# James M. Wilson

> James M. Wilson is an American scientist and biotechnology founder who leads GEMMA Biotherapeutics and chairs Franklin Biolabs. After joining the University of Pennsylvania in 1993, he built an academic research program and helped establish multiple companies before leaving in 2024 to form two independent businesses. His career also includes a continuing connection to Albion College, where he and his wife, Lisa, endowed an undergraduate institute in 2018.

- **Role:** Founder, President and Chief Executive Officer at GEMMA Biotherapeutics
- **Organizations:** GEMMA Biotherapeutics, Franklin Biolabs, University of Pennsylvania, Albion College, REGENXBIO, Passage Bio, Scout Bio, Genovo
- **Nationality:** American
- **Education:** B.A. in Chemistry, Albion College, M.D., University of Michigan Medical School, Ph.D. in Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan Medical School
- **Known for:** Helped establish ten biotechnology companies, as counted in his current GEMMABio biography., His team is credited with 95 technology patents in the current GEMMABio biography., With Lisa Wilson, funded an Albion College institute through a $5.1 million gift in 2018.

## Career timeline

- **1977** — Graduated from Albion College with a B.A. in chemistry.
- **1984** — Earned M.D. and Ph.D. degrees at the University of Michigan.
- **1984-1986** — Completed internship and residency training at Massachusetts General Hospital.
- **1986-1988** — Postdoctoral fellow at the Whitehead Institute at MIT.
- **1993** — Joined the University of Pennsylvania.
- **2017** — Named inaugural Rose H. Weiss endowed director’s professor at Penn.
- **2018** — With Lisa Wilson, gave $5.1 million to establish an institute at Albion College.
- **2022** — Delivered Albion College’s commencement address.
- **2024** — Announced departure from Penn and formation of GEMMABio and Franklin Biolabs; companies launched October 1.

## Achievements

- Helped establish ten biotechnology companies, as counted in his current GEMMABio biography.
- His team is credited with 95 technology patents in the current GEMMABio biography.
- With Lisa Wilson, funded an Albion College institute through a $5.1 million gift in 2018.
- Led GEMMABio at the time of its December 2024 announcement of a $34 million seed financing.

## Latest updates

- **2026-07** — GEMMABio announced an ARPA-H funding award and collaboration with Profluent Bio.
- **2025-10** — GEMMABio launched affiliate Rare Therapeutics, Inc., known as RareTx.
- **2024-12** — GEMMABio announced a $34 million seed round co-led by Double Point Ventures, Bioluminescence Ventures and Earlybird Venture Capital.

## Links

- Website: https://www.gemmabiotx.com/team
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-wilson-md-phd

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/james-wilson
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-12