Marcela Kokes, PhD, joined Acelot as a Senior Scientist in 2022. With over nine years of post-PhD research experience in neuroscience and cell biology, Dr. Kokes has an extensive track record of developing and achieving a disciplined strategy to align functional goals with key scientific objectives. In her role at Acelot, she develops and oversees robust biochemical and cell-based assays employing quantitative microscopy techniques to build robust structure-activity-relationship pipelines and integrate data to improve predictive and generative machine-learning models for drug discovery. Dr. Kokes has deep expertise in developing complex disease-relevant cell-based assays for neurodegeneration and at Acelot she has established robust human iPSC-derived disease-relevant neuronal models to establish the impact of therapy candidates on neurodegenerative indications. Her commitment and strategic insights are essential in advancing Acelot’s goals in neurodegenerative disease research.

Before her time at Acelot, she was a Scientist II at ESCAPE Bio, where she optimized image-based cellular assays and collaborated across functional teams to develop a variety of therapeutic programs for neurodegeneration.

Dr. Kokes was a postdoctoral scholar in neuroscience at Stanford University, earned her PhD in Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics & Microbiology from Duke University, and her BA in Biology from Lewis & Clark College.