Luigi Grasso, Ph.D. is the Sr Vice President, Chief Scientific Officer and co-founder of Navrogen Inc. Prior to co-founding Navrogen, he was Vice President, CSO and co-founder of Morphotek Inc., a private biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of antibody-based therapies for cancer, which was acquired by Eisai, Co. Ltd. in 2007. From 2007 to 2018, he remained at Morphotek as VP and CSO and oversaw the global R&D of antibody and next gen antibody-based products for the treatment of various cancer indications. Prior to co-founding Morphotek, he was Associate Director of Research at Magainin Pharmaceuticals Inc where he oversaw the development of antibody-based therapeutics for inflammatory diseases. 

Luigi is a trained molecular biologist and has authored over 40 peer-reviewed scientific papers on the molecular and genetic basis of cancer, respiratory disease and drug development and is an inventor on 65 issued patents.

Luigi received a B.S. and Ph.D. in Pathology from the University of Catania, Italy; and a Fellowship in Oncology from Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA. While at Thomas Jefferson, his research resulted in the elucidation of how mutated tumor suppressor genes transform cells to become malignant. He currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Board of the privately held oncology-focused biopharma Cage Pharmaceuticals.