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Principals
and Co-Chairs
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Brian Taylor Ph.D.
Brian Taylor combines a strong
technical background with extensive experience in life science product marketing
and strategy development. In 2004 he founded Growing Company Solutions,
Inc. a consulting firm assisting companies with commercialization of life
science products and services. The firm works with laboratory products,
molecular diagnostics, and other bioscience companies to identify and
accelerate product commercialization and market penetration strategies.
Dr.
Taylor is also a Principal Advisor with Larta Institute, helping NIH-funded
companies achieve their commercialization goals through the NIH
Commercialization Assistance Program. Previously, he was Director of
Strategic Marketing with QIAGEN N.V., a worldwide leader of products for
nucleic acid and protein purification. In this position, he analyzed global
research products markets, worked with senior management to formulate
corporate strategy, and served on the QIAGEN Technology Council, overseeing
technology development for QIAGEN R&D. He also managed a North American
tactical marketing group for QIAGEN for seven years, launching numerous products
and achieving a >40% organic CAGR.
Dr.
Taylor has an MBA from the University of Maryland, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry
from the University of Washington and fifteen years of molecular biology
research experience, including postdoctoral work with the CSIRO in
Canberra, Australia and a faculty appointment at Texas A&M University.
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Louis M. Scarmoutzos, Ph.D.
Dr. Scarmoutzos has over 20
years of industrial experience in the biotech, chemistry, healthcare,
medical device, pharmaceutical, homeland security, environmental, energy
and related industries. His hands-on industrial experience ranges from
Bench Top Scientist to Vice President of R&D to President and CEO. He
has founded several companies and is currently a Board Member of several
small and emerging companies.
Dr.
Scarmoutzos has worked extensively with startups and established companies
in the areas of entrepreneurship, technology commercialization, business
development, technology development, business strategy and planning,
marketing, intellectual property development and funding. He is an author
of numerous peer-reviewed technical and non-technical articles and holds
several issued and pending U.S. and International Patents. Dr. Scarmoutzos
continues to serve in an advisory capacity to both the private sector and
government. Dr. Scarmoutzos is also a columnist for BioExecutive
International, the monthly periodical geared to biotech executives and
senior business managers.
Dr.
Scarmoutzos received his B.S. cum laude in Chemistry from Boston College, a
Ph.D. summa cum laude in Organic Chemistry from the Pennsylvania State
University and was a Post Doctoral Fellow in the Department of Chemistry
and Chemical Biology at Harvard University. Dr. Scarmoutzos is currently an
adjunct faculty member at the University of Phoenix.
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Carlos N. Velez, Ph.D., MBA
Carlos N. Velez has been
involved in life science research, technology assessment, consulting, and
valuation since 1990. He has substantial expertise in the assessment and
valuation of life science technologies such as pharmaceuticals, diagnostics
and medical devices. In 2005, Carlos leveraged this experience to form The
Erie Hudson Group, a boutique firm focused on life science strategy
consulting, business development and financial advisory.
Erie
Hudson provides an array of strategic and financial services to life
science companies all over the World. Services include technical and
financial due diligence, market opportunity assessments, and advisory for
mergers, acquisitions, and joint ventures. Carlos earned his MBA in Finance
and Technology Management from the Rochester Institute of Technology.
Carlos also holds a Ph.D. degree in Pharmacy from the University of North
Carolina at Chapel Hill. While earning his doctorate, Carlos practiced as a
licensed pharmacist in North Carolina. Carlos’ undergraduate degree is a
B.S. in Pharmacy from the Albany College of Pharmacy.
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Tapas Saha, Ph.D.,
Tapas Saha is a distinguished
scientist with over 20 years of experience in Molecular Techniques and
Cellular Methods. He was a visiting research fellow at the NIH
(NICHD) where he also completed pos-doctoral training. He has authored over
25 papers in leading journals and has served as a scientific consultant for
numerous organizations and companies. He is currently a research
professor at Georgetown University School of Medicine and the Lombardi
Comprehensive Cancer Center.
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Scientific
Advisory Board
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Gerald
M. Rosen, Ph.D., J.D.
Professor
of Pharmacology, Duke University, Chair, Dept. of Pharmacology and
Toxicology, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Isaac E. Emerson
Professor, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy.
For the
past twenty-five years, Dr. Rosen’s research has centered on the role of
free radicals in biological systems. This research has focused on: (a) the
development of methods to detect and characterize free radicals generated
during cellular activation in vitro and in vivo and (b) the investigation
of the biological consequences of these reactive species.
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Subrata Saha, Ph.D.
Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Long
Term Effects of Medical Implants Research Professor & Director of
Musculoskeletal Research. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery &
Rehabilitation Medicine. Research Professor, Dept. Neurosurgery Research
Professor, Dept. Physiology & Pharmacology SUNY Downstate Medical
Center.
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Anna
Shvedova Ph.D., D.Sc.
FATS
Pathology and Physiology Research Branch, Health Effects Laboratory
Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Adjunct
Associate Professor Physiology and Pharmacology, School of Medicine, West
Virginia University, Morgantown, WV.
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Military
& Chem. Bio. Affairs
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Major
General (Retired), George Friel
Commander
of the U.S. Army Chemical and Biological Command. Managed the operation of the
free world’s largest Chemical/Biological research and development
laboratory at Edgewood Arsenal for 6 years. Managed DOD’s NBC Defense
research, development, engineering and acquisition Program, with a $1B
annual budget; Vice President, Chemical & Biological Affairs, Quick-Med
Technologies.
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Scientific
Review Board
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Robert Myers Ph.D.
Dr. Myers is Professor Emeritus
of Anesthesiology and Pathology at the University of California, San Diego,
Emeritus Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of the Peripheral Nervous System
and Senior Research Career Scientist at the VA Healthcare System in San
Diego. He directs the Peripheral Nerve Research Group at UCSD and remains
active in research and fellowship training.
Dr.
Myers has a BS degree in Electronic Engineering, a Ph.D. in Engineering
Sciences from UCSD, and extensive post-doctoral training in the
neurosciences. He has over 30 years of research and teaching experience at
the UCSD School of Medicine where he initially developed intraoperative EEG
recording as a monitoring tool for cerebral protection and identified
mechanisms of neurotoxic anesthetic injuries. The focus of his research
activities during the past 25 years has been on identifying the pathologic
and molecular factors of neuroinflammation involved in nerve injury and
pain, including basic investigations of the pathogenesis of neuropathic
pain states arising from nerve root injuries. He has received a National
Institutes of Health Senator Jacob Javits Neuroscience Investigator award
and several international awards for spine research. He lectures and
consults internationally.
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Alberto Hayek, M.D.
Scientific Director, The
Whittier Institute, La Jolla, CA. Professor of Pediatrics, In Residence, University
of California, San Diego, Department of Pediatrics; Director, Islet
Research Laboratory.
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Arthur
Toga Ph.D.
Arthur W.
Toga is Professor of Neurology at the University of California at Los
Angeles (UCLA). Arthur’s research is focused on neuroimaging, mapping brain
structure and function, and brain atlasing. He also studies cerebral
metabolism and neurovascular coupling. He was trained in neuroscience and
computer science and has written more than 650 papers, chapters and
abstracts, including eight books. Recruited to UCLA in 1987, he formed and
directs the Laboratory of Neuro Imaging. This 100-member laboratory
includes graduate students from computer science, biostatistics and
neuroscience. It houses one of the largest computing facilities of any
University of California research laboratory, and is funded by National
Institutes of Health grants as well as industry partners. He is Director of
the Training Program in Neuroimaging, Co- Director of the Division of Brain
Mapping, and Editor-in-Chief of the journal NeuroImage.
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Research
Center Chair
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Sidney
Levitsky, M.D.
Dr.
Levitsky is the President of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Dr.
Levitsky is also the Cheever Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School
and is the Director of Cardiothoracic Surgery at CAREGROUP as well as the
Senior Vice Chairman of the Department of Surgery at the Beth Israel
Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA.
He
received his MD degree from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and
completed his residency followed by Board Certification in General and
Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Yale-New Haven Medical Center. Following
military service as Chief of Surgery and later Commander of the Third
Surgical Hospital, Vietnam, he was a Senior Investigator and Senior Staff
Surgeon at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NIH). Prior to
coming to Harvard, he was the Chief of the Division of Cardiothoracic
Surgery and Professor of Surgery at the University of Illinois Medical
Center, Chicago, IL.
He is an
Established Investigator of the American Heart Association, has over 500
publications in both the clinical and basic research arena and is the
recipient of 35 years of peer reviewed funding from the NIH. Additionally,
he has represented the Society of Thoracic Surgeons and the American
Association for Thoracic Surgery at HCFA regarding Medicare reimbursement
and compliance.
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Local
Policy Advisory Board
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Antoine
Maurice Thompson
New York
State Senator for the 60th District. He serves in a leadership position as
a Co-Chair for the Democratic Senate Campaign Committee, and as Ranking
Member on the Cities Committee, and as Acting Ranking Member on the
Environmental Conservation Committee.
Senator
Thompson also serves on the following committees: Finance; Commerce,
Economic Development, and Small Business; Tourism, Recreation, and Sports
Development; and Veterans, Homeland Security, and Military Affairs. His
areas of focus include education, jobs, healthcare, business development,
and transportation.
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Government/Policy
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Robert
Charles
2003-2005
Assistant Secretary of State, for International Narcotics and Law
Enforcement Affairs (INL), under Secretaries Colin Powell and Condoleezza
Rice. His tenure in the Bush Administration led to the development of
strong international relationships, which reinforce his strong ties with
many in Congress and the administration. Staff Director and Chief Counsel
for the National Security, International Affairs, and Criminal Justice
Subcommittee (GRO) in the House of Representatives from 1995-1999.
Charles
also served former US House Speaker and Subcommittee Chairman, J. Dennis
Hastert, as chief staffer to The Speaker’s Task Force on a Drug Free
America from 1997-1999. Charles maintains strong ties with committee
leaders in both parties and both Chambers of Congress. He is also a Navy
Reservist who served on active duty at the Pentagon immediately following
the September 11th attacks.
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Benjamin
G. Bawden
Served as
staff assistant on the Subcommittee on National Security, International
Affairs, and Criminal Justice in the House of Representatives where he
focused on defense and drug policy issues. He worked at Financial Security
Assurance, an asset-backed securities insurance firm in New York during
1998.
Ben has helped
secure millions of dollars in federal appropriations, and led successful
efforts to change federal laws and introduce new legislation.His areas of
focus include appropriations projects, health care, drug policy, law
enforcement, homeland security, education, and defense.
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Marina
T. Charles
Marina T.
Charles spent twelve years as a corporate transactional attorney with law
firms in New York City and Washington, DC. She has extensive experience in contracts
and regulatory analysis as well as international business matters. Marina
manages operations, participates in the development of regulatory and
government policy white papers, and provides regulatory analysis for the
company's clients.
Marina
received her BA, cum laude, in Government from Harvard University and her
JD from Columbia University Law School, where she was a Stone Scholar. She
is fluent in French and Russian and lives in Maryland with her husband and
their two children.
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Development
Team
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Malcolm
Lawrie
Vice President,
Cannon Design, vice president. Project Manager for the $250 million
renovation of John Jay College of Criminal Justice in Manhattan as well as
the $18 million Campus Center at State University of New York at Oswego.
Malcolm has been providing critical expertise to the Project Management
Team to support the planning of the new complex.
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Legal
Co-Chairs
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Keith
Wasserstrom
Founding
partner of Wasserstrom & Associates P.A. He was a Corporate and
Securities Partner in Hogan & Hartson's, a partner at Baker &
Mckenzie's and Keith worked at Greenberg Traurig for 6 years. Keith has
represented both issuers and underwriters in connection with public
offerings and private placements of debt and equity securities.
Keith
has also represented many private and public companies in connection with
domestic and international mergers, acquisitions, sales, joint ventures,
tender offers, venture capital and securitization transactions, private
financings and routine filings under the U.S. securities laws.
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Gary
Kaufman
Serves as
the corporate counsel for the Fund. He has over twenty years of experience
working for firms in Toronto and New York and as a sole practitioner. He
represents public and private companies, high tech enterprises, asset management
companies, investment partnerships and venture capital businesses and
service businesses.
Birthplace
and Bar Admissions: Hamilton, Canada, 1959; admitted to bar, 1984, Ontario;
1986, New York. Education: University of Toronto; Osgoode Hall Law School
of York University (LL.B., 1982); New York University School of Law (LL.M.,
1986). Senior Editor, Osgoode Hall Law Journal, 1981-1982. Member: The
Association of the Bar of the City of New York; Law Society of Upper
Canada. Practice Areas: International Securities; Private Placements;
Public Offerings; Securities Regulation; Business Start-Ups; Business
Formation; Business Development; Technology Joint Ventures; Corporate
Governance; Buying and Selling of Businesses; Shareholder Agreements;
Commercial Contracts. Treasurer, The Associates of the University of
Toronto, Inc.
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