Richard Gaster, MD, PhD

Richard Gaster, M.D., Ph.D., is a Managing Partner at venBio, where he leverages his background as a physician, entrepreneur, and life sciences investor. He has played a key role in launching and investing in over a dozen venBio portfolio companies, including Akero Therapeutics (IPO 2019; acquired by Novo Nordisk), Harmony Biosciences (IPO 2020), Ventyx Biosciences (IPO 2021; acquired by Eli Lilly), Pharvaris (IPO 2021), 35Pharma (acquired by GSK), Alumis (IPO 2024), and others.

Prior to venBio, he was a Senior Associate at Third Rock Ventures, where he focused on building biotech startups from cutting-edge science. He began his career in Harvard’s Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery residency, training at Massachusetts General Hospital, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

Dr. Gaster has authored papers in Nature Medicine and Nature Nanotechnology, holds over a dozen patents, has won first prize in the IEEE Change the World Competition, and has been named to Forbes “30 Under 30” in Science and Healthcare.

He earned a B.S.E. in Bioengineering, summa cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania, and an M.D./Ph.D. in Bioengineering from Stanford through the Medical Scientist Training Program.