We share a mentality of moving forward as one
Shekeab
Medical Director
Shekeab Jauhari has been a Medical Director at Merus since 2022. He oversees clinical trials for one of our potential clinical candidates. ‘I’ve had a longstanding interest in cancer drug development. I wanted to be part of the mission to develop new medicines.
Clinical trials
As a Medical Director, Shekeab’s focus is on drug development. ‘My core responsibilities are to oversee the clinical trials, review patient eligibility, remain in touch with physicians and investigators, review data and evaluate safety and efficacy of the clinical candidate. I also work with leadership to help plan for the candidate’s next steps in development.’
‘It’s a very cross-functional position,’ he adds. ‘There are ten or eleven different functions that I work with. I enjoy that. My co-collaborators are impressive. Working and learning with the Merus team has been a great experience.’
Moving forward as one
‘One of the investigational candidates we are testing in the clinic has demonstrated potential to benefit patients with a rare cancer,’ Shekeab says. ‘It is exciting when you see that a potential medicine holds the promise to have a positive impact on patients with unmet medical needs.’
‘Drug development takes a lot of hard work and time, but if we are successful in taking a drug through development to approval, cancer patients can have access to a medicine that could provide them with substantial benefit. There is a strong sense of mission at Merus, and a mentality of moving together as one. It’s why you will find people who have been in the company for ten, fifteen years.’
Helping each other
Shekeab’s personal ambition is to keep growing. ‘There is great mentorship available. I work closely with the VP of Clinical Development and the Chief Medical Officer. I would venture to say everyone at Merus can find a good mentor. People are really interested in helping each other.’
‘I think Merus is a unique biotech,’ he concludes. ‘We have a positive work culture. We have a strong pre-clinical core of scientists. We have a strong clinical development program. Our drug platforms for making multi-specific antibodies, Multiclonics®, are very robust technologies. We have several clinical candidates in various stages of development. For anyone interested in drug development and biotech, Merus is a wonderful place to be.’
Switching to biotech
Shekeab was working as a medical oncologist in private practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s when he had a change in perspective: ‘I had a passion for developing new cancer medicines and realized I wanted to transition to the biotech industry.’
‘I’ve had a longstanding interest in cancer drug development and wanted to be part of the mission to develop new medicines. I also wanted to be closer to the process of designing clinical trials for patients, and helping cancer drugs advance through different stages of development. A recruitment agency led me to Merus. It felt right immediately.’
Culture and ethos
‘Something I appreciated right away, is that Merus has a culture of collegiality,’ says Shekeab. ‘Everyone is approachable, from a new junior co-worker to the CEO.’
‘There are strong roots that I feel are based in the ethos of Dutch culture. It includes having time for personal growth, as well as time with your family and friends. Merus respects your personal life and believes in balance. I think this starts at the top. The leaders embrace these values and make sure they bring in people with the same ethos.’
“Step by step, we are closing in on cancer.”
Interested in joining us on our mission?
Have a look at our vacancies.
Shekeab Jauhari has been a Medical Director at Merus since 2022. He oversees clinical trials for one of our potential clinical candidates. ‘I’ve had a longstanding interest in cancer drug development. I wanted to be part of the mission to develop new medicines.
Switching to biotech
Shekeab was working as a medical oncologist in private practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. That’s when he had a change in perspective: ‘I had a passion for developing new cancer medicines and realized I wanted to transition to the biotech industry.’
‘I’ve had a longstanding interest in cancer drug development and wanted to be part of the mission to develop new medicines. I also wanted to be closer to the process of designing clinical trials for patients, and helping cancer drugs advance through different stages of development. A recruitment agency led me to Merus. It felt right immediately.’
Culture and ethos
‘Something I appreciated right away, is that Merus has a culture of collegiality,’ says Shekeab. ‘Everyone is approachable, from a new junior co-worker to the CEO.’
‘There are strong roots that I feel are based in the ethos of Dutch culture. It includes having time for personal growth, as well as time with your family and friends. Merus respects your personal life and believes in balance. I think this starts at the top. The leaders embrace these values and make sure they bring in people with the same ethos.’
“Step by step, we are closing in on cancer.”
Interested in joining us on our mission?
Have a look at our vacancies.
Clinical trials
As a Medical Director, Shekeab’s focus is on drug development. ‘My core responsibilities are to oversee the clinical trials, review patient eligibility, remain in touch with physicians and investigators, review data and evaluate safety and efficacy of the clinical candidate. I also work with leadership to help plan for the candidate’s next steps in development.’
‘It’s a very cross-functional position,’ he adds. ‘There are ten or eleven different functions that I work with. I enjoy that. My co-collaborators are impressive. Working and learning with the Merus team has been a great experience.’
Moving forward as one
‘One of the investigational candidates we are testing in the clinic has demonstrated potential to benefit patients with a rare cancer,’ Shekeab says. ‘It is exciting when you see that a potential medicine holds the promise to have a positive impact on patients with unmet medical needs.’
‘Drug development takes a lot of hard work and time, but if we are successful in taking a drug through development to approval, cancer patients can have access to a medicine that could provide them with substantial benefit. There is a strong sense of mission at Merus, and a mentality of moving together as one. It’s why you will find people who have been in the company for ten, fifteen years.’
Helping each other
Shekeab’s personal ambition is to keep growing. ‘There is great mentorship available. I work closely with the VP of Clinical Development and the Chief Medical Officer. I would venture to say everyone at Merus can find a good mentor. People are really interested in helping each other.’
‘I think Merus is a unique biotech,’ he concludes. ‘We have a positive work culture. We have a strong pre-clinical core of scientists. We have a strong clinical development program. Our drug platforms for making multi-specific antibodies, Multiclonics®, are very robust technologies. We have several clinical candidates in various stages of development. For anyone interested in drug development and biotech, Merus is a wonderful place to be.’