Karoline Shair, PhD.

Karoline Shair has over 25 years of global legal and leadership expertise in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries. She most recently served as Chief Legal Officer and Corporate Secretary of Akouos, Inc., a genetic medicine company focused on inner ear disorders, acquired by Eli Lilly. Prior to Akouos, Karoline was Vice President, Head Counsel Intellectual Property (IP) Program Portfolio at Biogen, where she led the company’s global IP portfolio strategy, IP diligence, and transactions for business development and M&A opportunities. Prior to Biogen, she served as Vice President Legal, Chief Intellectual Property Counsel, and Corporate Secretary at FORMA Therapeutics, where she was responsible for building the legal department and providing strategic counsel on all legal matters. Karoline has also held leadership roles at Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Takeda Pharmaceuticals, including Vice President, IP Region Head, where she led IP strategy, litigation, and transactions for the global oncology therapeutic area and business unit. Karoline has also practiced law at Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Choate, Hall & Stewart. Karoline received a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Bryn Mawr College, a PhD in chemistry from Yale University, and a JD from Boston College Law School.