Managing Director
Jerel Davis, Ph.D.
Background
Jerel Davis, Ph.D., is a Managing Director at Versant Ventures, based in Vancouver, Canada. Since joining the firm in 2011, he has played a key role in launching and supporting more than 25 Versant portfolio companies, including BlueRock (acquired), CRISPR Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CRSP), Inception 4 and 5 (acquired), Quanticel (acquired), Akero Therapeutics (NASDAQ: AKRO), Northern Biologics (acquired), Repare Therapeutics (NASDAQ: RPTX), Chinook Therapeutics (acquired), Graphite Bio (NASDAQ: LENZ), RayzeBio (acquired), as well as Kolm, Tentarix, Ventus, Borealis, Santa Ana, Firefly, Fable, and Nested.
Jerel’s investment strategy spans company creation, early syndication, and innovative pharma partnerships. He was instrumental in establishing Versant’s presence in Canada and in building the firm’s reputation for science-led venture creation.
History
Before joining Versant, Jerel was with McKinsey & Company, where he advised global pharmaceutical and biotech companies. He holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University, where he also completed post-doctoral research, and previously trained as a scientist at Amgen.