on our Board of Directors.
Nicole Seligman has served as a member of our Board of Directors since May 2019. Ms. Seligman was the President of Sony Entertainment, Inc., a multinational entertainment company, from 2014 to 2016 and of Sony Corporation of America from 2012 to 2016. From 2005 through 2014, she served as the global General Counsel of Sony Corporation. She joined Sony in 2001 as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Sony Corporation of America. Prior to joining Sony, she was a partner in the litigation practice at Williams & Connolly LLP where she worked on a broad range of complex civil and criminal matters and counseled a broad range of clients, including President William Jefferson Clinton and Hillary Clinton. Ms. Seligman served as law clerk to Justice Thurgood Marshall on the Supreme Court of the United States from 1984 to 1985 and as law clerk to Judge Harry T. Edwards at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit from 1983 to 1984. Ms. Seligman currently serves on the board of directors of Intuitive Machines, Inc., and served on the boards of directors of Paramount Global (formerly known as ViacomCBS, Inc.), WPP plc, Far Point Acquisition Corporation and Far Peak Acquisition Corporation. Ms. Seligman received her B.A., magna cum laude, from Harvard College (Radcliffe) and her J.D., magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School, where she was a winner of the Sears Prize. Our Board of Directors believes that Ms. Seligman’s extensive experience as a senior executive at a global public company, together with her exceptional achievements in the legal profession and her corporate governance expertise, provide her with the qualifications and skills to serve on our Board of Directors.
Thomas E. Shenk, Ph.D. has served as a member of our Board of Directors since June 2015. Dr. Shenk was the James A. Elkins Jr. Professor of Life Sciences in the Department of Molecular Biology at Princeton University from 1984 to 2021, when he became Professor of Life Sciences, Emeritus. Dr. Shenk served on the board of directors of Merck and Co., Inc., a pharmaceutical company, from 2001 to 2012. Dr. Shenk also served on the board of directors of each of Vical Incorporated and Kadmon Holdings, Inc. until August 2019 and June 2018, respectively. Dr. Shenk has been elected to membership in each of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, the U.S. National Academy of Medicine and the American Philosophical Society. He received a B.S. from the University of Detroit and a Ph.D. from Rutgers University. Our Board of Directors believes Dr. Shenk’s expertise and experience serving as a director in the pharmaceutical sector and his academic background provides him with the qualifications and skills to serve on our Board of Directors.
Debra Yu, M.D. has served as a member of our Board of Directors since April 2022. Since March 2023, Dr. Yu has served as Chief Operating Officer and Partner of Panacea Venture, a healthcare focused venture capital firm. Prior to that, Dr. Yu served as President and Chief Strategy Officer of LianBio, a biotechnology company, from October 2021 to December 2022, and previously served as LianBio’s President and Chief Business Officer from October 2019 until September 2021. From August 2016 to September 2019, Dr. Yu served as Managing Director and Head of Cross Border Healthcare Investment Banking at China Renaissance Securities (U.S.), a brokerage firm. Prior to that, she was Managing Director of Labrador Advisors, LLC, where she advised numerous partnerships and licensing transactions from May 2009 to June 2016. Earlier in her career, she held senior positions in corporate and business development, where she advised numerous partnerships and licensing transactions, including at Pfizer in its Worldwide Business Development organization. Dr. Yu also previously served as a partner at two life science focused venture capital firms in the San Francisco Bay Area. Dr. Yu currently serves as a member of the board of directors of JW (Cayman) Therapeutics Co. Ltd. (HKG:2126) and served on the board of directors of ARYA Sciences Acquisition Corp V. Dr. Yu received a bachelor’s degree with high honors in molecular biology from Princeton University and earned a medical degree from Harvard Medical School. Our Board of Directors believes Dr. Yu’s extensive biopharmaceutical and investment experience qualifies her to serve as a member of our Board of Directors.