Sharon Zhao

Sharon Zhao has a diverse work experience in the field of research and development. Sharon started their career in 1997 at Clontech as a Research Scientist, where they played a leading role in developing and maintaining the signal transduction product line. Sharon also developed cell-based assays for signal transduction pathway profiling and worked on expressing fluorescent proteins in mammalian cells.

In 2000, they joined Eurofins DiscoverX as a Principal Scientist and was responsible for assay development for high-throughput screening (HTS) using proprietary enzyme complementation technology. Sharon also developed and validated the Hithunter cAMP assay and miniaturized it into a 1536 well format.

In 2004, Sharon joined Amgen as a Senior Scientist. During their tenure, they developed assays for HTS using cell-based or biochemical assays on various therapeutic targets, including GPCRs, kinases, phosphodiesterase, and transporters. Sharon conducted confirmation screens, performed primary SAR support, and screened for therapeutic targets using multiple assay platforms.

Currently, Sharon is working at Arcus Biosciences. Sharon started as a Research Fellow in 2016 and later advanced to the position of Director of Lead Discovery & Optimization. In their current role as Sr. Director of Lead Discovery & Optimization, they oversee the lead discovery and optimization process.

Overall, Sharon Zhao has a strong background in assay development, high-throughput screening, and leading research and development projects.

Sharon Zhao completed their undergraduate studies in Biochemistry at McGill University from 1990 to 1992. Sharon then pursued a Ph.D. in Biochemistry at the University of Toronto from 1992 to 1997. Prior to their studies at McGill, they attended Peking University from 1987 to 1990, specializing in Biochemistry.