Christopher D. Earl, PhD
Former CEO, BIO Ventures in Global Health

Christopher D. Earl, PhD is an entrepreneur and investor with a track record of fostering company growth based on innovative products and underserved markets, both as a venture capitalist and CEO.  He has broad experience as a CEO and board member of research-based, not-for-profit organizations, leading research, policy and advocacy efforts.

Most recently, Dr. Earl was the first President and CEO of BIO Ventures for Global Health (BVGH), a not-for-profit organization directing biotechnology industry R&D to create new medicines to treat infectious diseases of the developing world such as TB, malaria and sleeping sickness.  During his tenure, BVGH defined an integral role for biotech sector in creating new medicines for and other neglected tropical diseases, extended its policy work into advocacy for new financial incentives for R&D, and forged new collaborations between the public and private sectors.  Dr. Earl secured over $8 million of funding from foundations, corporations and individual donors, including the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Previously, Dr. Earl served as Managing Director of Perseus Capital, LP, and the Perseus-Soros BioPharmaceutical Fund, L.P., leading investors in later-stage life science companies, where he managed investments in biopharmaceutical companies and served as a director on portfolio company boards.  Earlier in his career, Dr. Earl was President and CEO of Avitech Diagnostics, Inc., and a General Partner of Plant Resources Venture Funds.

Dr. Earl serves on the Board of Directors of the Infectious Disease Research Institute, Asuragen, Inc., and the Nature Conservancy of Maryland/DC.  He is a Trustee of the Committee for Economic Development.  Dr. Earl received a BA in Biology from the University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD in Cellular and Developmental Biology from Harvard University.