Meet

Vectorial

Spun out from Virginia Tech’s Fralin Biomedical Research Institute, Vectorial’s team comprises experts in molecular biology, gene therapies, and cardiac physiology.

Our Science
Our Team

Mission

To develop targeted gene therapies that address the underlying biological drivers of cardiac dysfunction and deliver durable, disease-modifying impact for patients with heart failure.

Vision

To redefine the treatment of cardiovascular disease by restoring cellular energy metabolism and mechanical performance at the molecular level – transforming heart failure from a progressive condition into a manageable disease.

Values

At Vectorial, we believe in scientific rigor, precision, impact, integrity, transparency, and partnership.

Leadership team

Alexey Zaitsev, PhD

CEO, Co-Founder

Dr. Alexey V. Zaitsev is a cardiovascular scientist with extensive expertise in cardiac physiology, pathophysiology, and translational cardiovascular research. He serves as a Senior Research Scientist at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech and leads the AAV-PERM1 Proof-of-Concept program advancing Vectorial’s gene therapy approach for heart failure. Dr. Zaitsev has authored more than 60 peer-reviewed publications and two book chapters spanning cardiomyocyte physiology, cardiac energetics, and functional assessment of cardiac performance in preclinical disease models. His work integrates mechanistic studies of cardiac energy metabolism with the development and evaluation of therapeutic strategies for cardiovascular disease. Earlier in his career, he founded a bioinstrumentation startup and guided it to the revenue stage, gaining firsthand experience with the scientific and operational challenges of early-stage biotechnology ventures. He has also served as Principal Investigator on grants from the National Institutes of Health, the American Heart Association, and other organizations, including a Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation Launch Grant that supported early development of the company’s platform.

Junco Warren, Ph.D., Co-Founder and President of Vectorial Corp.

Junco Warren, PhD, FAHA

PRESIDENT, Co-Founder

Dr. Junco Warren is a cardiovascular scientist and innovator dedicated to restoring heart health through metabolic and mitochondrial insights. She is a principal investigator and leads her laboratory at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech. As President of Vectorial Corp., she leads scientific strategy, preclinical program development, and translational validation of the company’s gene therapy platform. She is the inventor of PERM1 as a therapeutic target for heart failure. Her research focuses on how disruptions in cardiomyocyte energy metabolism drive disease and uses multi-omics and integrative biological approaches to translate these discoveries into new therapeutic strategies. With a Ph.D. in Pharmacology and an extensive publication record on cardiac metabolism, mitochondrial function, and transcriptional regulation, Dr. Warren combines deep scientific expertise with translational vision to advance Vectorial’s mission of addressing the root causes of heart failure and improving patients’ quality of life.

Karthi Sreedevi, Ph.D., Co-founder and CSO of Vectorial Corp.

Karthi Sreedevi, PhD

CSO, Co-Founder

Dr. Karthi Sreedevi is a biotechnology and glycobiology expert with deep experience in cardiac physiology and mitochondrial bioenergetics. She is a postdoctoral associate in the Warren laboratory at the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at Virginia Tech. As Chief Scientific Officer of Vectorial Corp., she leads the experimental and operational execution of the company’s AAV-PERM1 gene therapy program, guiding the preclinical studies that support its translational development. Her work combines expertise in mouse models of heart failure, intravenous AAV gene delivery, and mitochondrial functional assays to evaluate how metabolic interventions can restore cardiac performance. Dr. Sreedevi’s research background in glycobiology and cellular metabolism provides a strong foundation for investigating molecular mechanisms that influence cardiac energy regulation. Through her leadership of Vectorial’s laboratory programs, she plays a central role in generating the data that advances the company’s therapeutic strategy toward clinical development.