Toronto, Canada – July 14, 2025 – BenchSci, a world leader in AI solutions for preclinical research and drug discovery, is proud to announce two significant additions to its leadership team. John Jackson has been appointed as Chief Technology Officer (CTO), while Peter Grandsard joins as Fractional Senior Vice President (SVP) of Strategy.
John Jackson joins BenchSci as Chief Technology Officer, bringing over 20 years of leadership experience as a CTO and CEO within the healthcare data sector and beyond. A seasoned entrepreneur and patent-holding inventor, John has successfully guided organizations from start-up to acquisition, developing cutting-edge technology solutions along the way. His expertise spans application development, artificial intelligence, software architecture, and data systems for leading global clients. At BenchSci, John will drive the advancement of BenchSci’s ASCEND platform, leveraging his deep expertise in healthcare data and technical innovation to deliver impactful, scalable solutions that empower scientists and accelerate drug discovery worldwide.
Peter Grandsard, an accomplished industry leader with extensive biopharma expertise, joins BenchSci as Fractional SVP of Strategy. During nearly three decades at Amgen, Peter made significant contributions to therapeutics discovery platforms, most recently leading Amgen’s Center for Research Acceleration by Digital Innovation. In that role, he advanced the use of automation, analytical methods, computational and data sciences to accelerate drug discovery at Amgen. His leadership fostered strong cross-functional and external collaborations to deliver scalable digital solutions that have helped bring new therapeutic candidates to the clinic more efficiently. At BenchSci, Peter will leverage his comprehensive experience and market insights to shape strategic vision and innovation in close alignment with the needs of R&D scientists and the healthcare community.
“Joining BenchSci is a wonderful opportunity to contribute to a company that is focused on transforming preclinical R&D through strong partnerships. I have co-championed the ASCEND platform at Amgen, seen firsthand its ability to make scientists more efficient, as well as recognized its potential to revolutionize how scientists discover and develop new therapeutics,” said Grandsard. “I’m excited to help drive innovation, further develop and integrate ASCEND, and support researchers in delivering life-changing treatments more efficiently."
These appointments reflect BenchSci’s commitment to strengthening its leadership and advancing its vision to empower scientists with the tools they need to accelerate novel drug discovery.
“We’re at a pivotal moment in drug discovery, as technology and AI continue to expand what’s possible for scientists and patients alike,” said Liran Belenzon, CEO of BenchSci. “John’s expertise in building advanced technology platforms and AI solutions will further enhance our ASCEND platform. Peter’s impressive background at Amgen gives him a unique perspective on the needs and challenges of pharmaceutical researchers. By bringing together their experience, we’re strengthening our ability to deliver the solutions our pharma partners rely on to advance their most important work.”
About BenchSci
BenchSci is a world leader in AI solutions for drug discovery on a mission to exponentially increase the speed and quality of life-saving R&D to help bring new medicines to patients faster. We apply AI to understand how disease biology works throughout the drug discovery pipeline to solve the number one reason drug discovery projects fail—getting the biology wrong. Our platform, ASCEND, acts as a scalable AI assistant for preclinical organizations, increasing the productivity of the preclinical R&D pipeline across therapeutic areas. Backed by top-tier investors, including Generation Investment Management, iNovia Capital, TCV, F-Prime, Gradient Ventures (Google’s AI fund), and Golden Ventures, BenchSci has raised over $200 million. Our platform accelerates science at 16 top-20 pharmaceutical companies and over 4,500 leading research centers worldwide. We’re a Deloitte Technology Fast 50™ and Fast 500™ winner and a certified Great Place to Work®. For more information about BenchSci, visit www.benchsci.com.
For more information, please contact Christina Peck at cpeck@benchsci.com.