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Portrait of Tian-Quan Cai, Ph.D.

Tian-Quan Cai, Ph.D.

Head of Pharmacology/Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics (DMPK)

Tian specializes in developing efficient preclinical pharmacology strategies to accelerate the transition of aging research into clinical applications.

About

Tian leads the Pharmacology and DMPK team responsible for providing the high-quality preclinical data and expertise necessary to inform key program decisions, accelerating the translation of promising therapies. Since joining Calico in 2018, Tian has focused on providing strategic in vivo support, evaluating therapeutic potential through rigorous PK/PD and efficacy modeling. 

Tian spent much of his early career at Merck, where he spearheaded the discovery and development of novel drug candidates and contributed to the successful approval of Vorapaxar, an antiplatelet medication used to reduce the risk of serious cardiovascular events in patients with a history of myocardial infarction (heart attack) or peripheral arterial disease.

Education:
  • Postdoc in Immunology, The Rockefeller University
  • Ph.D. in Physiology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign