Portrait No. 001
Shon Green
Co-Founder & CSO
Zelig Therapeutics Inc.
I lead with heart. It took time to realize that authenticity and vulnerability are not liabilities in biotech—they are strengths. Throughout my career developing advanced cell and gene therapies for oncology and autoimmune disease, I learned that breakthrough science matters—but so does how we build it. Last year, I stepped off the traditional career path to found Zelig Therapeutics, driven by a bold goal: to eliminate severe allergies and improve the lives of millions worldwide. At Zelig, we are pursuing an unconventional and scientifically differentiated approach to reset the immune systems of patients with allergies. But our ambition extends beyond the science. We are building a company where people grow alongside the medicines we develop—where rigor, kindness, and accountability coexist. Our leadership team reflects that commitment. We believe it is possible to innovate at the highest level while fostering a culture grounded in humility, collaboration, and genuine care for others.
In her words
“Last year, I stepped off the traditional career path to found Zelig Therapeutics, driven by a bold goal: to eliminate severe allergies and improve the lives of millions worldwide.”
Chapter I
The toughest challenges you've faced as a founder.
It is still hard to believe that I am now a biotech cofounder and C-suite executive developing cutting-edge therapies. My journey was anything but linear. I left my parents’ home in Israel at 16, seeking freedom from religious oppression and searching for a sense of identity. In my twenties, I struggled with clinical depression, alcoholism, and deep self-doubt. Surviving that chapter required rebuilding myself from the ground up and redefining what purpose meant. I eventually moved to the Bay Area and enrolled in community college. A few biology classes sparked something transformative. I became obsessed with learning—driven by the belief that science could be harnessed to alleviate suffering. I went on to earn a BA with honors in Cell and Molecular Biology from UC Berkeley and a PhD from UCSF, supporting myself through bartending and catering work along the way. Within a decade, I rose from research scientist to VP at a publicly traded biotech. Yet the title has never been the point. Leadership, to me, is stewardship. I mentor because I remember vividly what it felt like to doubt I belonged. The privilege of guiding others is something I carry with humility and deep gratitude.
Chapter II
Your vision.
I am driven to build transformative medicines that meaningfully change lives. When I encounter a technology that feels elegant yet unconventional—one that requires imagination to see the paradigm shift it could create—I am compelled to help bring it forward. No one is truly trying to cure severe allergies. Millions of people, including children, live with constant vigilance and constraint. I believe we can do more. CAR-T therapy has always held promise, but it has been too complex, costly, and difficult to deploy broadly. With the emergence of in vivo CAR engineering using mRNA and targeted LNP delivery, I see a future where a simple injection could durably eliminate allergic disease. Our approach targets the IgE B-cell receptor, aiming to safely eliminate IgE-producing memory B cells and plasma cells—potentially resetting allergy at its source. The vision is bold, but achievable: prove it can be safe, effective, and scalable, and fundamentally change how we treat allergic disease.
Chapter III
The impact you want to leave behind — for your industry, your community, and the women who come next.
I want my legacy to include eliminating unnecessary suffering from severe allergies—but also redefining what leadership looks like in biotech. I hope to help create a future where more female leaders succeed without resorting to toxic politics or power struggles, proving that strength and kindness are not opposites. I want investors to recognize integrity, collaboration, and humanity as markers of enduring value. If we can demonstrate that breakthrough science thrives in cultures built on trust and service, we can shift expectations for what success means—away from individual dominance and toward shared achievement within a community that uplifts and supports its members.