ABOUT ME
Becoming a founder to my consultancy company came organically while I was finishing the Master of Administrative Sciences degree. VCs, start-ups and biotechs showed a need for an experienced and reliable resource for specialized guidance in cancer drug development and team & leadership coaching.
Being an independent consultant allows me to combine these two passions:
Advancing innovative cancer treatments and fostering people-oriented leadership culture.
Kati Räsänen, PhD, MAS
Cancer therapeutics
With over 20 years in cancer research and drug discovery, I harness my knowledge to support VCs, start-ups and biotechs building their cancer therapeutics pipeline. My expertise lies in target identification, validation, drug discovery and development to the commencement of clinical trials. I am proficient in antibody-based therapeutic modalities such as ADCs and bispecifics, as well as small molecule therapies.
Leadership and culture
Enhancing the value of a company lies in its people, as they are the company's most valuable asset. I guide leaders in fostering a people-centric culture, providing guidance on effective leadership, change management, and team dynamics. Empowered by personal insights and a Master's degree in Leadership Psychology.
WORK EXPERIENCE
Expert Consultant with proven track record
Before transitioning to an Independent Consultant role, my career journey involved spearheading innovation in cutting-edge cancer treatments at following positions:
- Director of ADC Discovery / Pharmacology at Sotio Biotech (CZ)
- Head of Antibody-Drug Conjugates at Orion Pharma (FI)
- Senior Scientist at University of Helsinki (FI)
- Senior Scientist at Biosceptre International (UK)
- Post doc at Wistar Institute (US)
- PhD student at University of Helsinki (FI)
- Scientific Officer at Institute of Cancer Research (UK)
RECOGNIZED EXCELLENCE
Qualifications
MSc in
Biotechnology
2003, University of Jyväslylä
PhD in
Cancer Biology
2010, University of Helsinki
MAS in
Leadership Psychology
2025, University of Lapland
Additionally, I have obtained the official
Objectives and Key Results (OKR) Certification: Leadership and Goal Setting
from Measure What Matters via Coursera
More about my work
Beacon webinar: ADC Fireside Chat – Is a booming landscape a double-edged sword?
Pharmaron webinar: DMPK for ADCs: Measure the Parts, Model the Whole, Decide Early
Recent publications and patents:
Synthesis of Site-Specific Antibody-[60]Fullerene-Oligonucleotide Conjugates for Cellular Targeting.
Äärelä A, Räsänen K, Holm P, Salo H, Virta P. ACS Appl. Bio Mater.2023, 6, 8, 3189–3198
Kati Räsänen, Ilona Prochazkova, Michaela Fojtu, Lenka Kyrych Sadilkova, Ulrich Mobius. WO2025078686A1
