Belay Diagnostics names Stanford neuro-oncologist Seema Nagpal, MD, its first chief medical officer
Nagpal’s experience treating patients with CNS cancers will help shape Belay’s clinical strategy and expand the use of CSF liquid biopsy testing
CHICAGO, Nov. 10, 2026 — Belay Diagnostics today announced that Seema Nagpal, MD, a practicing Stanford neuro-oncologist, will join the company full time as its first chief medical officer on Nov. 19, 2026. Belay is a molecular diagnostics company specializing in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) liquid biopsy for central nervous system (CNS) cancers.
Nagpal is a board-certified neuro-oncologist who has served as a clinical professor at Stanford University School of Medicine, treating patients with primary brain tumors, brain metastases, and leptomeningeal disease. Her research has included clinical trials for advanced CNS cancers and work involving CSF-based biomarkers for disease detection and monitoring.
“Dr. Nagpal’s experience caring for patients with CNS cancers gives her direct insight into the challenges clinicians face and the information they need to make difficult decisions,” said Brian Coe, co-founder and CEO of Belay Diagnostics. “Having her leadership on our team truly transforms our ability to fulfill our mission to serve patients and those who care for them.”
As chief medical officer, Nagpal will help guide Belay’s clinical strategy, research and publications, and physician engagement. She will also lead development of an interactive molecular case review platform designed to enable clinicians who use Belay’s tests to discuss complex cases with clinical experts.
Beyond her clinical and research work, Nagpal serves on the board of the Leptomeningeal Cancer Foundation and as neuro-oncology section editor for HemOnc.org. She previously served on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Central Nervous System Cancers Panel, contributing to guidance on brain metastases and leptomeningeal disease.
“Liquid biopsy is increasingly used in other areas of oncology, but its adoption in neuro-oncology has been slower,” said Nagpal. “I’ve spent years advocating for its use because I’ve seen firsthand what it means to identify a new target and start a treatment that dramatically alters the patient’s life. That information shouldn’t be limited to academic centers. All patients and their doctors deserve to have this information, no matter where they are. I’m very excited to join Belay and bring state-of-the-art testing to patients and doctors everywhere.”
About Belay Diagnostics – Belay Diagnostics is a Chicago-based laboratory dedicated to serving patients and the clinicians who care for them. Using licensed technology developed through more than 10 years of scientific research at Johns Hopkins University, Belay has developed three proprietary CSF liquid biopsy tests – Belay Summit™ 2.0, Belay Ascent™, and Belay Vantage™ – validated to help inform the diagnosis and management of primary and metastatic CNS malignancies. Belay’s tests provide clinicians with comprehensive molecular insights from a standard lumbar puncture with a turnaround time of 6-8 calendar days. No tissue required. For more information, visit belaydiagnostics.com.