Meet Our Experts

Dr. Tina Rogers, an expert in preclinical drug development services, joined WuXi AppTec Laboratory Testing Division in 2022. Dr. Rogers has a broad technical background, including cell biology, immunology, toxicology, cell and gene therapy, sepsis, inflammation, BL-3 and select agents, flow cytometry, and predictive/in vitro toxicology. Previous leadership positions include Vice President of Preclinical Sciences at Altasciences (formerly SNBL USA), Executive Vice President, and Director of Research at M.P.I. Research (now Charles River), and Vice President of Drug Development at Southern Research Institute, where she has driven growth and profitability in all her roles. Dr. Rogers holds a doctoral degree in molecular and cellular biology and pathobiology from the Medical University of South Carolina and an MBA from Auburn University. Dr. Rogers also serves as a board member for several biotech, academic, and not-for-profit institutions and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology (DABT).

Janet Kelly has partnered with WuXi AppTec Laboratory Testing Division since 2021 as a highly experienced toxicologist with a strong scientific background in operational and business development. Ms. Kelly has spent more than 30 years in scientific and operational roles in toxicology at multinational CROs, including a year in China overseeing the construction, commissioning, and opening of a new nonclinical facility. She is an independent toxicology consultant, providing input and oversight of various projects for clients in Europe, China, the U.S., and Japan. Her projects have included study placement and monitoring, design, and implementation of packages to support IND filing, and data review and report writing. Ms. Kelly’s active interest in animal welfare inspired previous membership in the ABPI Animal Welfare Expert Network, the BioSciences Federation Animal Sciences Group, LANTRA, and the European Partnership on Animal Alternatives, representing the contract research industry. 

Kevin Denny, a board-certified toxicologist, joined WuXi AppTec Laboratory Testing Division in 2021 and brings extensive regulatory and nonclinical toxicology experience managing multiple IND-enabling programs from clinical development to NDA submission. A talented Study Director and Nonclinical Project Team Lead, he has a successful track record of planning, designing, and implementing drug development strategies through all regulatory submissions, including IND, CTA, NDA, MAA, BLA, and responses to CRLs. Mr. Denny has managed and developed new GLP laboratories in the United States and France. With proven capabilities to collaborate and manage nonclinical development across departments, outside investigators, and contract research organizations (CROs), he has moved projects into and through clinical development with successful approvals. Mr. Denny holds master’s degrees in regulatory affairs, quality assurance, and toxicology, as well as an MBA. He has authored or co-authored multiple approved NDAs, BLA approvals, and IND submissions and is currently focusing on CNS, neurodegenerative disease, stroke, and traumatic brain injury, and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology (DABT).

Susan McPherson joined WuXi AppTec in 2011 and brings over 30 years of global toxicology experience to her role as Executive Director, Toxicology. Before joining WuXi AppTec, she worked at Charles River Laboratories (Montreal), where she was a Study Director in general toxicology and repro toxicology and later moved into program management. In addition to her role as WuXi AppTec’s Executive Director, Toxicology, Ms. McPherson oversees the Study Director team that performs in-life toxicology studies and provides technical support for toxicology programs. Ms. McPherson earned her MSc in Biochemical Pharmacology from the University of Hertfordshire.

Dr. Michael Gassen has been a valued partner of WuXi AppTec’s Laboratory Testing Division since 2017, bringing over two decades of experience in the life sciences industry. Dr. Gassen held leadership positions at Nuvisan and Envigo, where he made notable contributions to pharmacology, drug metabolism, and analytical chemistry. Dr. Gassen’s work emphasizes innovative solutions in DMPK and pharmacology models, steering discovery and preclinical development projects to Phase I submissions with expertise that extends across strategic R&D collaborations, business strategy execution, and scientific/regulatory consulting. Dr. Gassen earned a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Würzburg University, Germany, focusing on lipid peroxidation-derived toxic aldehydes.

Leah Lake joined WuXi AppTec in 2015 and supports our clients as Associate Director, Preclinical, bringing more than 16 years of hands-on experience in preclinical drug development. Ms. Lake began her career at a preclinical Contract Research Organization, XenoBiotic Laboratories (XBL), as a bench scientist in the biotransformation group before quickly transitioning into the autoradiography group as lead scientist and study director. Ms. Lake has held scientific and managerial roles, including overseeing the planning, design, construction, development, and opening of two autoradiography laboratories. Ms. Lake obtained her B.S. in Chemistry and her master’s in biotechnology from Kean University. She is currently pursuing her MBA.

Dr. Amy Wu joined WuXi AppTec in 2017 and supports our clients as Director, Global Program Management. She provides technical support for clinical and nonclinical bioanalytical services and is a key contributor to many clinical study teams. Dr. Wu has more than 20 years of experience in drug development, focusing on chemistry, manufacturing, and controls (C.M.C.), and bioanalysis for big pharma and contract research organizations (CROs), and is an expert in various agencies’ Good Practice (GxP) regulations and policies. Dr. Wu earned a bachelor’s degree from Beijing University, majoring in physical and colloid chemistry. Afterward, she earned a doctoral degree in physical organic chemistry from Rice University as a Harry B. Weiser Research Scholar. With numerous publications in her field, Dr. Wu is an invited speaker at international conferences, and her scientific and leadership skills have earned her many business awards.

Dr. Jinping Lai joined WuXi AppTec in 2022 and supports our clients as Director of Large Molecule Bioanalysis. Dr. Lai earned a doctoral degree in analytical chemistry from Xiamen University. His academic research was focused on nanomedicine and biomaterials and led to more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and two U.S. patents. Dr. Lai has also earned extensive experience in GLP/GCP/GCLP regulated preclinical/clinical bioanalysis of large molecule pharmacokinetics (P.K.), immunogenicity and P.D. biomarkers for various drug modalities, from method development and validation to study sample analysis.

Dr. Jianbo Diao joined WuXi AppTec in 2019 and supports our clients as Director, BAS Immunochemistry. Dr. Diao focuses on PK, PD, and immunogenicity analysis of biological therapeutic products such as antibodies, recombinant proteins, and other protein/peptide-based drugs. His responsibilities include managing ADA, Nab, FACS, and qPCR groups and developing new technology and capacity to support comprehensive bioanalysis requests of customers’ clinical studies. He also has extensive experience with gene and cell therapy bioanalysis. Dr. Diao leads the team responsible for the bioanalysis of new drug modalities, using immunochemistry, molecular biology, and cell biology techniques. Dr. Diao earned a bachelor’s degree in the biotechnology department at Zhejiang University and a doctoral degree in life sciences at Peking University. In 2004, he completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the biology department at Purdue University and then worked at Fudan University as an associate professor.

Dr. Jiangchao (JC) Chen re-joined WuXi AppTec’s Laboratory Testing Division as Director, Small Molecule Bioanalytical Services in April 2023. He is the head of the bioanalysis group supporting regulated bioanalytical analysis using LC-MS/MS. Dr. Chen has many years of experience in regulated bioanalysis, primarily using LC-MS/MS to quantify various types of drugs (e.g., small molecule, oligonucleotide, peptide, antibody), and is also a visiting research scholar at Princeton University for consulting on physical chemistry research directions. Dr. Chen earned a doctoral degree in physical chemistry from the University of South Dakota and has published more than 15 peer-reviewed articles and earned four patents. In 2013, Dr. Chen was a winner of the IBM-Löwdin Awards.

Dr. Jinpeng Li joined WuXi AppTec in 2022 and supports our clients as Director, Preclinical Large Molecule Bioanalysis in Suzhou, China, focusing on applying bioanalytical technologies in drug research and development. Before joining WuXi AppTec, Dr. Li worked at Dow Chemical and was an assistant professor at Michigan State University, specializing in immunotoxicology. Dr. Li earned a Ph.D. in genetics and environmental toxicology from Michigan State University. The author of 16 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Li is a diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology (DABT).

Yanjun Hu joined WuXi AppTec in 2015 and is Associate Director, Bioanalytical Services. Ms. Hu leads the method development team in Shanghai while managing validation and sample analysis, as well as providing technical support for clients’ projects. Adept at managing projects regulated under GLP and GCLP guidelines, Ms. Hu has supported numerous preclinical and clinical bioanalysis projects for international pharmaceutical companies. Ms. Hu has more than 17 years of experience in bioanalytical services and drug metabolism with expertise spanning a range of drug modalities, including peptides, proteins, fusion peptides, fusion proteins, monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and oligonucleotides. Ms. Hu holds a bachelor’s degree in bioengineering and a master’s degree in pharmaceutical analysis from Xi’an Jiao Tong University.