Our Leadership

Henning has more than 25 years of experience in scientific research and leadership. Prior to joining Spur Therapeutics as Chief Scientific Officer in March 2022, he held leadership positions at Novo Nordisk, including shepherding new treatments for rare diseases through clinical development and regulatory approval. Henning received his Master of Science in biochemistry and a doctorate in protein chemistry from the University of Copenhagen and the Carlsberg Laboratory and conducted postdoctoral research at the Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute. He holds a Master of Business degree from the Technical University of Denmark.

Pam has more than 20 years of biotech and pharma experience, leading and driving clinical, medical, and regulatory activities from trial design and execution through product approval, launch, and commercialization. She joined Spur Therapeutics in November 2021, having previously served as Chief Medical Officer at Auregen BioTherapeutics and Aegerion Pharmaceuticals and worked in hemophilia and neurology at Biogen and on lysosomal storage diseases at Genzyme. Pam received her Bachelor of Science and medical degrees from Georgetown University and trained in neurology at Stanford University.

Paul brings more than 25 years of global financial, commercial, and operational experience in the life sciences industry. Prior to joining Spur Therapeutics in May 2022, he was Senior Vice President, Finance and Operations at Exo Therapeutics, Senior Vice President, Finance at Casebia Therapeutics, and has also held senior corporate finance positions at Aegerion Pharmaceuticals, Systagenix Wound Management, Shire Human Genetics Therapies, and Transkaryotic Therapies. Paul began his professional career at Coopers and Lybrand. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Boston College and earned his Certified Public Accountant license in Massachusetts.

Nicole has more than 25 years of diverse industry experience in senior global Human Resources and talent management roles. Prior to joining Spur Therapeutics in July 2022, she was Head of Global Talent Management at Merck. She has also held senior leadership roles where she defined and delivered global talent strategies at Alexion, Fidelity Investments, and Raytheon. She holds a Master of Business Administration from Meredith College, a Bachelor of Science in Economics from NC State University, and a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) certification from the Human Resources Certification Institute.

Jay has more than three decades of pharma, biotech, and medical device leadership experience across a wide range of platforms, including adeno-associated virus (AAV) gene therapy. He joined Spur Therapeutics in June 2021. Previously, he served as Chief Technology Officer at Abeona Therapeutics and held senior roles at Becton, Dickinson; GlaxoSmithKline; Amgen; and Tyco Healthcare. Jay received a Bachelor of Science from Marshall University and is Six Sigma certified.

Chip has more than 10 years of experience advising companies at various stages of growth. Before joining Spur Therapeutics, Chip was Counsel in the corporate department at WilmerHale, where he advised some of the world’s most innovative life sciences companies. Prior to that, he served as an associate at Cleary Gottlieb, providing legal support to a number of clients in the areas of corporate governance, public company reporting, and corporate transactions. Chip holds an A.B. in History from Princeton University and a law degree from New York University School of Law.

Michael is the Chair of the Spur Therapeutics Board of Directors. He joined the company as President and Chief Operating Officer in March 2021 and served as Chief Executive Officer from August 2021 to July 2026. He is also Chief Legal Officer at Biogen. Previously, Michael was Executive Vice President at Vertex Pharmaceuticals for five years, held senior global roles during more than a decade with Pfizer, and practiced healthcare law at Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld in Washington, DC. Michael received a Bachelor of Arts in American Government and Politics and a law degree from Georgetown University.

Chris has been a member of the Spur Board of Directors since 2015, having served as Chair until August 2026. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of Syncona Investment Management Limited, part of Syncona Limited, a leading healthcare investment company. Chris has been instrumental in the foundation and development of Syncona’s gene therapy strategy and has overseen the growth of several gene therapy companies.

Previously, Chris was a partner of Apposite Capital LLP, a venture and growth capital healthcare investment company. Before Apposite, Chris had roles with Bioscience Managers Ltd, Neptune Investment Management Ltd, and in the pharmaceutical industry. Chris holds a degree in natural sciences and a PhD in organic chemistry, both from the University of Cambridge.

Samantha Roberts joined the Spur Board of Directors in August 2026. She is also an Executive Partner of Syncona Investment Management Ltd. Samantha served as Chief Executive of NICE for four years from February 2022, bringing over 20 years of experience across clinical, operational, private sector, and academic roles in healthcare. Originally trained as a doctor, she subsequently completed an MBA and joined McKinsey & Company before dedicating her career to improving quality of care and accelerating health innovation. Samantha holds a medical degree, an MBA, and a DPhil in Evidence-Based Health Care from the University of Oxford.