Team

Margaret leads Theolytics' scientific strategy, from conception of the Adenovo™ platform, oncolytic candidate discovery to clinical development. She is an entrepreneur who brings extensive expertise in virology, translational cancer research and gene therapy with a strong track record of scientific innovation, publications and as inventor on multiple patent filings. Margaret co‑founded Theolytcs in 2017 a spin‑out from Oxford University to deliver on the promise of oncolytic immunotherapies. Margaret is on the Theolytics Board of Directors and has raised significant amounts of venture finance and grant funding, transitioning the company from discovery to clinical stage. 

During a decade in academia prior to Theolytics, Margaret was awarded several prestigious research fellowships including from the Kay Kendall Leukaemia Fund and Marie Skłodowska‑Curie Fellowship Programme. She has authored numerous peer‑reviewed publications and is widely recognised for her expertise in adenoviral biology, oncolytic virus engineering and translational oncology. 

Margaret earned her PhD in Adenoviral Gene Therapy from the University of Glasgow, after specialising in the development of adenoviral vectors for intravenous delivery applications.

David is a physician‑scientist and biotech executive with more than 25 years of leadership experience in pharma and biotechnology companies in the public and private setting, with programmes spanning chronic viral hepatitis, immune oncology, and rare diseases. 

Before joining Theolytics, David served as founding CEO of BlueSphere Bio, where he led the development of personalised T‑cell receptor therapies for cancer. Earlier in his career, he served as CMO at Achillion Pharmaceuticals and led the late‑stage clinical programme in chronic HCV (and partnership with Janssen Biopharma), and the translational development programme for the complement factor D inhibitor Voydeya (subsequently acquired by Alexion and approved for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria). At GlobeImmune, David founded and led Regulatory Affairs, R&D, Clinical Operations, and Clinical Development, resulting in multiple late‑stage therapeutic vaccine clinical programmes in chronic HCV, chronic HBV (partnered with Gilead), and several immune‑oncology indications in partnership with the National Cancer Institute and Celgene.  He previously held clinical leadership roles at Bristol Myers Squibb (Baraclude for chronic HBV) and Schering‑Plough (Now Merck & Co.;  Rebetron Paediatric for chronic HCV).

David earned his PhD in Biochemistry from Rutgers University and his MD from the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. He completed residency training in paediatrics at New York‑Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center and holds an MBA from Quinnipiac University. 

As CMO, Matilde oversees clinical strategy and execution and guides the development of the company’s oncolytic immunotherapy programmes for cancer. She brings more than 20 years of experience in oncology, translational medicine and global drug development, with leadership across Phase 1–3 clinical programmes.

Matilde trained and practised as a medical oncologist at leading cancer centres in Florence and London, including the Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust and Sarah Cannon Research Institute. Her expertise spans immuno‑oncology, cellular therapies and precision medicine, having also worked in cell biology at Cornell University and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the US. 

Matilde held clinical development and medical affairs roles at AstraZeneca, advancing multiple oncology programmes, and in recent years served as Vice President of Clinical Development and Interim CMO at Achilles Therapeutics, where she led the development of personalised T‑cell therapies for cancer.

Matilde received her Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery (BMMS) from the University of Pavia, completed postgraduate training in Medical Oncology at the University of Florence, and earned an MD (Res) in Translational Medicine from University College London.

Luke oversees financial reporting and operational planning to support Theolytics' growth and the advancement of its oncolytic immunotherapy platform and pipeline. He brings significant experience in financial management, corporate reporting and financial planning within the biotechnology sector.

Prior to joining Theolytics, Luke held finance roles at Oxford Biomedica, where he worked across financial reporting, financial control and planning functions supporting a leading gene and cell therapy manufacturing and development organisation. Earlier in his career, he spent a decade working as an auditor, developing deep expertise in financial governance, compliance and corporate accounting. 

Luke is a Chartered Accountant and holds a MA (Oxon) in Mathematics from the University of Oxford.