The T1D Fund Strengthens Expertise With Appointment of Biotech Industry Veteran and Cell Therapy Expert Teresa Foy, Ph.D., to Advance Next Generation of Type 1 Diabetes ("T1D") Therapies

Former Bristol Myers Squibb and Celgene executive to strengthen the Fund's impact strategy and fuel transformative investments across innovative modalities

BOSTON, Jan. 21, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The T1D Fund: A Breakthrough T1D Venture, LLC, an impact investment fund focused on accelerating life-changing solutions to treat, prevent, and ultimately cure type 1 diabetes, today announced Teresa Foy, Ph.D., has joined the Fund as a strategic consultant.

Dr. Foy brings more than 25 years of biomedical leadership and deep expertise in immunology, immuno-oncology (I-O), cell therapy and drug development. With her appointment, the Fund is expanding on its ability to identify and advance high-impact opportunities, particularly in areas where antibody and cell-based innovation intersect with the next generation of T1D treatments.

"We are thrilled to welcome Teri to the T1D Fund as we embark on this new phase of growth and impact," said Elizabeth Mily, CEO of the T1D Fund. "Anchored by our excellent track-record and ongoing $150+ million capital raise, we are positioned to make larger, more strategic investments into companies pursuing true disease-modifying or curative potential in T1D. Teri's profound experience in translating early discovery into human proof-of-concept across diverse T-cell therapeutic modalities and immune pathways strengthens our ability to evaluate, invest in, and support the field's most promising assets as we pursue effective therapeutics for patients."

Dr. Foy recently retired from Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS), where she led the Cancer Immunology and Cell Therapy Thematic Research Center. There, she oversaw the development and translation of the company's early I-O and cell therapy pipeline. Prior to BMS, Dr. Foy spent more than five years at Celgene, where she was instrumental in establishing the company's Seattle site and spearheading foundational research in numerous novel targets, including myeloid cells and regulatory T cells—pathways critical to restoring immune tolerance in T1D. Dr. Foy holds a Ph.D. in immunology from the University of Iowa and completed her post-doctoral fellowship in immunology at Dartmouth Medical School. She has also held senior R&D roles at Corixa and GlaxoSmithKline, in addition to being an inventor on nearly a dozen patents for novel immune compositions.

"I am honored to join the T1D Fund and contribute to a mission that is shifting the paradigm from reactive symptom management to proactive cure development for T1D patients," said Dr. Foy. "Having spent my career developing therapeutics for oncology and inflammation, I see a tremendous opportunity to apply those insights to T1D. I look forward to working with the team to identify and accelerate the most promising assets that can truly make an impact on this disease."

This appointment comes at a pivotal moment of growth for the Fund, following the recent launch of a $150+ million fundraising campaign designed to catalyze larger, higher-conviction investments in the T1D space.

About the T1D Fund
Launched in 2016, the T1D Fund is the first scaled venture fund established to catalyze the development of T1D cure-oriented therapies through equity investments. The Fund co-invests with venture capital and biopharma in support of early-stage companies pursuing disease modifying therapies and potential cures for T1D. A core element of our mission is to rapidly advance promising therapies through development and ultimately regulatory approval. The Fund works in close partnership with Breakthrough T1D (formerly JDRF) and The Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust—two of the leading global organizations committed to supporting the T1D community and to advancing T1D research and innovation. Led by a deeply experienced team of healthcare and investing professionals, the Fund leverages its vast research, clinical, regulatory and medical affairs network on behalf of its portfolio companies. Capitalized through philanthropic dollars, the Fund makes investments in biotech companies and recycles returns into new investments, thereby extending the impact of its donors' contributions. Learn more at t1dfund.org. Follow the T1D Fund on LinkedIn.

For media inquiries:

T1D Fund
Lia Dangelico
[email protected] 

SOURCE The T1D Fund