Navigating Excellence: Our Guiding Stars
                        Meet the Experts Shaping AI-Driven Drug Design and Discovery                    
                                    Rayca Precision Team
 
				Pouya Behrouzi
Co-Founder and CEO
 
								Pouya Behrouzi
Co-Founder and CEO
									I'm dedicating myself to leverage best in kind AI models and our proprietary data infrastructure to solve some of the toughest challenges in drug development. At Rayca, we focus on designing and delivering advanced drug candidates—small molecules, cyclic and linear peptides, peptidomimetics, antibodies, and novel protein therapies. By combining data from genomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics with our advanced computational workflows, we uncover new opportunities for breakthrough treatments in areas like oncology, immunotherapy, and rare diseases.
What makes our work exciting is the way we bring together advanced computational modeling and real-world testing. Every drug candidate we design is carefully optimized to balance efficacy, safety, and practical application. From mapping cryptic binding pockets to refining pharmacokinetics, our goal is to create therapies that truly make a difference for patients.
As we grow Rayca Precision, my focus is on building meaningful partnerships with biotech and pharma, collaborations with our wonderful academic partners in order to expand our therapeutic pipeline, and make sure that we stay ahead in an ever-evolving life sciences industry. I’m driven by a deep belief in the power of technology and science to transform medicine, and I’m committed to make that happen at Rayca Precision.								
								
															 
				Mahmood Zali
Co-Founder and CBO
 
								Mahmood Zali
Co-Founder and CBO
									As Co-Founder and Chief Business Officer at Rayca Precision, I’ve dedicated my career to building partnerships that bridge the gap between science and the business strategies needed to deliver life-changing therapies. At Rayca, we focus on designing and delivering optimized drug candidate libraries rather than offering a platform—a unique business model that sets us apart. Our approach ensures that every molecule, every peptide, and every construct we create is tailored to solve the most pressing challenges in oncology, immunotherapy, and rare diseases. It’s a model built on precision, collaboration, and the relentless pursuit of better outcomes for patients.
With decades of experience in business development and entrepreneurship, I’ve learned that true innovation requires more than great science, it demands a deep understanding of markets, partners, and the people behind every opportunity. My role at Rayca involves guiding and executing partnership development processes, defining market development strategies, and creating the frameworks that enable our team to thrive in a complex life sciences market.
I’m endlessly optimistic about the future of AI in drug discovery, because I see how our science, our business model, and our partnerships come together to push better therapeutics every single day.								
								
															 
				Mahdi Muhaddesi
Co-Founder and Chief of Data Infrastructure
 
								Mahdi Muhaddesi
Co-Founder and Chief of Data Infrastructure
									As Co-Founder and Chief of Data Infrastructure at Rayca Precision, I lead the development of our Trusted Integrated Data Environment (TIDE), a foundational innovation we call RaycaTIDE. This state-of-the-art data lakehouse solution powers our entire drug discovery platform, enabling it to learn and adapt from each discovery. By seamlessly integrating multi-omics data, experimental findings, and computational outputs, RaycaTIDE creates a federated and dynamic environment that evolves with every new dataset, making our platform smarter and more precise over time.
With a deep background in infrastructure scaling, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance, I’ve built a robust system that supports the massive computational demands of modern drug discovery and ensures data security, integrity, and compliance with health industry standards. My work bridges cutting-edge data engineering with the critical needs of life sciences so Rayca can turn vast, complex datasets into actionable insights that accelerate therapeutic innovation.
I focus on scaling infrastructure that balances high-performance computing with trusted security measures, and  make sure our researchers and collaborators at Rayca Precision can rely on a platform that’s as secure as it is powerful. Every byte of data that flows through RaycaTIDE represents a step forward in solving some of medicine’s toughest challenges, and I’m proud to play a role in building the backbone of this transformative technology.								
								
															 
				Lucia Galassi
Bioinformatician Scientist
 
				Natalia Karimova
Computational Chemist
 
				Steven Goold
Computational Chemist
 
				Saswati Panda
Drug Hunter, Computational Chemist
 
				Hsiang Yun Lu
Bioinformatics Engineer
 
				Aparajita Chakraborty
Computational Chemist
 
				Upeksha Dissanayake
Quantum Computational Chemist
 
				Kurt Knight
Business Development Partner
 
								Kurt Knight
Business Development Partner
									Kurt Knight is a highly skilled business development with a proven track record in the healthcare industry. With over 33 product launches and 4 start-ups under his belt, Kurt has extensive experience in pharmaceuticals, capital equipment, imaging, medical devices, diagnostics, and more. His background in a broad range of specialties and call points gives him a unique advantage in providing comprehensive solutions to employers and customers.
Kurt's expertise in infectious disease, oncology, neurology, and other specialties has enabled him to call on a variety of institutions, including hospitals, physician clinics, pharmacies, long-term care facilities, and more. He has experience in key account management, regional account management, and territory management, as well as training and managing sales teams.
Kurt is a Challenger and SPIN sales methodology expert, skilled in selling, marketing, launching products, business development, analysis, strategy, planning, execution, pricing and negotiations, contracting, networking, and creating and leveraging resources. He is proficient in a variety of technologies, including Salesforce, Microsoft platforms, video conferencing, Tableau, and more.
In addition to his professional accomplishments, Kurt is actively involved in his community. He has volunteered with the Rocky Mountain Society of Gastroenterology Nurses and Associates (SGNA), the Colorado Cancer Coalition, ProjectCure, and various missions.
With his proven track record of high-level performance, awards, and goal achievement, Kurt brings valuable skills and experience to the Rayca Precision team. His ability to collaborate, build relationships, and achieve goals make him a valuable asset to the company.								
								
															