Assessing the evolving AAV preclinical safety landscape in 2023 & beyond

Cell & Gene Therapy Insights 2023; 9(1), 279–285

DOI: 10.18609/cgti.2023.044

Published: 4 April 2023
Interview
Basel Assaf

Abi Pinchbeck, Assistant Editor, BioInsights, spoke to Basel T Assaf, Distinguished Scientist, Preclinical Safety, Sanofi

Basel T Assaf is a board-certified veterinary pathologist and a distinguished scientist in the Preclinical Safety Department at Sanofi. In his current role, Dr Assaf oversees the preclinical safety support for the Genomic Medicine Unit and serves as a preclinical safety representative on governance committees for the review and management of the gene therapy portfolio. Prior to joining Sanofi, Dr Assaf held several positions with increasing responsibilities in toxicology and pathology, including FDA Commissioner’s fellowship in the Office of Tissues and Advanced Therapies of US FDA, Investigative Pathologist at the Oregon National Primate Research Center and the Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute of Oregon Health and Science University, and Senior Principal Scientist - Veterinary Pathologist in the Drug Safety Research and Development of Pfizer Inc. Dr Assaf has a PhD in Comparative Pathology from University of California – Davis, and a post-doctoral research and anatomic pathology residency training from the New England Primate Research Center of Harvard Medical School.