Delfi Diagnostics, Inc., a pioneering developer of a new class of high-performance, accessible liquid biopsy tests for early cancer detection and monitoring, hired Lee-Ann Smith-Freeman, PhD., as its first Vice President of Legal.
Lee-Ann most recently served as Associate General Counsel at Twist Bioscience, handling intellectual property, commercial, marketing and procurement legal matters. Prior to that, she specialized in patent preparation, prosecution, and strategy in the biotech, biopharma, medical device, computer and chemical fields as a patent attorney at Sheppard, Mullin, Richeter & Hampton LLP and at Zilka-Kotab, PC. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and her J.D. from the Santa Clara University School of Law.
"Lee-Ann's experience with intellectual property law and her deep scientific background – most attorneys don't also have a PhD in Chemistry – make her the ideal person to lead Delfi's legal operations," said Delfi's Co-Founder and CEO Victor Velculescu, MD, PhD.
"I am excited to join Delfi's leadership team and help bring this unique technology platform to patients around the world," Smith-Freeman said.