Zafira Castona Corsino

I did my PhD in Spain focused on oncology, then moved to London to King's College where I continued my research. I came to the United States to Harvard University where I was a postdoc, and then I was promoted to instructor for another 4 years. My research was focused on oncology and metastasis and the influence of the immune system on cancer progression. After my research at Harvard, I decided to move to the pharmaceutical company to make possible all of my discoveries to translate them into the patient. I moved therapies into clinical trials and we opened clinical trials for cancer patients here in America. I worked at Rubio Therapeutics, Salugen Therapeutics, and Como, which is a startup. I was leading teams, thinking strategically where we can apply our technology, trying to make deals and science licenses with pharma companies. The last years, I was working more in business development and leading teams. In parallel, I love education, so during my PhD I was teaching medical students in Spain, and when I came to Harvard University I was designing and teaching courses for PhD students. I founded a nonprofit that is bridging the gap between academia and the global professional through Ivy League-inspired programs and a global high-impact talent platform that connects students and institutions with world-class mentors, international opportunities, and industry-aligned experiences. I have been always multitasking, working in parallel, building this nonprofit that now has thousands of members and partnerships with a dozen of universities and local governments in the world.