Biotech venture capital is risky business, inherently at the mercy of regulators and binary outcomes. Now it may face a new challenge in the form of Vinay Prasad, who this week was named to lead the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

In his new role with the FDA, Dr. Vinay Prasad will oversee the regulation of costly drugs, including vaccines, gene therapies, and blood supply.

The UCSF professor and frequent YouTube poster has criticized COVID-19 vaccine mandates as well as the accelerated approval pathway and other FDA practices. Predictions of what his tenure might achieve are scattershot.