Seema Nagpal Joins Belay Diagnostics to Lead Clinical Strategy and Research

Molecular diagnostics company Belay Diagnostics has appointed Seema Nagpal, MD, a practising Stanford neuro-oncologist, as its first chief medical officer. Nagpal will join the company full time on 19 November 2026, bringing clinical and research experience in central nervous system (CNS) cancers to its leadership team.

Belay Diagnostics specialises in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) liquid biopsy testing for CNS cancers. The company aims to use molecular analysis of cerebrospinal fluid to provide clinicians with information that can support cancer detection, monitoring and treatment decisions.

Seema Nagpal brings Stanford neuro-oncology experience to Belay Diagnostics

Nagpal is a board-certified neuro-oncologist who has served as a clinical professor at Stanford University School of Medicine. Her clinical work has involved treating patients with primary brain tumours, brain metastases and leptomeningeal disease.

Her research has included clinical trials involving advanced CNS cancers, as well as investigations into CSF-based biomarkers for detecting and monitoring disease.

Belay Diagnostics co-founder and CEO Brian Coe said Nagpal’s experience treating patients with CNS cancers would give the company valuable insight into the practical challenges clinicians face.

He added that her understanding of the information doctors need when making complex treatment decisions would strengthen the company’s ability to serve patients and healthcare professionals.

Clinical strategy and physician engagement among Nagpal’s responsibilities

As chief medical officer, Nagpal will oversee several areas of Belay Diagnostics’ clinical development and engagement activities.

Her responsibilities will include:

• Guiding the company’s clinical strategy.
• Supporting research initiatives and scientific publications.
• Strengthening engagement with physicians.
• Leading the development of an interactive molecular case review platform.

The proposed platform is intended to allow clinicians using Belay’s tests to discuss complex patient cases with clinical experts. This could provide an additional channel for physicians seeking specialist input when interpreting molecular diagnostic findings.

Liquid biopsy adoption in neuro-oncology remains a challenge

Nagpal’s appointment comes as the use of liquid biopsy technologies in neuro-oncology continues to develop.

Liquid biopsy involves analysing biological samples to identify molecular information associated with disease. In CNS cancer applications, Belay focuses on cerebrospinal fluid, the fluid surrounding the brain and spinal cord, rather than relying solely on tissue samples.

Nagpal said liquid biopsy has become increasingly established in other areas of oncology, but its adoption in neuro-oncology has progressed more slowly.

She has spent several years advocating for wider use of the technology, highlighting its potential to identify new therapeutic targets and help doctors select treatments that could significantly affect patient outcomes.

Nagpal also emphasised the importance of making advanced diagnostic capabilities available beyond major academic medical centres.

She said patients and their doctors should have access to this information regardless of where they receive care, adding that she was excited to join Belay Diagnostics and help expand access to advanced testing.

Nagpal brings experience in clinical guidance and cancer advocacy

In addition to her clinical and research activities, Nagpal has held several positions within the neuro-oncology community.

She serves on the board of the Leptomeningeal Cancer Foundation and is the neuro-oncology section editor for HemOnc.org.

She previously served on the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) Central Nervous System Cancers Panel, contributing to clinical guidance concerning brain metastases and leptomeningeal disease.

Her combination of clinical practice, research and involvement in professional organisations is expected to inform her work at Belay Diagnostics.

Belay Diagnostics looks to strengthen access to CNS cancer testing

Nagpal’s appointment gives Belay Diagnostics dedicated medical leadership as it develops its clinical strategy and seeks to expand the use of CSF-based molecular testing in neuro-oncology.

Her responsibilities will extend beyond research and product development to include physician engagement and the proposed molecular case review platform.

The company’s broader objective is to make advanced molecular testing more accessible to clinicians treating CNS cancers, while providing information that can help guide difficult diagnostic and treatment decisions.