Tell us about yourself, your position, background, motivations
I was born in China, and started falling in love with chemistry in high school. I eventually earned a Ph.D. at the Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences and then came to the United States as a postdoc working in peptidomimetics at Professor Murray Goodman’s lab at UCSD. It was the research occurring in Professor Goodman’s group that made me realized that I love medicinal chemistry far more than pure organic chemistry.

Several biotech companies and a decade later, motivation by developing therapies for patients with rare endocrine diseases, I joined forces with Scott, Steve, and Ana’s to form Crinetics in 2010.

As Vice President of Chemistry, I am responsible to lead the team of medicinal chemists in coordination with biologists and preclinical scientists to discover novel molecules that in the near future may be used for treating diseases.

In addition to Paltusotine, CRN04894, and CRN04777, I am driven just like everyone else in research to bring more CRNXXXXX (novel molecules) into development.

As a founder, what inspired you to create Crinetics? To be an expert in your field? 
The passion for drug discovery and the trust and complimentary skill sets among the founders inspired me to join the team.

What are your thoughts on the company during its creation compared with now?
During the last 11 years, We, at Crinetics, have grown up and proved to our patients, investors and peers that we are capable of discovering and developing first-in-class, and possibly the best-in-class, drug candidates targeting rare endocrine diseases. With Paltusotine in Phase III clinical trials for the treatment of acromegaly, it is exciting to witness our founders’ original goal of Crinetics becoming a commercial pharmaceutical company a reality.

What is your advice on people hoping to join Crinetics?
Prepare to contribute with your skill and talent. Work will be challenging and intensive sometimes, but you will be rewarded and proud of yourself to be surrounded by smart people at a successful company.