Tao brings over 19 years of experience in leading the discovery and development of innovative drug candidates in Oncology and Rare Genetic Disease area. Prior to joining Ensem Therapeutics, Tao was the Director of Medicinal Chemistry at Agios Pharmaceuticals, where he was project leader for multiple programs, and led the discovery of AG-946 as the next generation of PKR activator, currently in Phase I clinical trial. Before that, Tao held positions of increasing responsibilities in medicinal chemistry group at Infinity Pharmaceuticals, where he was an intellectual leader for the discovery of PI3K-gamma selective drug candidate IPI-549 (Eganelisib), which is in Phase II clinical development in oncology.

Tao earned a B.S. in chemistry from University of Science and Technology of China, and a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from Brandeis University, and completed a Postdoctoral Fellow in Chemistry at Boston College.