Fractional Program Management Professional for Drug Development

Michael Cieslewicz, PhD

I have more than 20 years’ experience in drug and vaccine development in academia and biotech/life sciences.   I specialize in leading programs from early stage discovery through development and registration leveraging a strong research foundation to guide complex programs to successful outcomes. 

Most recently I served as Vice President of Program Management and Development Operations for Vigeo Therapeutics where I oversaw the development of the company’s lead pipeline asset VT1021 from pre-clinical through IND submission. In my role as program lead I coordinated relationships with clinical trial sites, worked closely with manufacturing and supply chain to ensure an uninterrupted study drug supply for patients in all of clinical trials, oversaw regulatory submissions, and managed the development pipeline portfolio.  Prior to joining Vigeo Therapeutics I worked in program management and leadership roles of increasing responsibility at Merrimack Pharmaceuticals, Shire Pharmaceuticals, and Novartis Vaccines and Diagnostics. Before my career in Boston area biotech/life sciences I was an Instructor of Pediatrics at Harvard Medical School and Principal Investigator in my NIH funded laboratory at Boston Children’s Hospital Division of Infectious Diseases where I focused on Gram-positive bacterial pathogenesis, Group B Streptococcus genomics, and vaccine development. 

I earned a PhD from University of Illinois where I focused on genetics and physiology of Gram-negative bacterial polysaccharide capsule biosynthesis. I completed  post-doctoral studies at the University of Texas, Austin in biochemical engineering and at the Channing Laboratory at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts in Gram-positive pathogenesis and vaccine development.