About

Meet Our Talented and Dedicated Team

At Telescope Therapeutics we are revolutionizing preclinical drug development by harnessing the power of patient-derived inducible pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and advanced biosensor technologies. Our mission is to transform how diseases are modelled, therapies are discovered, and drug efficacy is predicted— accelerating the journey from the lab to the patient.

Our Team

Our multidisciplinary team of scientists and professionals is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of preclinical research. With expertise in stem cell biology, pharmacology, bioengineering, and computational modeling, we collaborate to develop innovative solutions that address the complexities of human diseases.

Terence Hébert, Ph.D.
Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer

As the Chief Scientific Officer of Telescope Therapeutics and a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at McGill University, Terry has a long-standing track record in the identification of molecular mechanisms involved in the function of GPCRs publishing more than 200 scientific papers. His work centers on novel signaling complexes and pathways associated with subcellular localization of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and G proteins, with a recent focus on using biosensors in iPSC-based models of disease for drug discovery. Fun Fact: he loves to play the harmonica and sing “House of the Rising Sun”.

Nadia Giannetti, MD
Co-founder

Nadia is a renowned cardiologist, and a McGill University graduate with a training fellowship at Stanford. She has participated in the care of over 1000 patients with heart failure, some with ventricular assist devices or awaiting transplants. As Associate Physician-in-Chief, she is the former Chief of Cardiology and former Medical Director of the Heart Failure and Heart Transplant program at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). Nadia's research on personalized therapy combined with her leadership in managing medical programs, place her as a valuable asset for Telescope Therapeutics.

Renzo Cecere, MD
Co-founder

As a cardiothoracic surgeon at the Montreal Children's Hospital and The Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Renzo led the Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Program of the MUHC. Renzo has a proven track record in securing funding for innovative projects. He is active in clinical and translational research and has brought multiple new technologies to the MUHC. His research interests include new approaches and treatments for the management of heart failure.

Benjamin Vonniessen, M.Sc.
Lead Scientist

As a Scientist at Telescope Therapeutics Ben leverages his master's degree in cancer mechanisms and organoid modeling in establishing iPSC models. His passion for this field of research stems from its fascinating potential to personalize medicine and run “clinical trials in a dish”. An avid reader, Ben can be found buried in an adventure novel, at the gym, or biking around Montréal.

Jiajia Lu, M.Sc.
Lead Scientist

Jiajia is contributing to the establishment and operation of our drug screening platform. She holds a degree in Veterinary Medicine from Zhejiang University, China, and recently completed her Master's in Biotechnology at McGill University. Her research background spans from animal disease models to GPCR related drug screening. Outside of the lab, Jiajia is a dedicated guqin (an ancient Chinese string instrument) player and enjoys painting.

Our multidisciplinary team of scientists and professionals is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of preclinical research. With expertise in stem cell biology, pharmacology, bioengineering, and computational modeling, we collaborate to develop innovative solutions that address the complexities of human diseases.

Terence Hébert, Ph.D.
Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer

As the Chief Scientific Officer of Telescope Therapeutics and a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at McGill University, Terry has a long-standing track record in the identification of molecular mechanisms involved in the function of GPCRs publishing more than 200 scientific papers. His work centers on novel signaling complexes and pathways associated with subcellular localization of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and G proteins, with a recent focus on using biosensors in iPSC-based models of disease for drug discovery. Fun Fact: he loves to play the harmonica and sing “House of the Rising Sun”.

Nadia Giannetti, MD
Co-founder

Nadia is a renowned cardiologist, and a McGill University graduate with a training fellowship at Stanford. She has participated in the care of over 1000 patients with heart failure, some with ventricular assist devices or awaiting transplants. As Associate Physician-in-Chief, she is the former Chief of Cardiology and former Medical Director of the Heart Failure and Heart Transplant program at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). Nadia's research on personalized therapy combined with her leadership in managing medical programs, place her as a valuable asset for Telescope Therapeutics.

Renzo Cecere, MD
Co-founder

As a cardiothoracic surgeon at the Montreal Children's Hospital and The Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Renzo led the Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Program of the MUHC. Renzo has a proven track record in securing funding for innovative projects. He is active in clinical and translational research and has brought multiple new technologies to the MUHC. His research interests include new approaches and treatments for the management of heart failure.

Benjamin Vonniessen, M.Sc.
Lead Scientist

As a Scientist at Telescope Therapeutics Ben leverages his master's degree in cancer mechanisms and organoid modeling in establishing iPSC models. His passion for this field of research stems from its fascinating potential to personalize medicine and run “clinical trials in a dish”. An avid reader, Ben can be found buried in an adventure novel, at the gym, or biking around Montréal.

Jiajia Lu, M.Sc.
Lead Scientist

Jiajia is contributing to the establishment and operation of our drug screening platform. She holds a degree in Veterinary Medicine from Zhejiang University, China, and recently completed her Master's in Biotechnology at McGill University. Her research background spans from animal disease models to GPCR related drug screening. Outside of the lab, Jiajia is a dedicated guqin (an ancient Chinese string instrument) player and enjoys painting.

Our multidisciplinary team of scientists and professionals is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of preclinical research. With expertise in stem cell biology, pharmacology, bioengineering, and computational modeling, we collaborate to develop innovative solutions that address the complexities of human diseases.

Terence Hébert, Ph.D.
Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer

As the Chief Scientific Officer of Telescope Therapeutics and a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics at McGill University, Terry has a long-standing track record in the identification of molecular mechanisms involved in the function of GPCRs publishing more than 200 scientific papers. His work centers on novel signaling complexes and pathways associated with subcellular localization of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and G proteins, with a recent focus on using biosensors in iPSC-based models of disease for drug discovery. Fun Fact: he loves to play the harmonica and sing “House of the Rising Sun”.

Nadia Giannetti, MD
Co-founder

Nadia is a renowned cardiologist, and a McGill University graduate with a training fellowship at Stanford. She has participated in the care of over 1000 patients with heart failure, some with ventricular assist devices or awaiting transplants. As Associate Physician-in-Chief, she is the former Chief of Cardiology and former Medical Director of the Heart Failure and Heart Transplant program at the McGill University Health Centre (MUHC). Nadia's research on personalized therapy combined with her leadership in managing medical programs, place her as a valuable asset for Telescope Therapeutics.

Renzo Cecere, MD
Co-founder

As a cardiothoracic surgeon at the Montreal Children's Hospital and The Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, Renzo led the Heart Failure and Heart Transplant Program of the MUHC. Renzo has a proven track record in securing funding for innovative projects. He is active in clinical and translational research and has brought multiple new technologies to the MUHC. His research interests include new approaches and treatments for the management of heart failure.

Benjamin Vonniessen, M.Sc.
Lead Scientist

As a Scientist at Telescope Therapeutics Ben leverages his master's degree in cancer mechanisms and organoid modeling in establishing iPSC models. His passion for this field of research stems from its fascinating potential to personalize medicine and run “clinical trials in a dish”. An avid reader, Ben can be found buried in an adventure novel, at the gym, or biking around Montréal.

Jiajia Lu, M.Sc.
Lead Scientist

Jiajia is contributing to the establishment and operation of our drug screening platform. She holds a degree in Veterinary Medicine from Zhejiang University, China, and recently completed her Master's in Biotechnology at McGill University. Her research background spans from animal disease models to GPCR related drug screening. Outside of the lab, Jiajia is a dedicated guqin (an ancient Chinese string instrument) player and enjoys painting.