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From Dartmouth PhD to Scientist Entrepreneur: Keene Wei Discusses the Evolution from Molecular Precision to Cellular Precision
Author：
VIWIT
Release Time：
2026-10-19
On October 13, Dr. Keene Wei, Founder and CEO of Viwit Pharmaceuticals and VitsGen Therapeutics, returned to his alma mater, Dartmouth College, as the inaugural speaker of the Business of Biotech & Career Development seminar series hosted by the Institute for Biomolecular Targeting (bioMT).
Dr. Wei delivered a keynote presentation titled “From Dartmouth PhD to Scientist Entrepreneur: From Molecular Precision to Cellular Precision.” Following his Dreyfus Lecture earlier this year, Dr. Wei continued his engagement with the Dartmouth community, sharing insights from his experience in scientific research and biotechnology innovation with faculty and students.
Advancing Precision from Molecules to Cells
A key focus of Dr. Wei’s presentation was the evolution of Viwit Pharmaceuticals’ R&D strategy, from its early foundations in chiral borane chemistry and medicinal chemistry to peptide-based targeted radiopharmaceuticals and nucleic acid delivery technologies. He described this progression as an expanding pursuit of precision, moving from molecular design and target identification toward targeted delivery and the modulation of cellular function.
In the field of targeted radiopharmaceuticals, Dr. Wei discussed the company’s research on radionuclide drug conjugates (RDCs), highlighting the scientific considerations involved in target selection, molecular design, radionuclide selection, and drug development. Drawing on expertise across medicinal chemistry, molecular imaging, and nuclear medicine, this multidisciplinary field holds promise for more precise approaches to cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Another major focus was Viwit Pharmaceuticals’ proprietary targeted lipid nanoparticle (tLNP) platform and its potential applications in in vivo CAR-T therapies and immune cell engineering. The platform is being explored for targeted nucleic acid delivery to specific cell populations, with the goal of modulating and reprogramming cellular function in vivo. These efforts could open new avenues for research in cancer immunotherapy and autoimmune diseases.
Scientific Innovation and Entrepreneurship
The presentation was followed by a lively Q&A session, with faculty and students raising questions about target selection in innovative drug discovery, regulatory requirements in pharmaceutical development, and the financing challenges facing biotechnology companies.
Drawing on his experience spanning basic research, therapeutic development, and business leadership, Dr. Wei offered perspectives on scientific innovation, clinical translation, and biotechnology entrepreneurship. The exchange also covered the design of new BioMT degree programs.
The presentation highlighted Viwit Pharmaceuticals’ advances in medicinal chemistry, targeted radiopharmaceuticals, and nucleic acid delivery technologies, illustrating how fundamental scientific research can be translated into practical applications in the biopharmaceutical industry.