Blackbird Laboratories, a Baltimore-based life sciences accelerator dedicated to commercializing academic research into new biotech companies and therapies, has announced that Christopher M. Jewell, Ph.D. has joined the organization as Entrepreneur-in-Residence.
The appointment brings a veteran biotech executive, founder, and academic researcher with more than two decades of experience across immuno-oncology, autoimmunity, and cell therapy to Blackbird’s mission of growing and scaling life sciences companies across Maryland and the Mid-Atlantic.
About Christopher M. Jewell, Ph.D.
Jewell’s arrival at Blackbird Labs continues his passion for building and leading transformative biotech companies, now channeled into supporting the region’s broader entrepreneurial ecosystem. His background spans the full arc of translational science, from academic discovery through IND filing and clinical development, making him well positioned to help Blackbird evaluate and build ventures emerging from the region’s leading research institutions.
Jewell brings a rare combination of academic depth and company-building experience to the role. He most recently served as Chief Scientific Officer and Senior Vice President at Cartesian Therapeutics, where he oversaw R&D strategy, played a key role in multiple IND filings, and helped lead the company through its transition from private to public.
For 14 years, he simultaneously held the endowed position of Institute Professor of Translational Engineering at the University of Maryland’s Robert E. Fischell Institute for Biomedical Devices, where he built and directed an internationally recognized translational research program, secured more than $33 million in non-dilutive funding, and led large interdisciplinary teams across academic institutions, the NIH, and clinical partners. He is also the founder of Nodal Therapeutics and has served in board, advisory, and scientific advisory board roles at organizations including Aletira Therapeutics, CREATE Medicines, Vaccitech, and Avidea Technologies.
Jewell’s broader career includes time as a consultant with the Boston Consulting Group, where he focused on pharmaceutical and biotechnology R&D strategy, and postdoctoral training as a Ragon Fellow with Dr. Darrell Irvine at MIT and as a Visiting Scientist at Harvard with Dr. Dan Barouch. An internationally recognized key opinion leader in autoimmunity, immunotherapy, and drug delivery, his work has been supported by more than $41 million in non-dilutive funding and has resulted in over 150 patents and papers in journals including Nature, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Medicine, and Science Translational Medicine. His honors include the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) and the Damon Runyon Cancer Foundation Innovator Award, and he serves on the PhRMA Advisory Committee and has contributed to White House OSTP committees. He holds dual degrees in Chemical Engineering and Molecular Biology from Lehigh University and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin.
Announcing the move, Jewell reflected on Blackbird’s mission and its roots in the region: “This role provides incredible opportunity as I continue my passion for building and leading transformative biotech companies.”
About Blackbird Laboratories
Blackbird Laboratories is a next-generation life sciences accelerator dedicated to helping universities and investigators commercialize academic research, build innovative companies, and create a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem in Baltimore and the broader mid-Atlantic. The organization launched in 2023 with a $100 million founding grant from The Stephen and Renee Bisciotti Foundation, established by Baltimore Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti, and maintains foundational research collaborations with Johns Hopkins University, the University of Maryland, Baltimore, and the Lieber Institute for Brain Development. Led by CEO Matt Tremblay, Ph.D., Blackbird Labs provides capital and strategic guidance to help de-risk early-stage technologies, attract investment, and translate today’s academic science into tomorrow’s therapies for patients facing unmet medical needs.
