Nathan Yozwiak has been studying viruses for over 20 years and has expertise in virus genomics, gene therapy, viral vectors, global health, company formation, and science policy.

Currently, he is the Head of Research at Mass General Brigham’s newly inaugurated Gene and Cell Therapy Institute (GCTI). GCTI’s mission is to bridge early-stage discovery research in the gene and cell therapy space with patient populations and clinician scientists.

Before joining Mass General Brigham, he was the founding Director of the Viral Genomics group at Ring Therapeutics, a Flagship Pioneering-backed biotech startup. Ring is harnessing the commensal virome as a novel platform to deliver genetic medicines.

Previously, he was Associate Director of Viral Genomics at the Broad Institute and an Associate of the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University. He managed research projects studying virus diagnostics and evolution in collaboration with partners in West Africa and helped establish the African Center of Excellence for Genomics of Infectious Disease at Redeemer’s University in Nigeria, where he was an Adjunct Senior Lecturer in the Department of Biological Sciences.

Nathan received his PhD in Infectious Diseases and Immunity from the University of California, Berkeley. He completed his graduate studies in Joe DeRisi’s lab at UCSF, where he studied the detection and discovery of viruses in acute pediatric illness using genomic technologies. As part of his research project, he worked closely with the Nicaraguan Ministry of Health to implement and improve testing for childhood virus diseases. Before joining the Broad, he was a Hellman Fellow in Science and Technology Policy at the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, where he developed an initiative investigating public trust in childhood vaccines.