Who We Are
Meet Clareo’s team of Founders. Collectively, our team has decades of experience in genomic assay development, immunogenetics, information technology, bioinformatics, and artificial intelligence.
Melissa Smith, CEO
Melissa Smith obtained her foundational training in virology and immunology at Harvard University and Institut Pasteur, Paris, and is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Louisville School of Medicine. While at UofL, Melissa has also spearheaded the Sequencing Technology Center, the only PacBio Certified Service Provider in Kentucky. Prior to moving to Louisville, she occupied roles as a strategic marketing manager at Pacific Biosciences and Associate Director of Technology Development at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mt. Sinai. Her ongoing scientific efforts focus on developing innovative genomics strategies to resolve complex genomics structures, including immunogenomic loci and repertoires.
Corey Watson, CSO
Corey Watson is a global leader in immunogenomics, with 18 years of experience in the development of novel approaches for profiling diversity in the adaptive immune system. His research has demonstrated extensive genetic diversity in immune receptor genes of human populations and key animal model species, shedding light on our understanding of immune system function and disease. He is also a key opinion leader in data standards and policy development for adaptive immune receptor genes, with active roles in multiple international societies. He is currently an Associate Professor at the University of Louisville School of Medicine.
William Lees, CTO
William Lees develops tools and techniques for adaptive immune receptor gene discovery and repertoire analysis, and publishes widely-used receptor gene databases. Formerly he was a co-founder and COO of Virtual Clarity, a successful technology startup, and Executive Director of IT at UBS Investment Bank.