From Resident to Strategist: Tavangar to Steer LabCentral's Next Chapter

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – January 12, 2026 – In a move that underscores a strategic evolution for one of the world's most prominent life sciences incubators, LabCentral today announced the appointment of Kamran Tavangar as its first Head of Science Strategy. The appointment marks a significant homecoming for Tavangar, a seasoned biotech executive who previously spent five years as a LabCentral resident, co-founding and growing the highly successful vaccine company Affinivax within its walls. His return, this time as a key member of the executive team, signals a deliberate push to deepen the scientific and strategic guidance available to the next generation of biotech entrepreneurs.

In this newly created executive role, Tavangar is tasked with shaping LabCentral's scientific direction, enhancing its extensive programming, and expanding the intellectual capital available to its resident startups and the broader Massachusetts innovation ecosystem. His appointment comes at a time when the biotech landscape is navigating what he terms "rapid changes," requiring startups to be more agile, strategic, and scientifically rigorous than ever before.

A Homecoming with a Strategic Mission

Tavangar’s journey from a LabCentral resident to a strategic leader provides him with a uniquely intimate understanding of the incubator's value and the specific needs of its entrepreneurs. During his five-year residency, he served as co-founder and COO of Affinivax, a company that leveraged LabCentral’s platform to focus its resources on core science. This strategy proved immensely successful, culminating in the company's acquisition by GSK in 2022 for up to $3.3 billion—a testament to the high-impact potential LabCentral aims to foster.

"We couldn't be more excited to welcome Kamran back to LabCentral, this time as part of our team," said Maggie O'Toole, President and CEO of LabCentral. "His experience, perspective, and generosity of spirit inspired this role, and his thoughtful, collaborative approach will be an incredible asset to our resident entrepreneurs and the broader life sciences community."

O'Toole highlighted that Tavangar's direct experience building a company from the ground up at LabCentral gives him unparalleled insight. "He's now returned with a genuine desire to give back to the community that helped shape his journey," she added.

This sentiment is echoed by Tavangar himself, who credits the incubator for its critical role in his own entrepreneurial success. "I have always been impressed with LabCentral's commitment to remaining at the forefront of biotech innovation, and I am excited for the opportunity to help expand this leadership position," Tavangar stated. "LabCentral was instrumental in the success of Affinivax and so many other companies, providing the exceptional support that we all needed, and I now have the privilege of supporting this next generation."

Beyond Bench Space: Evolving the Incubator Model

Tavangar's appointment signifies a broader trend in the startup ecosystem, where leading incubators are evolving beyond providing just state-of-the-art facilities. While LabCentral’s 200,000 square feet of fully permitted lab and office space are a critical draw, its leadership has increasingly focused on building an ecosystem of comprehensive support. This hire formalizes that push, embedding high-level scientific strategy directly into its leadership structure.

Since its founding in 2013, LabCentral has become a powerhouse launchpad. Its resident and alumni companies have raised over $20 billion in funding and created more than 7,000 jobs. This success is built on a foundation of robust programming, including the "Golden Ticket" program that provides sponsored lab space, extensive investor networking, and mentorship roundtables.

More recently, the institution has launched initiatives to address specific industry needs. LabCentral Ignite is a program dedicated to enhancing diversity and inclusion in the life sciences through workforce training and STEM education. The newly established AI BioHub, a partnership with C10 Labs, provides startups at the intersection of biology and artificial intelligence with the wet lab space, computational infrastructure, and specialized mentorship needed to thrive. Tavangar's role is poised to amplify these efforts, ensuring the scientific underpinnings of resident companies are as strong as their business plans.

Fortifying a Global Biotech Powerhouse

The creation of a Head of Science Strategy role is also a strategic play to fortify the position of LabCentral—and by extension, the entire Massachusetts biotech cluster—as a global leader. The region is home to a dense and competitive landscape of incubators, academic labs, and corporate innovation centers, all vying to support the next big breakthrough. By bringing in a leader with over thirty years of experience spanning multinational giants like Novartis and successful startups like Affinivax and Atias Pharma, LabCentral is enhancing its unique value proposition.

Tavangar’s deep industry knowledge, which includes leadership roles in strategic planning, oncology, and global marketing at Novartis, allows him to provide startups with a crucial perspective on navigating the complex path from discovery to commercialization. He can offer insights into what large pharmaceutical companies look for in partnerships and acquisitions, how to design development programs with the end in mind, and how to build a company that is attractive to investors and talent alike. This level of integrated strategic counsel is a powerful differentiator in a crowded field and strengthens the entire innovation pipeline originating from the Cambridge area.

Charting the Future of Biotech Innovation

Looking ahead, Tavangar is expected to spearhead several key initiatives. His immediate priorities will likely involve formalizing a scientific advisory board composed of key opinion leaders to expand LabCentral's network and influence. Furthermore, his background in vaccine development and therapeutics positions him perfectly to enhance support for companies working on advanced modalities, from cell and gene therapies to novel immunotherapies.

With the industry increasingly reliant on data science and artificial intelligence, Tavangar’s leadership will be crucial in guiding the evolution of the AI BioHub and ensuring residents can effectively leverage computational tools to accelerate their research. His experience taking a product from the lab bench into clinical trials with Affinivax provides a blueprint for creating programs that help other startups de-risk their science and navigate the complex regulatory pathway more efficiently.

Ultimately, his appointment is a forward-looking investment in LabCentral's most valuable asset: its community of scientists and entrepreneurs. By embedding a leader with a proven track record of both scientific innovation and business acumen, LabCentral is not just reacting to the changing biotech landscape but is actively shaping it, ensuring its residents are equipped to build the transformative companies of tomorrow.