William Lento

William Lento is an experienced cancer biologist with a robust background in pharmaceutical drug discovery, particularly in hematologic malignancies. Currently serving as the Director of Oncology Discovery at Exelixis since October 2022, Lento previously held significant roles at The Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, including Principal Scientist and Senior Scientist, where expertise in identifying novel targets and developing therapeutic molecules for blood cancers was demonstrated. Prior to this, Lento contributed as a Research Scientist focusing on novel therapies for unmet medical needs in blood cancer treatment, and as a Postdoctoral Associate at Duke University Medical Center, where research centered on hematopoietic stem cell responses to cancer therapies. Lento's academic journey culminated in a Ph.D. in Molecular Cancer Biology from Duke University, enriched by extensive investigations into stem cell biology and Wnt signaling mechanisms.