Polona Safaric Tepes
@polonasafarictepes
Biomedical scientist and translational research leader driving women’s health diagnostics and therapeutics.
United StatesWhat I'm looking for
I am a biomedical scientist and translational research leader with 15+ years of experience developing molecular tools, preclinical models, and first‑in‑class diagnostics and therapeutics for women’s reproductive health. I currently lead a multi‑omics diagnostic and drug discovery program for endometriosis at Northwell Health, where I secured $3M ARPA‑H funding and oversee a multidisciplinary team advancing biomarker discovery, CLIA LDT development, and pharmacological validation.
My background includes a PhD from Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, postdoctoral work creating conditional CRISPR‑Cas9 toolkits and patient‑derived xenograft models, and roles in industry as a Medical Science Liaison and consultant advising investors on early‑stage biotech. I am an active policy advocate and organizer for gender equity in science, chairing UN roundtables for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science and collaborating on global frameworks for SRHR and equitable access.
Experience
Work history, roles, and key accomplishments
Advise investors and family offices on early‑stage biotech in women’s health, performing scientific due diligence and preclinical risk assessments for regenerative and therapeutic technologies.
Lead a team of four advancing a first‑in‑class non‑invasive CLIA LDT diagnostic and companion therapeutic for endometriosis, securing $3M ARPA‑H funding and driving regulatory submissions and multi‑omics integration for senolytic target validation.
R&D Officer
Royal Academy of Science International Trust
Jan 2021 - Present (5 years 1 month)
Organized and chaired UN roundtables for the International Day of Women and Girls in Science, leading policy discussions on responsible investing and equitable access to women’s health innovations.
PhD & Postdoc Researcher
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Jan 2015 - Dec 2022 (7 years 11 months)
Developed conditional CRISPR‑Cas9 toolkits and patient‑derived xenograft models, designed in vitro/in vivo assays for PK and target validation, and authored 8+ peer‑reviewed publications while mentoring junior researchers.
Medical Science Liaison
Servier Pharma
Jan 2013 - Dec 2015 (2 years 11 months)
Supported endocrine therapy lifecycle management post‑patent expiry, contributing to 70% market share retention within one year through clinical adoption and competitive positioning efforts.
Education
Degrees, certifications, and relevant coursework
University of Ljubljana
Master of Science; Bachelor of Science, Biotechnology
Completed MSc and BSc in Biotechnology with thesis and research activities supporting translational and molecular biology projects.
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Doctor of Philosophy, Biomedical Sciences
PhD in Biomedical Sciences conducted in collaboration with the University of Ljubljana, focusing on molecular tool development and translational preclinical models.
Availability
Location
United StatesAuthorized to work in
Job categories
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