Max Distler

Max Distler joined Flagship Pioneering in 2023 after completing the Flagship Pioneering Fellowship earlier that year. As part of Jacob Ruben’s venture creation team, Max works to launch and grow innovative platform companies in health, enabling technologies, and sustainability. In his role, he participates in all aspects of company creation and operations, such as initial ideation, team building, scientific and operational strategy, and intellectual property.

Max completed his postdoc in chemistry at MIT, where he was selected as an American Cancer Society Postdoctoral Fellow. His research focused on the development of novel peptide- and protein-based therapeutics.

Max earned his Ph.D. in chemistry from Northwestern University, where he was a Ryan Fellow and the recipient of the International Institute of Nanotechnology Outstanding Researcher Award. His graduate research brought molecular precision to nanoscale materials through novel DNA architectures. He explored this newfound capability in the context of therapeutics and materials design. Max also holds a B.A. in Chemistry and Neuroscience from Wesleyan University.