Gerald Chan co-founded Morningside in 1986 as a private investment group with venture capital, private equity and property investments.
In the life science sector, Morningside focuses on start-up biotechnology companies founded on novel scientific discoveries. Notable investments in oncology that Gerald led include novel approaches to cancer therapeutics such as oncolytic viruses (BioVex, DNAtrix), immuno-oncology (Aduro), modified cytotoxic agents (Nucana), modified tumor microenvironment (Vigeo) and novel targets for therapeutic intervention (CellCentric). Investments in the infectious disease area include novel antibiotics (MicuRx, Artugen), prophylactic vaccines (Matrivax) and antivirals (Atea). Other investments cover the therapeutic areas of autoimmune diseases (Kezar), CNS disorders (Orthogonal, Pinteon, Cognito, Cognoa), and rare orphan diseases (Stealth, Apellis).
Gerald is a member of Harvard University’s Global Advisory Council, the Dean’s Board of Advisors of the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health and the Harvard China Fund. He sits on the board of the Scripps Research Institute. He chairs the Overseers Committee of the Morningside College of Chinese University of Hong Kong and the Innovation Advisory Committee of the Wellcome Trust in UK.
Gerald received his BS and MS degrees in engineering from UCLA, his Master’s degree in medical radiological physics and Doctor of Science degree in radiation biology from Harvard University. He received his post-doctoral training at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Chinese University of Hong Kong, University of Glasgow, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Scripps Research Institute and University of Massachusetts Boston have conferred on him honorary degrees. He was elected to an honorary fellowship at Wolfson College of Oxford University in 2012 and membership in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2017.