Nobel-Pauling Symposium Speakers
Dr Jeremy M. LevinDr Jeremy M. Levin D Phil, Global Head of Business Development and Strategic Alliances for Novartis
Dr. Jeremy M. Levin is the Global Head of Business Development and Strategic Alliances for Novartis Institutes of Biomedical Research, Inc, the Research Division of Novartis. In this capacity his team, Strategic Alliances (SA), focuses on identifying, evaluating and negotiating collaborations to secure all therapeutic and technology programs that are pre-proof of concept in man on behalf of Novartis. Headquartered in the US, the team is located in sites in Switzerland, USA, England and Japan.
Since initiation, in 2003, the team has completed hundreds of transactions with biotechnology companies and academic centers. Completing over 190 collaborations in 2005, Novartis’s SA, currently manages a portfolio of over 400 alliances in more than 20 countries. Over 80 of these alliances include those with public companies such as Morphosys, Alnylam, Vernalis, Myogen and private companies such as Ablynx, Cellzome and Infinity.
Prior to joining Novartis, Dr. Levin served as the Chairman, and then CEO, of Physiome Sciences, Inc., Managing Director of Perseus Capital LLC and the Chairman President and Chief Executive Officer of Cadus Pharmaceutical Corporation. Prior to Cadus, Dr. Levin was Vice President of IG Laboratories a wholly owned subsidiary of Genzyme Corporation. Dr. Levin has served on the Executive Committees and Boards of several public biosciences companies, including the executive committee of BIO and the Boards of the Biotechnology Institute and the New York Biotechnology Association. Dr. Levin received an medical degree (MB BChir). from the University of Cambridge and a doctorate (D.Phil.) from the University of Oxford. Dr. Levin has spoken at numerous venues on innovation in the biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Industry.
In 2005 Dr. Levin was awarded Albert Einstein Award for Outstanding Achievement in the Life Sciences. Former awardees of this prestigious prize include Francis Collins, the Director of the National Human Genome Research Institute.
Dr. Andrew DenkerDr. Andrew Denker MD, PhD. Senior Director, Clinical Pharmacology, Merck Research Laboratories
Title: Phase I Studies: a Worldwide ApproachDr Denker will talk on Phase I studies in general and then considerations for selecting sites in various differnt countries.
Dr. Andrew Denker joined the Clinical Pharmacology Department at Merck Reseasrch Laboratories in 2001. His activities are focused on the early development of new drug candidates, and Phase I studies to support registration of new products. This includes developing strategies for early clinical assessment of the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, biomarker response and potential efficacy of compounds across multiple therapeutic areas, in addition to related interactions with regulatory agencies worldwide. He is also responsible for the design and successful execution of Phase I studies, including first-in-man, proof-of-pharmacology, drug-drug interaction and biopharmaceutics studies. He has supervised Phase I studies conducted in North America (United States and Canada), Europe, Asia (Japan and India) and Australia..
Dr. Denker is currently the leader of the Merck Phase I group in Boston, and has a leadership role in Phase I development of compounds for registration in Japan. He has also led an effort to expand the number of countries in which Merck conducts Phase I studies in partnership with local subsidiaries.
Dr. Denker received his MD and PhD (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology) degrees from Thomas Jefferson University (Philadelphia, PA) in 1997, studying cartilage development. Following a surgical internship and postdoctoral research in the Orthopaedic Research Laboratory at Washington University in St. Louis, he joined Merck Research Laboratories in 2001. Dr. Denker is a member of the American Society for Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutic, and was the Plenary Lecturer at the University of Tokyo Pharmaceutical Regulatory Science 2nd Intensive Course in 2006 where he discussed the Application of PET Imaging to Early Clinical Development.
Arthur J. CouryDr. Arthur J. Coury Ph.D, Vice President, Biomaterials Research, Genzyme Corporation
Art Coury holds a B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of Delaware (1962), a Ph.D. in organic chemistry (1965) and an M.B.A. (1980) from the University of Minnesota. His industrial career includes positions as: Senior Research Chemist at General Mills, Inc. (1965-1976), Director, Polymer Technology and Research Fellow at Medtronic, Inc. (1976-1993), Vice President, Research and Chief Scientific Officer at Focal, Inc. (1993-2000), and Vice President, Biomaterials Research at Genzyme Corporation (2000-present). His career focus has been polymeric biomaterials for medical products such as implantable electronic devices, hydrogel-based devices and drug delivery systems.
He holds over fifty distinct patents and has published and presented widely in his field. His teaching positions have included adjunct appointments at the University of Minnesota and the Harvard-MIT Graduate Program in Health Sciences and Technology. His professional service has included: Chair, Minnesota Section, American Chemical Society (1989-1990); President, Society for Biomaterials, USA (1999-2000); President, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2003-2004) and membership on several university, society and corporate advisory boards. His recent recognitions have included the delivery of distinguished lectureships and receipt of the 2007 Innovation and Technology Development Award of the Society for Biomaterials.
Carlos GenardiniCarlos Genardini CEO, Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks
Mr. Genardini brings over two decades of technology management and experience to the role of CEO including four years as a vice president and manager of Motorola's Asia Pacific Group. During this time, Mr. Genardini became involved in developing the semiconductor and technology industries in Hong Kong and throughout the region. Mr. Genardini has set up and managed state-of-the-art chip design facilities in Hong Kong, Singapore and China, sat on the committees of engineering departments in the University of Hong Kong and the City University of Hong Kong, and was a founding Board member of the Provisional Hong Kong Science Park Company Ltd., which later merged into the present Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation. Mr. Genardini has a track record as an experienced executive of a major multinational corporation, knowledge of global and regional technology industries, an extensive network of contacts, and commitment and enthusiasm in helping to promote and further develop the Science Park. He is a member of the Board of the Provisional Hong Kong Science Park Company Ltd. that began the Science Park, and was the founder and CEO of Genardini and Associates, a strategic business consultancy providing market research and support along with special development work for companies looking to business in China. Prior to that Mr. Genardini was Motorola's president for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Dr. Makarand JawadekarDr. Makarand Jawadekar Director, Pfizer
Dr. Mak Jawadekar is currently a Director, AMP group, Analysis, Metrics, Performance, which is part of WWPM division within Development Operations in PGRD, Groton-New London. In the recent past, he was responsible for Drug Delivery Technology Assessment function involving external ‘Drug Delivery’ technologies. He has extensive experience in creating and cultivating external partnerships and alliances for drug delivery technologies for Pfizer Global R&D. He began his professional career at Pfizer Central Research in early 1982, after having completed his Ph.D. in Pharmaceutics at the University of Minnesota.
His twenty-five years of experience with Pfizer R&D includes Solids R&D, Drug Product formulation/ Dosage Form/ Drug Delivery development, Clinical Trials Supply Manufacturing, Scale-up and Technology Transfer as well as Pharmacy areas. He managed several functions/groups within Pharmaceutical R&D for many years. In the recent past, he had been also been engaged in coordinating outsourcing R&D activities with external partners. He was presented with the "M.L. Khorana Memorial Lecture of the Year Award" at the Indian Pharmaceutical Congress held in New Delhi, India, in December 2001 for his Presentation on 'Advances in Drug Development and Delivery Systems with a Focus on Protection of Intellectual Property Rights'. He was also an invited participant at the Summit called by the President of India during 2003. He has presented at many professional meetings and has participated in various Panel Discussions/Round Tables. He was one of the invitees to join President Bush’s trade delegation to India during March’06.
Mak joined the prestigious Board of Directors for a New York City based, non-profit Organization, Just One Break (JOB), in 2001 helping those with disabilities to network to find suitable employment opportunities. (www.justonebreak.com)
He also serves on the prestigious global "Judging Panel"/ Executive Review Board instituted by IBC/ Informa Pharma Group for their Annual Global Pharmaceutical Annual Achievement Awards, since 2001. (www.pharmawards.com)
He currently serves as a member on the Editorial boards for ‘Bio/Pharmaceutical Outsourcing Report’ as well as for "Contract Pharma" a monthly publication. He also is on the Editorial Advisory Board for monthly journal, namely, "Pharmaceutical Technology Europe".
Dr. Zhenping ZhuDr. Zhenping Zhu MD, PhD Vice President, ImClone
Dr. Zhenping Zhu is Vice President, Antibody Technology, at ImClone Systems Incorporated, a Manhattan-based biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing breakthrough biologic medicines in the area of oncology. Dr. Zhu joined ImClone as a scientist in November 1996, and was promoted to Director of Molecular and Cell Biology in 2001. In 2002 he established and served as the founding Senior Director of the Antibody Technology Department at ImClone. He currently directs ImClone’s antibody discovery / engineering programs - focusing on generation and optimization of therapeutic antibodies and novel antibody-like molecules. His efforts at ImClone have led to the identification and generation of four antibodies that entered clinical development for various cancer indications, including the three fully human antibodies that are currently in clinical trials: the anti-EGFR (IMC-11F8), the anti-VEGFR2 (KDR, IMC-1121B), and the anti-IGFR (IMC-A12) antibodies. He is a member of the ImClone’s Research Management Committee.
Dr. Zhu received his medical training from Jiangxi Medical College (Nanchang, China), his MSc in Pharmacology from Institute of Hematology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College (CAMS & PUMC, Tianjin, China), and his PhD in Immunology and Pathology from Dalhousie University (Halifax, NS, Canada). During 1993 to 1996, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow in antibody engineering in the Department of Molecular Oncology, Genentech, Inc. (South San Francisco, CA, USA). He passed the US Medical Licensing Examination and secured the ECFMG certification in 1996. Since 1996, Dr. Zhu has held an adjunct professor position in the State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology at Institute of Hematology, CAMS & PUMC. Dr. Zhu has been working in the areas of antibody technologies / applications and cancer bio-therapeutics for the past 20 years and has authored over 150 peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts, including original research papers, invited reviews and book chapters. He is also a frequent invited speaker at various national/international life science conferences. Dr. Zhu organized and co-chaired the First (September 2000, Tianjin, China) and the Second (October 2005, Beijing, China) China International Symposiums on Antibody Engineering and Antibody-based Therapeutics, each was attended by over 200 scientists with 35 to 40 invited speakers who are internationally renowned experts in the antibody field.
Ms. Chen Xiaohui
Mr. Li HangMs. Chen Xiaohui General Director, Economy & Trade Development Bureau
Mr. Li Hang Deputy Director General, Techonology & Education Development BureauSongshan Lake Science and Technology Industry Park, Dongguan, China
The Songshan Lake Science and Technology Industry Park is ideally located in Dongguan City in the rapidly developing high-tech industrial area of the Pearl River Delta between two of the major centers of the global R&D industry in China, Guangzhou and Hong Kong. It was established in 2001 with government approval and support to foster high-tech industries, education and international collaborations.
Songshan Lake is part of a very ambitious planned economic, cultural and social project, embracing sustainable industries, advanced environmental practices and progressive social policies. The idea is to build a community where technology, industry, business and the natural environment exist in harmony.
Songshan Lake offers an extraordinary opportunity for investment, where the very latest in research facilities, transportation and logistical infrastructure, environmental awareness, financial services, an educated workforce, a high standard of living and pro-business standards and practices are found all in one area.
The Songshan Lake Science and Technology Industry Park is a magnificent reach into the future for Dongguan City and China as they take another step towards building a new global economy. We invite everyone to visit us to find out what we offer. We are sure that you will want to become part of this bold new community of the future.
Dr. James Zhu PhDDr. James Zhu PhD Partner, Perkins Coie
Dr. James Zhu is currently a partner in Perkins Coie's Los Angeles Office, and one of the key members in the firm for establishing Perkins Coie's Shanghai Office, which was recently approved by the Chinese government. James' practice includes patent procurement, patent opinion, patent analysis & strategy, intellectual property litigation, technology licensing, primarily focusing on life science, material science, medical devices, etc. Prior to his advancement in law, James was President and CEO of China United On-line, a company of over 400 employees and 18 subsidiaries in China. James was a co-founder and General Counsel of GanTech International, a Silicon Valley start-up where he helped to raise capital commitment of $17 million from a venture capital firm, the Sprout Group, and spearheaded legal and business development activities. In early 90s, James worked at the pharmaceutical giant Merck & Co. as a research scientist.James is a frequent author and speaker for various intellectual property related subjects. A registered patent attorney at the US Patent & Trademark Office, James is a member of the State Bar of California, American Intellectual Property Law Association, and the License Executive Society. James has been actively involved with the BIO organization where he serves as a delegation committee member and promotes the presence of the Chinese delegation and pavilion in BIO. James is a mentor in the Southern California BioMedical Council where he advises a number of start-ups in Los Angeles areas. James also sits in the Boards of BayHelix Group and Chinese Biological Investigator Society (Wu-Ray Society).
James graduated from Fudan University at age of 19. With a total of seven academic years, James obtained a Ph.D. degree in Molecular and Cellular Biology from the California Institute of Technology and J.D. & MBA dual degrees from Columbia University.
Dr. Benjamin T. LeeDr. Benjamin T. Lee Pharm.D., CEO, Comprehensive Drug Enterprises
Dr Lee is managing partner for a new biotechnology venture, Comprehensive Drug Enterprises Limited in Hong Kong focusing on advance drug delivery. He is also an adjunct member of the Faculty of Medicine at the Chinese University in Hong Kong School of Pharmacy. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy from the University of Houston College of Pharmacy and a Doctorate from the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy. He trained under Drug Development and Clinical Research Fellowships at Glaxo Wellcome and the University of North Carolina School Of Pharmacy, where he also served as an Instructor. Upon completion of his Fellowships, Dr. Lee joined Glaxo Wellcome as a Senior Research Scientist, rising to Lead Scientist in the Respiratory Medicine Development Center at GlaxoSmithKline. He has participated in the development of several of the GlaxoSmithKline respiratory drugs currently on the market and has authored numerous articles on respiratory disease therapeutics.
Dr. David Irving
Dr David Irving CEO, Diabetes Vaccine Development Centre, Australia
Dr. David Irving is the Chief Executive Officer of the Diabetes Vaccine Development Centre (DVDC).
With formal training in biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, and more recently management, David has over 15 years' experience working in the biotechnology industry, primarily in the area of biopharmaceutical product development and commercialization. His earlier research interests were focused on the field of molecular approaches to parasite vaccine development, in particular malaria vaccine development. Prior to taking up his position with the DVDC in Melbourne, he held senior management positions in R and D and business development with Biotech Australia Pty Limited, Sydney and its successor companies. Prior to this he held postdoctoral positions at the Rockefeller University, New York and CSIRO, Sydney. He has an MSc and PhD from the Australian National University and a Certificate of Management (Technology Management) from Deakin University. He is a Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
Dr Irving has been a Director of AusBiotech Limited for the past three years, being heavily involved with other board members in planning and implementing its transition from the former Australian Biotechnology Association to the peak industry body that it has now become. As well as AusBiotech Limited, David was, until recently, a Director of Network Limited, a company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange and the Alternative Investment Market in London. Over the past year, this company has undergone a transformation from its origins as a biotechnology company to a company now focusing on the outdoor advertising market while maintaining investments in the biotechnology sector. David has served on a number of advisory committees to governments and within the tertiary education sector. He is currently a member of the Macquarie University Biotechnology Research Institute Advisory Committee and is involved in a number of committees at Melbourne University's School of Population Health.
Prof. Moses ChowProf. Moses Chow PhD, Professor, Chinese University of Hong Kong
Professor Moses Chow is the Director of the Drug Development Centre, Professor and Director of the School of Pharmacy of the Faculty of Medicine, the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He received his Doctor of Pharmacy degree from the University of California, San Francisco. He started his teaching and scientific career at the School of Pharmacy, the University of Connecticut. At about the same period, he was named fellow at the American College of Clinical Pharmacy and American College of Clinical Pharmacology. He held a number of academic, clinical, and administrative appointments, including president of the Asian Association of Schools of Pharmacy, Honorary Director of Collaborative Research at the Department of Pharmacy of the Hartford Hospital, member of Drug Utilization Review Committee of the Hospital Authority, member of Expert Advisory Panel on Cadiovascular and Renal Drugs for the United States Pharmacopeial Convention Inc., and member of Clinical Trials Review Committee of the U.S. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Professor Chow has been member in a number of professional societies, like Drug Metabolism Section of the China Association for Science & Technology, Chinese Pharmacologic Society.
Mr. Ali HusseinMr. Ali Hussein CEO, Science24Seven, LLC, Cambridge, USA
Ali Hussein is a leading expert in Chinese, Indian and Russian scientific communities and logs more than 250 days a year traveling to the world's major scientific centers. Having built the world's first and largest virtual scientific community, he is now working on the next technological advancements to enhance global research and development through new and exciting open innovation models and services.
Lance HanMr. Lance Han CEO, Cyagen, Guangzhou, China
Mr. Lance Han is the CEO of Cyagen Biosciences, Guangzhou, China. Mr. Han got his start in the IT industry, but became interested in the life sciences through a chance association with a group of stem cell researchers. Realizing the potential benefit of this type of research to benefit mankind, Mr. Han joined with this group of scientists and formed Cyagen. He has led the development of this new company, which now occupies new state-of-the-art facilities in the Science Park in Guangzhou.
Cyagen is now supplying the OriCell group of stem cell lines and related products to research labs and universities around the world. Cyagen will soon be adding stem cell-based high-throughput screening to its business products, where it will produce stem cell-based assays to screen pharmacuetical compounds for the bio-pharma industry, worldwide.
Kerry DoyleKerry Doyle Director, NSW Office for Science and Medical Research
Department of State and Regional Development
Kerry Doyle is the Executive Director of the Office for Science and Medical Research, in the NSW Government’s Department of State and Regional Development. She is responsible for R&D policy, Commonwealth/State relations, intra and inter-governmental relations; biotechnology research strategy implementation and co-ordination; administration and review of regulatory environment pertaining to research and development of national and international partnerships.
In recent years, Kerry has led the development of a health and medical research strategy for NSW; facilitated a Memorandum of Understanding between the Chinese and NSW Governments on cooperation in science technology and innovation; taken a lead role in inter-governmental negotiations on the national scheme to prohibit human cloning and regulate research involving human embryos, and co-ordinated the NSW Government’s position on access to genetic resources (Convention for BioDiversity).
Dr. Andrew MarshallDr. Andrew Marshall PhD, Editor, Nature Biotechnology
Titles:
1) Vision and realities of genomic biotechnology (a talk that address the hype about genomic approaches and what they will deliver) Seminar on Oct 10, 2003.
2) Bioentrepreneur, a new educational portal to promote the formation of life science ventures (NBT has recently launched this portal to promote entrepreneurism among scientists http://www.nature.com/bioent) Seminar on Dec 1-3, 2003.
Andrew Marshall is Editor of Nature Biotechnology. He has written numerous articles and editorials on science and technology for the popular media, including The Economist and Popular Science, and for trade publications. In January 2003, he launched Bioentrepreneur at www.nature.com/bioent, a free-access web portal that provides practical information and advice on the challenges facing researchers when starting a biotechnology company. As well as frequently speaking on biotechnology issues at international meetings, he also regularly organizes conferences and symposia for the Nature Publishing Group on biotechnology. He has over 12 years of experience in scientific publishing, and was previously Editor of Current Opinion in Biotechnology. He obtained his PhD and postdoctoral experience in molecular biology and microbiology at King's College London.
Dr. Lorenz NgDr. Lorenz Ng M.D, Managing Partner, Global Ng Associates, LLC, Former VP and Group Director Research Alliances and Business Development, Eli Lilly Asia
Dr. Lorenz K.Y. Ng, M.D., is the CEO and Managing Partner of Global Ng Associates, LLC, a biotechnology consulting firm. Formerly, he was Vice President for Research Alliances and Business Development for Eli Lilly, Asia, and prior to that, Director of Medical and Regulatory Affairs for Eli Lilly, China.
Dr. Ng has a B.A from Stanford and M.D. from Columbia University. He is board certified in Neurology and spent 12 years at the NIH, holding various research and administrative positions.
After leaving the NIH in 1981, Dr. Ng returned to clinical practice and established the Washington Pain and Rehabilitation Center in Washington D.C. He served as the President and Medical Director until 1998. He has held faculty positions at George Washington University Medical School and at Johns Hopkins.
Dr. Ng has authored over 70 articles in scientific publications, and has received many honors and awards for his work, including the S. Weir Mitchell Award from the American Academy of Neurology and a Commendation Medal from the U.S. Public Health Service. He is a Fellow of the World Academy of Arts and Science, having served as the President of its American Divison, and he serves on several scientific advisory boards. He is also listed in Who’s Who in Medicine and Healthcare, Who’s Who in America and Who’s Who in the World.
Dr. Grace WongDr. Grace Wong CSO, ActoKine Therapeutics
Dr. Grace Wong has worked for Genentech, Millennium, AstraZeneca and Serono on new drug discovery in a variety of therapeutic areas. Dr. Wong earned a PhD at The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research in Australia. Dr. Wong did a postdoc with Dr. David Goeddel at Genentech and advanced basic research discoveries to product development. In 1996, Dr. Wong became the Head of Apoptosis Research at Millennium Pharmaceuticals, worked at AstraZeneca as Section Head of Molecular Genetics and at Serono as Head of Functional Genomics. She has been awarded 13 scholarships from Australian and American organizations and received 5 Recognition Awards from Genentech.
Dr. Wong has been invited to give presentations at 153 international conferences including the Nobel Symposium (Sweden, 1994). She has published 93 papers and filed 28 patents. Some of her publications (3 Nature, 1 Science, 3 Cell, 5 PNAS, and 7 J. Immunol) have received 300-1000 citations.
Dr. Wong has founded Actokine Therapeutics for new drug advancements for cancer, obesity, CNS and emerging viral diseases. She also founded Student Vision and the Nobel Pauling Symposia to help scientists of all ages in biotechnology.
Dr. Stephen LamDr. Stephen Lam Ph.D., MBA, Senior Director, HKSTP
Stephen Lam, Ph.D., MBA joined the Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) in November 2006 and is currently a Senior Manager, with the responsibility to develop the Life Sciences and Biotechnology cluster. He brings to the organization over two decades of research, management, and business development experience in the biotechnology industry. Prior to joining HKSTP, Dr. Lam served roles of increasing impact at several multi-national corporations including CIBA-Geigy, Novartis, Syngenta, and Pioneer (a DuPont Company). He also served as founder and Chief Operating Officer of Aryzun Pharmaceuticals, an early-stage drug development company focused on infectious diseases and oncology. He earned his B.A. at the University of Oregon, his MBA at Duke University, and his Ph.D. at the University of Utah. Dr. Lam is an inventor on 16 issued US patents and authored over two dozen scientific publications.
Dr. Zhi-Qiang NingDr. Zhi-Qiang Ning PhD, Co-founder, Chipscreen, Shenzhen, China
Dr. Ning got his Ph.D. in immunology from University of London, UK, in 1996. Before joined Chipscreen Biosciences, he was a faculty member at the University of Cincinnati, USA, and specialized in the areas of immunology and cancer/leukemia with expertise in the molecular mechanisms of apoptosis and signal transduction. As a cofounder and R&D Director in Chipscreen, he has actively involved and played a major role in R&D programs of innovative drugs against type 2 diabetes, cancer, etc., from preclinical studies to clinical trials. Dr. Ning has published over 30 papers, and has co-applied for over 20 patents in US, PCT and China.
Chipscreen Biosciences (www.chipscreen.com) was established in 2001 in Shenzhen with an initial capital of USD 5.8 million from investors across Asia. It is a drug discovery company specialised in novel small molecule therapeutics; lead discovery and optimisation of transcription modulators for type II diabetes, cancer, and osteoporosis, services including assay development, microarray analysis and combinatorial chemistry.
Dr. Richard GillDr. Richard Gill Ph.D. President and Chief Executive Officer, ProNAi Therapeutics
Dr. Gill has over 25 years of strategic management, research, and commercialization experience in the life sciences industry. He has an extensive track record in starting and building businesses, as well as facilitating company turnarounds, in both the public and private sectors. Prior to joining ProNAi, Dr. Gill was the President and CEO of Signet Laboratories, where he was instrumental in increasing company revenues and enhancing its value proposition. In addition, Dr. Gill headed up Anvil, Inc., ActiveCyte, Inc., and Genome Therapeutics , now Oscient Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: OSCI). Dr. Gill previously held senior positions at BTG International, Inc., a subsidiary of BTG plc (LSE: BGC), and Unilever plc in the United Kingdom. He is an active member of Launchpad Venture Group, where he has been influential in the formation of several biotechnology companies. Dr. Gill received his Ph.D. in Endocrinology and a B.Sc. with honors in Physiology and Biochemistry from Reading University, UK.
ProNAi Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical drug development company pioneering a new class of nucleic-acid drugs based on DNA interference (DNAi®), which employs single strands of DNA to target and treat non-transcribed regions of genomes responsible for complex genetic diseases. ProNAi is currently developing multiple DNAi-based drug candidates with the potential to treat multiple cancers, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, prostate, breast, and colon cancers. The company’s lead drug candidate, PNT-2258, which has demonstrated in vivo efficacy in a variety of human tumor xenograft models, is currently in preclinical development. ProNAi is also exploring the potential of DNAi-based therapies for indications such as diabetes, Alzheimer’s and inflammatory disease.
Dr. Blessed OkoleDr. Blessed Okole CEO, LifeLab, South Africa
Dr. Blessed Okole joined LIFElab in September 2006 as Chief Executive Officer. LIFElab is the trade name of the East Coast Biotechnology (ECoBio) Regional Innovation Centre. It is one of three Biotechnology Regional Innovation Centres (BRICs) that were set up by the South African Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the auspices of its National Biotechnology Strategy. Dr. Okole has 10 years experience in the research and development environment and 5 years experience in the South African biotechnology industry. This combination of experience and knowledge which is rare in the country is only a small part of the invaluable contribution which he is making at LIFElab.
During his career in both the private and public sector, Dr. Okole developed strategic partnerships with numerous key stakeholders in the biotechnology sector. Prior to joining LIFElab, Dr Okole held the position of Business Development Manager and Strategic Partnership Manager for CSIR Biosciences unit. He was also the interim Director for the NEPAD Southern African Network for Biosciences (SANBio) and he initially began his career as the Technology Manager at AECI.
Dr. Okole has vast experience in starting up biotechnology businesses; conversant with national systems of innovation in Africa; has extensive knowledge of the small and medium Industries in the continent and he is good in analyzing businesses, managing projects and strong in negotiating business deals.
Dr. Okole is a registered member with the South African Council for Natural Scientific professions. He holds a PhD from the Technical University of Berlin, Germany.
Dr. Glenn Rice
Glenn Rice , PhD, CEO, XinBridge, China
Glenn Rice, Ph.D. is currently CEO and President of XinBridge, Inc. He is the founder and former CEO and President of Bridge Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (2004-2007). Bridge is the first company to build and operate FDA compliant pharmaceutical drug development testing laboratories in China (Beijing). Currently it has over 300 employees with projected revenues of $38 million in 2007. Bridge conducts true US FDA-compliant drug development testing and is currently one of the largest animal drug testing vivarium in China, with a second facility under construction. He has been featured in Nature, Nature Medicine, Science, San Francisco Chronicle, Boston Globe, Forbes and other US and Chinese publications. Recently Dr. Rice led a $15 million acquisition of publicly traded Gene Logic Laboratories in Gaithersburg, Maryland. In the process of starting and developing Bridge, Dr. Rice raised $39 million in venture capital funding from US, Taiwan, and Singapore based investors. He is also currently founder of Emerging Med, Inc. an online clinical trial prequalification service that connects and manages patients with global clinical trials.
Previously (2002-2004), Dr. Rice headed life sciences at SRI International (Stanford Research Institute- Vice President Biosciences) in Menlo Park, CA consisting of a department of approximately 180 scientists and staff. In 2005 he helped found the Critical Path Institute, in Tucson, Arizona a not-for-profit institute focused on drug development and regulatory innovation that included SRI and the University of Arizona, and which he helped raise over $10 million in funding. Prior to SRI, Dr. Rice was Board Director and Vice President of Research at ILEX Oncology, a NASDAQ listed oncology focused company, which successfully received approval for a cancer monoclonal antibody CAMPATH, and also had five other cancer drugs in clinical development. ILEX was later sold to Genzyme in 2004 for $1 billion. Prior to ILEX he was a founder and CEO, President of Convergence Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a privately held Boston based cancer biopharmaceutical company, which developed a portfolio of unique pharmaceutical drugs that Dr. Rice in-licensed from Japan, Harvard Medical School and the University of Chicago. Dr. Rice later sold Convergence to ILEX Oncology.
Prior to Convergence, Dr. Rice was Vice President of Research at Cytokine Networks (1998-1999) managing multiple preclinical and clinical programs and closing strategic partnerships; and Director of Cell Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CTIC) from 1993-1998. He headed a discovery laboratory at Genentech from 1987-1993 where he worked on many drugs that are approved today. Dr. Rice is currently an inventor on over 20 patents or patent applications and has authored over 75 manuscripts and book chapters.
Dr. Claude Ranoux
Claude Ranoux M.D., M.S., Founder, President and CEO, BioXcell, France
Dr. Ranoux is currently the president of BioXcell, a biotech start-up that is revolutionizing the treatment of infertility. Under his expertise the company has developed and proven a break through technology, the INVOTM, which will significantly transform the efficacy and cost components of infertility treatment. An innovative alternative to In Vitro Fertilization (IVF), the INVO provides a simple, natural, "in-body" incubation instead of an equipment intensive laboratory based incubation. During the INVOTM procedure, fertilization/embryo development occurs inside the woman’s vaginal cavity within a specifically designed tube-like device, the INVOcellTM which holds the eggs, sperm and culture medium.
Dr Ranoux has twenty-five years of experience in reproductive medicine. Prior to founding BioXcell, Dr Ranoux created several successful reproductive centers worldwide where he served as a physician, laboratory director and/or manager. He served as scientific consultant for several reproductive centers, pharmaceutical and device companies specialized in the treatment of infertility.
Dr Ranoux earned his M.D. at the University of Medicine, Cochin Port-Royal, Paris, France and his M.S. at in Human Biology, Histology, Embryology, Biology of Reproduction & Male Infertility at the University of Kremlin Bicêtre, Paris. He also earned a diploma of Specialist in Radiology and Sonography at the University Cochin Port-Royal, Paris. Before moving to the States, he was Associate Professor in Reproductive Biology, Histology, Embryology & Cytogenetic at the University of Medicine, Cochin Port-Royal, Paris, France. He authored over two dozen scientific publications and issued 8 international patents on new reproductive technologies. Dr Ranoux has been invited to give presentations in numerous international conferences and received several awards such as the Prize for the second Best Scientific Presentation at the Fifth World Congress in In Vitro Fertilization and Embryo Transfer held at Norfolk VA, USA in 1987.
Mr. Jean-François MouneyMr. Jean-François Mouney Chairman and CEO, Founder, Genfit Corp, France
Jean-François Mouney, 51, Chairman of the Management Board since its creation, holds a Business Degree from the Paris Business School (ESCP), and a postgraduate degree in economics from the University of Lille. He has created, managed and developed several companies specialised in high performance materials. In 1979 he founded Brunet-Sicap, a company specialised in composite materials for the aeronautical and armaments industries. In 1986 this company was acquired by SNPE, a leading French chemicals group. He was CEO of SNPE's materials branch until 1992.
In 1992, he founded M&M, a consultancy firm specialised in healthcare technology. He was responsible for carrying out a public feasibility study for the implantation of an economic development agency in biology-healthcare in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region, and was appointed Managing Director of the agency by the regional authorities when it was launched in 1995. Over seventy companies have been created as part of this venture, making Eurasanté,one of the top European bio-incubators. In 2003 and again in 2004, he received the 'Entrepreneur of the Year' award from the magazine L'Entreprise and from the Ernst & Young firm, in the 'New Technology' category.
Jean-François Mouney is also President of Cardialpha, a company created in 2001 and specialised in clinical studies, and Vice-President of the Fondation Cœur et Artèes (Heart and Arteries Foundation), an officially recognised research body. He is also Vice-President of the research hub 'Nutrition, Health and Longevity'. He is Vice-President of France Biotech, a French association of biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, where he is an active advocate of progress and innovation in the pharmacy and biotechnology sector.
Dr. Christoph HülsDr. Christoph Hüls CEO, Protagen AG, Germany
Dr. Hüls is a biologist by training. He looks back on more than 12 years of management experience in R&D, business development, marketing and sales, as well as general management in various positions at Novartis AG, Aventis SA and Hoechst AG.
Dr. Stefan MüllnerDr. Stefan Müllner PhD - CSO, Protagen AG, Germany
Dr. Müllner is chemist by training. He brings in more than 18 years of management experience in R&D and business development, as well as general management in different positions at fundamenta CAPITAL AG, Henkel KGaA, Aventis SA and Hoechst AG. He is a co-founder of Protagen AG.
Dr. Amanda CaplesDr. Amanda Caples Director-Biotechnology, State Government of Victoria, Australia
Appointed in July 2002, Amanda is the Director -Biotechnology in the Department of Innovation, Industry and Regional Development, State Government of Victoria. Amanda has 18 years experience in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical research sectors and has significant achievements across the full spectrum of the product value chain - from discovery to market - including clinical trials, regulatory affairs and business development (patent portfolio management, start-ups and licensing).
She previously has held senior executive positions in the public research sector at the Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research and in private (Servier Laboratories and AMRAD) sector settings. She has more than seven significant partnering agreements to her credit involving global companies such as GlaxoSmithKline, Aventis, Baxter and Serono (total value exceeding $200M) on both early and late stage products. Amanda has a Bachelor of Science with First Class Honours and a PhD (pharmacology), from the University of Melbourne.
Matthew LevyMatthew Levy MBA, Director, Applied Biosystems, Beijing, China
Matt currently holds a position as the Director for the Proteomics and Small Molecule business unit at Applied Biosystems in China. In this position, he is responsible for developing the mass spec business inside China. Prior to this role, he was the Director of Market Development focused on the pharmaceutical segment and was responsible for developing and executing a marketing and sales strategy to increase revenue within this segment. He joined Applied Biosystems after several successful years with the IBM Life Sciences group. Within this group, his primary role was to manage partnerships with bioinformatics companies to develop new information technology solutions in an effort to improve the process for drug discovery.
During his time at IBM, Matt was also part of the IBM Global Medical Imaging team. As a result, Matt thoroughly understands the value of combining biological, clinical and technical information to provide personalized medicine to improve treatment. He is leveraging this experience to develop new solutions targeted towards greater R&D efficiency in the life sciences industry. Matt has a BS (Marketing) and MS (Computer Information Systems/Quant Bus Methods) from California State (East Bay), as well as an MBA from Carnegie Mellon University.
Dr. James N LittleDr. James N Little senior executive, Former Waters, Zymark and Cetek
Dr. James N. Little has been a senior executive at leading scientific instrument companies for 30 years. He began his career at Waters Corp. and during his tenure Waters experienced 50% annual growth for 8 consecutive years. In 1981, he helped found Zymark Corp. now merged into Caliper Life Sciences. At Zymark, he lead the commercialization and rapid growth of innovative "robotics" technology for chemistry and biology laboratories. Recently, he has lead Cetek Corp., a biotechnology company with a strong instrumentation and automation platform technology for discovering new drug candidates.
Jim has a B.S. in Chemistry from Kansas University and a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from MIT. He is a frequently invited speaker at conferences and symposia worldwide.
Dr. Chris SongDr. Chris Song PhD, MBA, Applied Biosystems, China
Dr. Chris Song, PhD., MBA, is the Manager of the Pharmaceutical Section at Applied Biosystems (China), where he is primarily responsible for developing Applied Biosystems’s mass spectrometry, cellular and molecular biology businesses for the biotech and pharmaceutical industries in China.
Dr. Song received his BS in Biology from Shandong University and his Ph.D. in Oncology and Molecular Biology from the Queensland Institute of Medical Research and the University of Queensland. He also holds an MBA from the University of Michigan.
Prior to joining Applied Biosystems, Dr. Song was Special Projects Manager with AstraZeneca’s R&D Department in China, where he was involved with regulatory issues, academic collaborations and assessing opportunities for outsourcing and developing in-house R&D operations in the developing Chinese research environment. He has also worked for Novartis (China) and as an academic research scientist (10+ yrs) in the United States and Australia.
Mr Dilip LimayeMr. Dilip Limaye Founder and Chairman of IndiPharm
Mr. Dilip Limaye is Founder and Chairman of IndiPharm and is responsible for business development, financial management and overall corporate oversight and guidance. Mr. Limaye is an entrepreneur who has established a number of international organizations in a wide range of fields including energy efficiency and renewable energy, global climate change, information technology (IT), and business process outsourcing (BPO). All of these ventures have involved the establishment of a U.S. based organization for client interface and client services combined with an Indian operation to execute projects and programs efficiently and effectively, thereby providing clients global quality services with a local U.S. interface at a substantially lower cost than U.S. operations. After successfully implementing this business model in the fields of renewable energy, energy services, IT, and BPO, Mr. Limaye created IndiPharm for effectively outsourcing clinical trails for biotech and pharmaceutical companies
Mr. Limaye received his B. Tech. (Honours) degree from the Indian Institute of Technology (I.I.T.), Bombay, one of the premier technology institutions in the world, and received his M.S. from Cornell University. He has completed his Ph. D. candidacy examination in International; Business from the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania. He has published 6 books and has presented over 50 technical papers at national and international conferences.
Jim SherblomJim Sherblom Managing General Partner, Seaflower Ventures
Jim has 20 years experience in senior executive roles in the biopharmaceutical industry and investing in early-stage life science companies. He founded Seaflower Ventures in 1993 to invest his own personal capital and provide hands-on advice to biotech start-ups.
Jim is a founder, served for eight years on the Board, and is a past President of the Massachusetts Biotechnology Council (MBC). He also served for three years as a Director of the Industrial Biotechnology Association (IBA), which is now the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO).
Jim began his career at Bain & Company in Boston, London and Munich. From 1984 to 1989, Jim served at Genzyme as Senior Vice President Finance and Administration, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer. He was a key member of the senior management team that grew Genzyme from a small niche player into one of the largest public biotech firms (Nasdaq:GENZ) in the U.S. with over 1700 employees. While at Genzyme, Jim was responsible for venture capital financings, a mezzanine financing, Genzyme's Initial Public Offering (IPO), several debt financings, and an R&D Limited Partnership.
In 1989, Jim left Genzyme to join Transgenic Sciences, Inc. (TSI), a biotech startup in Worcester, Massachusetts, as its seventh employee and as Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer. Over the next four years, Jim grew TSI from a small biotech startup into a publicly traded firm (Nasdaq:TSIN) with 700 people. Jim successfully grew TSI from zero to $35 million in revenues and raised a total of $56 million in five financings including TSI’s IPO in 1991.
He received his B.A. from Yale University and an M.B.A. with high distinction from Harvard Business School. In addition to his continuing role as an active investor, Jim is an ordained Unitarian Universalist minister. He serves as co-minister with Rev. Martha Niebanck of First Parish in brookline, MA. He holds a Masters of Divinity with honors from Andover Newton Theological School and was ordained in May 2004. He serves on the Investment Committee of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Seaflower Ventures (Waltham, MA) is a life science focused venture capital firm formed by entrepreneurs from the biopharmaceutical industry to provide capital, advice, and hands-on support to promising life science start-ups.
Kevin ZhouKevin Zhou MBA, CEO, SSTK Biotech, Shenzhen, China
Mr. Kevin Zhou, MBA, is the founder and CEO of SSTK Biotech in Shenzhen, China. Sino-Swedish TongKang Biological Technology Inc. (SSTK) is a collaborative enterprise involving Chinese and Swedish researchers engaged in developing new devices and reagents for biotechnology research and clinical applications. SSTK is the developer and sole global supplier of anti-thymidine kinase 1 (TK1) antibody, which is used in diagnosis and prognosis in cancer patients. Kevin has received Project Management Professional training in USA and an MBA degree from the Tsinghua University in China.
In 2002, Kevin founded SSTK biotech in Shenzhen Science Park. Kevin’s CTO is Dr. Sven Skog (Professor of Biochemistry and Cell biology, Karolinska Institute, Sweden) who has Published 93 papers and is an inventor of TK1 international Patent. Recently, Kevin obtained $2M USD investment from a well known Venture Capital company.
Dr. Andy Peng XiangDr. Andy Peng Xiang COO, Cyagen
Dr. Andy Peng Xiang got his Ph.D. from the West China University of Medical Sciences, and did post doctorial work in the Medical School of Sun Yat-sen University and Bruce Lahn’s lab in Human Genetics in the University of Chicago. His main research focuses are stem cell biology and developmental biology. Dr. Xiang has published several dozen papers in peer reviewed journals, and he has multiple patents. In 2004, Dr. Xiang co-founded the Center for Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering at the Sun Yat-sen University together with Dr. Bruce Lahn. Now the center has become the best stem cell research facility in Southern China. He is also the Chief Operating Officer of Cyagen Biosciences (Guangzhou), a biotech company specialized in stem cell technologies.
Dr. Zach JonassonDr. Zach Jonasson Ph.D. - Senior Principal, Seaflower Ventures
Zach joined Seaflower in 2002 and focuses on early-stage life sciences investments. Prior to joining Seaflower, Zach completed his Ph.D. in Neuroscience under Mark Moss at Harvard University, where his research focused on neural bases of memory, age-related neural changes in the basal forebrain cholinergic system, and development of improved animal models of Alzheimer's Disease. As a Sackler Scholar, he was awarded several grants, led a multi-institution research collaboration and authored several scientific articles. In addition to teaching neuroscience coursework at Harvard, Zach co-taught Market Research at Harvard Business School (HBS) and co-authored several studies on applied real options and risk analysis with Professor David Shimko.
While at Harvard, Zach worked as a consultant at Risk Capital Management Partners (RCM), where he worked directly with early stage technology companies, including Cancer Advisors and VMAC. He also served as an advisor to CD Capital, a $150 million hedge fund based in New York.
Prior to his doctoral studies, Zach held a Research Associateship at the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, where he conducted econometric research on U.S. institutional lending. Zach currently represents Seaflower on the board of Serenex as an observer. He was previously an active board member at MetaWorks helping achieve a successful sale of that company in January of 2005. He represented Seaflower as an observer on the board of eMed Technologies until that company was acquired in 2004. Zach has also worked closely with RenaMed Biologics, Veritas Medicine and MetaWorks in various operating roles.
Zach holds a Ph.D. in Neuroscience and an A.M. in Statistics from Harvard University as well as a B.S. from the SFS Honors Program at Georgetown University, where he was a Rhodes Scholarship Finalist.
Mr. Karl HandelsmanMr. Karl Handelsman Managing Director, CMEA Ventures
Karl Handelsman joined CMEA Ventures in February 1999. Karl has been involved with numerous CMEA investments such as: Ambrx, Ensemble Discovery, Ilypsa, Kalypsys, Maxygen, Phenomix, Rigel, Syrrx, and Xenoport. Prior to joining CMEA, Karl was one of the first employees of Tularik, Inc., a drug discovery company, where his business development role spanned corporate partnering, technology licensing, and operations. Karl was also one of the first employees of Whitehead Institute, a premier research organization within Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT); and he worked in business development at Millennium Pharmaceuticals. Karl holds graduate degrees from both MIT and Harvard Medical School.
Dr. Steven R. GullansDr. Steven R. Gullans PhD CEO & co-founder, RxGen
Dr. Gullans is CEO and a co-founder of RxGen, Inc, a company utilizing advanced primate models of human diseases and toxicology to accelerate development of therapeutics and biomarkers. Before joining RxGen, Steve served as the Chief Scientific Officer at U.S. Genomics in Boston following an 18 year career as an academic research scientist at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women's Hospital.
As a faculty member in the Departments of Neurology and Medicine, Steve published more than 100 scientific papers, and built a record of achievement in the field of functional genomics and advanced technologies. As Director of the BWH Biotechnology Center, he established the first public database of gene expression in human tissues and used advanced technologies to identify biomarkers for ALS, Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, and cancer. Dr. Gullans received his PhD from Duke University and postgraduate training at Yale School of Medicine. Dr. Gullans is very active in early stage biotechnology companies and currently serves on the Scientific Advisory Boards of U.S. Genomics, GenPat77, GeneOhm, and MetriGenix.
Dr. Robert ZivinDr. Robert Zivin Corporate Director, Johnson & Johnson
Dr. Zivin is Corporate Director in the Corporate Office of Science & Technology. He joined Johnson & Johnson in 1986 as a Senior Scientist at Ortho Diagnostic Systems, Inc. (today’s Ortho Clinical Diagnostics). He was a member of the team that brought the first DNA probe-based colorimetric assay to FDA approval.
He joined the Biotech Division of the R.W. Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Institute (today’s J&J PRD) in 1989, where he led the antibody humanization project. Several of the molecules (huOKT3, huOKT4A, hu-anti-tissue factor) produced in that effort are currently, or have been, in clinical development. In 1995, Bob established the exploratory technology team at J&J PRD and was responsible for the evaluation and development of new discovery technologies. Bob joined COSAT (Corporate Office of Science & Technology) in 2003.
Before Johnson & Johnson, Bob was a Senior Research Scientist at Merck, Sharpe & Dohme Research Laboratories. While there, he led the team that was the first to clone and express a cardiac atrial peptide, ANF. Bob received his PhD in Microbiology from the University of Chicago and did a postdoctoral fellowship at the National Cancer Institute.
Dr. Paul SmaglikDr. Paul Smaglik Naturejob Editor
Dr. Paul Smaglik is a science journalist who's been covering biomedical research and policy for the past nine years. He's written and edited for Science News, The Scientist and, for the past six years, Nature. When the first human stem cells were isolated, he wrote that clinical applications remained years way, due to political and ethical concerns (The Scientist 12 (23):1 (23 November 1998).
In 2001, he launched Naturejobs as an editorial section of the journal. Naturejobs covers the world of scientific careers and encompasses multiple sectors, disciplines and parts of the world. This year, the Naturejobs web site, which combines scientific career news with classified advertising, won a national award from Editor & Publisher.
As part of Naturejobs' mission, Smaglik has moderated numerous panels and career talks sponsored by Naturejobs, the New York Academy of Sciences, Euroscience, and the European Molecular Biology Laboratory. He has also published and presented his peer reviewed research on interactive health communication.
Dr. Jeff MooreDr. Jeff Moore MBA, Kauffman Fellow, RCT BioVentures
Dr. Moore is a Kauffman Fellow with RCT BioVentures, the venture arm of Research Corporation Technologies. He focuses on early stage investments in therapeutics, medical devices and technology platforms. Prior to joining RCT, he began his VC career interning at MPM Capital.
Jeff brings considerable biotech operating experience to RCT. He spent several years at Millennium Pharmaceuticals and Scriptgen (now Anadys). His roles included business development (evaluating diverse licensing and partnership opportunities), new target assessment (supporting the $465M Millennium-Bayer partnership), and competitive intelligence. His work covered diverse areas including infectious disease, inflammation, cancer and cardiovascular disease.
Jeff received his postdoctoral training at Harvard Medical School, studying mechanisms of drug resistance in infectious disease. He received his PhD from Oxford, studying smallpox virus vaccines. Prior to this, his research focused on the ‘host range’ of viruses – specifically the factors limiting the ability of avian viruses to infect humans. Jeff received his MBA as a Sloan Fellow at MIT, specializing in entrepreneurship and finance.
Dr. Bing WongDr. Bing Wong CEO, Advantek Biologics, HK
Dr. Bing Wong, CEO of Advantek Biologics. Dr. Wong is also Chairman of CB Corporation, Hong Kong, distributor of Biopure Oxyglobin and Hemopure in the Asian Pacific and Chairman of API, Inc, of New Jersey, USA, an active pharmaceutical ingredient contract manufacturer. In August 2006, Dr. Wong was appointed as an adjunct professor of the Chinese university of Hong Kong. Dr. Wong holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the National Taiwan University, and M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Engineering from Tufts University. Prior to joining Advantek, Dr. Wong was a founder and Senior Vice President of Biopure Corporation in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He has also been an Association Professor in Chemical Engineering and Acting Director of the New England Enzyme Center at Tufts Medical School. Dr. Wong holds many patents in Biomedicine, including artificial blood replacements and antibiotics. He has served as Chairman of the Chinese Economic Development Council, Inc., a community service organization in Boston’s Chinatown. CEDC assists local residents for job training, enhances local economic development, as well as establishing numerous of moderate and low-income housing projects and education program for local residents. In 1992, Dr. Wong was named "A Model of Overseas Chinese Young Entrepreneur" by the Executive Yuan, Taiwan, Republic of China. In 2001, Bunker Hill Community College of Boston, Massachusetts awarded him the President Distinguished Service Award for his extraordinary commitment for higher education in the Boston Asian community.
Dr. Albert C. H. YuDr. Albert C. H. Yu CEO, HKDNA Chips
Professor Albert C. H. Yu is the founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of HKDNA Chips. He is a well-known scientific conference organizer, neuroscientist and biotechnology entrepreneur, active in numerous cross-cultural and industrial communities in Hong Kong and China. With a global network and an expanding base of established contacts in China, Prof. Yu has been an important facilitator of dialogue regarding the development of biotechnology in Asia. Prof. Yu is currently a professor at the Neuroscience Research Institute and Department of Neurobiology at Peking University, China. After receiving his BSc, MSc and PhD from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada, Prof. Yu moved to the University of California at San Francisco and subsequently spent four years at Stanford University and was honored with the status of Visiting Associate Professor. He also spent time as an investigator at the NASA Ames Research Center. Upon returning to Hong Kong, he joined the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology as a faculty member. He was a guest professor at the Shanghai Jiao Tong University, visiting professor at The First Military Medical University, and visiting investigator at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Over his academic and research career, Prof. Yu has published 3 books and over 200 peer-reviewed scientific articles and conference papers. He is also the co-inventor of numerous technologies with 6 patents granted and others pending
Dr. Xianping LuDr. Xianping Lu CEO, Shenzhen Chipscreen Biosciences, China
Dr. Xianping Lu is currently Member of the board of Directors, President, and Chief Scientific Officer of Shenzhen Chipscreen Biosciences Ltd, the leading drug discovery company in China. Dr. Lu also serves in several Advisory Committees for Biotech/Pharma/Life Sciences Division of different levels of Governments in China. Dr. Lu finished his B.S. degree in Biochemistry from University of Sichuan in 1983. He obtained respectively M.S. in Biochemistry and Ph.D. in Molecular Biology in 1986 and 1988 from Peking Union Medical College and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences. Dr. LU completed his Postgraduate Pharmacologist Fellowship study at the Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California at San Diego between 1989 and 1992. He continued his postdoctoral research at La Jolla Cancer Research Foundation (Burham Institute) prior to participate in founding Galderma Research Inc. and Maxia Pharmaceuticals in San Diego in 1995. He was the Director of Research at Galderma R & D (a subsidiary of L'Oreal and Nestle) in Princeton till 2000. He became visiting professor at The State Key Laboratory for Biomembrane and Membrane Biotechnology in Tsinghua University in the same year. During this period, he has led a group of US-trained talented scientists to successfully found Chipscreen Biosciences Ltd. in Shenzhen. Dr. Lu has more than 20 years biomedical research and biotech/pharmaceutical experiences in varieties of therapeutic area. He is a skilled leader of diverse groups within a global operating environment. During his career, he has published many research papers in journals such as Nature, Science, and Nature Medicine. He is the co-inventor of many inventions in area of small molecule therapeutics.
Dr. Stephen H. IpDr. Stephen H. Ip Ph.D.Senior Vice President, Global Business Development, TaiGen, Taiwan
Dr. Ip has over 25 years of experience in the biotech industry. Prior to joining TaiGen Biotechnology, Dr Ip held various management positions including, Vice President of Business Development & the Head of Far East at Matritech, President of American Biogenetic Sciences, President of CytoMed, where he was also the founder. He held the position of Vice President, Technology of T Cell Sciences where he was a co-founder. He was also a founding member of Cambridge Research Lab of Johnson & Johnson. Dr. Ip has extensive experience in business development including successful deals with SmithKline Beecham, Yamanouchi, Mitsubishi, Sysmex, Astra, Chiron, Pfizer, Syntex, Purdue Pharma and others. Dr. Ip received his Ph.D. in 1976 from the University of Virginia Medical School and was a staff fellow at the hematology and oncology department of the University of Pennsylvania Medical School.
Dr. Zhijian LuDr. Zhijian Lu PhD Associate Director, Wyethn
Dr. Zhijian Lu graduated from Jilin University in 1982 with a BS degree in chemistry. Then he studied in the Environment Protection Research Institute in Beijing for three years and earned a Master’s degree in environment engineering. Between 1985 and 1991 he did his PhD research in Boston University in Dr. Richard Laursen’s lab on topics in protein chemistry. Dr. Lu did the post-doc studies in Dr. Gobind Khorana’s lab in MIT on structure-function relationship of rhodopsin. In 1993 Dr. Lu joined Genetics Institute, the predecessor of Wyeth Biotech, where he is the Associate Director of Biotherapeutics Expression and Purification group of Wyeth Research.
Dr. Lu’s research interest and achievements are in the areas of protein expression, protein structure/function relationship, peptide library display, discovery and functional characterization of novel genes, and proteomic study of cell signaling. Dr. Lu’s current focus is protein drug discovery.
Dr. Wei-Wei ZhangDr. Wei-Wei Zhang MD, PhD, founder, President and CEO, GenWay Biotech, USA
Dr. Wei-Wei Zhang is the founder, President and CEO of GenWay Biotech, Inc. Dr. Zhang has 24 years of biomedical research experience and 14-years of R&D and Corporate Development management experience in gene expression, protein chemistry, and antibody development. During the last seven years, Dr. Zhang has led the successful operations of GenWay Biotech, Inc, which resulted in development of the platform for providing protein and antibody solution services and a portfolio of product lines. Dr. Zhang also steered GenWay’s teams of business development and marketing and sales to establish various partnership and network to attain millions of dollars in revenues. Specializing in gene expression and viral vector technology, particularly the adenoviral and adeno-associated viral vector technologies, Dr. Zhang was the inventor and project leader for the world’s most advanced gene therapy of cancer product (Ad5CMV-p53) during 1992-1994, at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center.
Dr. Zhang was at Baxter Healthcare Corporation, during 1995-1998, as the Director of Molecular Biology, Gene Therapy Unit, and at GenStar Therapeutics Corporation, during 1999-2001 as the Chief Scientific Officer, where he led the R&D team to accomplish pre-clinical studies of the MiniAdFVIII product for hemophilia A treatment, and he organized construction and establishment of a 9,000 ft2 GMP facility for production of clinical materials. He was involved in interactions with the FDA and RAC regulatory authorities, and he was responsible for organizing and coordinating the activities of the multi-center clinical trials for MiniAdFVIII. Dr. Zhang obtained his M.D. degree in 1982 and his M.S. of Toxicology in 1985 from Zhejiang Medical University in China. In 1989, he acquired his PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Alabama. From 1989 to 1994, Dr. Zhang was an instructor at Baylor College of Medicine and Assistant Professor at MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas. Dr. Zhang has 16 patents issued or pending. He has published more than 65 peer-reviewed articles and has been invited to write major review articles and to deliver presentations in numerous national and international conferences.
Dr. Gordon VeharDr. Gordon Vehar PhD, VP of Research, Raven Biotechnologies, SSF, CA, USA
Dr. Vehar received his PhD from the University of Cincinnati Medical School and did his postdoctoral work with Dr. Earl Davie at the University of Washington, Seattle. He joined Genentech, Inc. in 1980. During his 20 years at Genentech, Dr. Vehar served various leadership functions, including Director, Cardiovascular Research, and project team leader for the Factor VIII (Kogenate, tPA (Activase, TNKase (TNKase, and Lymphotoxin Projects, as well as Staff Scientist in the Cardiovascular Research and Protein Chemistry Departments. Dr. Vehar is co-inventor on 36 issued U.S. patents and has authored more than 35 scientific publications.
He has been awarded the Murray Thelin Award for Outstanding Research (1987) presented by the National Hemophilia Foundation, the Inventor of the Year Award from the Intellectual Property Owners, Inc. (1989) for the recombinant tissue plasminogen activator patent and the Distinguished Inventor of the Year Award from the Intellectual Property Owners, Inc (1999) for the recombinant factor VIII patent. He served on the Scientific Advisory Board for the Oklahoma Center for Molecular Medicine (1992-1996). Dr. Vehar joined Raven Biotechnologies in 2000, as Vice President, Research and Development. Raven Biotechnologies utilizes tissue specific progenitor cells and high throughput antibody production/screening to identify, validate, and develop tumor specific monoclonal antibody therapeutics.
Dr. Choong-Chin LiewDr. Choong-Chin Liew PhD, CSO, GeneNews, Toronto, Canada
Dr. Choong-Chin “CC” Liew is co-founder and Chief Scientist of GeneNews Corporation, Toronto, Ontario and Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto, He was formerly Visiting Professor of Medicine and Founding Director of the Cardiovascular Genome Center at the Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston.
Dr. Liew is a pioneer in the emerging field of molecular medicine and globally recognized as a leader in disease-specific genomics research. To date, he has published over 300 original scientific papers, abstracts, and monographs. His 1997 landmark publication in Circulation, a pre-eminent U.S. peer reviewed journal, reported his work in cardiovascular genomics. This report is widely acknowledged to represent the most comprehensive analysis of genes expressed in a single human organ. Currently Dr. Liew is working to develop the Sentinel PrincipleTM, a blood-based diagnostic technology that will identify molecular signatures for major human diseases.
Dr. Reinhard EbnerDr. Reinhard Ebner PhD, Director of Research, Avalon Pharmaceuticals
Dr. Ebner is a Scientific Director at Avalon Pharmaceuticals. He received his undergraduate degree in Biology from the University of Regensburg and his doctorate in Microbiology and Genetics from the University of OsnabrŸck, Germany, where he then served on the faculty of the Genetics department. In 1989, he identified and cloned the type I TGF-b receptor at Genentech. He has made a series of substantial contributions to the fields of cytokine biology, receptor-ligand interactions and intracellular trafficking, cell differentiation, early development and tissue repair, first at Genentech and then at the University of California, San Francisco and at Stanford University Medical School. He has discovered several proteins now in preclinical and clinical development, including such molecules as LIGHT, IL-17B and its receptor, BlyS and TR6. In 2000, he joined Avalon Pharmaceuticals where he was instrumental in the initiation of intramural and external research programs and contributed to corporate and scientific infrastructure development. Dr. Ebner is a frequently invited plenary speaker at national and international conferences and member of scientific advisory panels. He is the author of 37 original research publications, including several articles in Science magazine, and is the primary inventor on more than 100 patent applications.
Dr. Kenneth C. CarterDr. Kenneth C. Carter PhD, President & CEO of Avalon Pharmaceuticals
Dr. Carter is a co-founder of Avalon has an extensive background in both cytological (chromosomes) and molecular (genes) genetics, including database mining and gene-array design and analysis. He has more than 50 scientific publications and multiple patents. In 1993 Dr. Carter became one of the first scientists at Human Genome Sciences (HGSI), where he developed and directed the Company's gene mapping initiative. In this capacity he has played a direct role in the discovery, cloning, and chromosomal mapping of dozens of new human genes. Among these were several disease genes including a family of genes involved in colon cancer, whose elucidation was named the 1994 "Discovery of the Year" by Science. Dr. Carter received his Ph.D. in Human Genetics and Cell Biology from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston in 1989, and was honored with the University's distinguished alumnus award in 1999. Dr. Carter also completed four years of postdoctoral research at the University of Massachusetts while receiving research fellowships from the Human Genome Center (NIH) and the Muscular Dystrophy Foundation. He was a scientist and group leader at Human Genome Sciences from 1993-1999.
Dr. Yupeng David HeDr. Yupeng David He PhD Abbott Laboratories
Dr. Yupeng (David) He is Senior Research Virologist, Infectious Disease Research at Abbott Laboratories, Chicago. Dr. He is originally from mainland China and finished his undergraduate study there, with a B.S. in Biology from Nankai University. He came to the U.S. to pursue his graduate training, first obtaining a M.A. in Biochemistry from the University of Kansas, followed by a PhD in Microbiology from Dr. Michael Katze's lab at the University of Washington.
Dr. He became highly interested in virology during his graduate study and focused his PhD dissertation on virus-host cell interaction of hepatitis C virus (HCV). Dr. He was hired as a Senior Research Cell/Molecular Biologist by Abbott Laboratories (Abbott Park, IL) after he received his PhD, and he works on anti-HCV drug discovery in the Infectious Disease Research Division of the company. Dr. He is the author of about 30 papers, reviews, and meeting presentations."
Dr. Timothy WellsDr. Timothy Wells PhD, Former Head of Research, Serono
Dr. Wells has a successful scientific career in biotechnology and is well known in the field of cytokine biology. He has worldwide responsibility for the discovery organization, with sites in Geneva, Boston and Ivrea, Italy. Serono's research focuses on providing new candidate molecules for clinical development in Serono's key therapeutic areas: infertility, neurology, autoimmunity/inflammation and wasting. Serono built a wide network of collaborations allowing access to all of the emerging new technologies of drug discovery. His personal research background has been focused on cytokine biology. Prior to joining Serono in 1998, Dr. Wells worked for Glaxo Wellcome for several years, rising to Head of Biochemistry and Immunology. Between 1987 and 1990 he worked at SmithKline Beecham in the UK on the molecular enzymology of arteriosclerosis. He obtained a PhD in the chemistry of enzyme action and protein engineering from Imperial College, London under the supervision of Prof. Alan Fersht.
Dr. Steve ArkinstallDr. Steve Arkinstall PhD, Head of Discovery, Serono
Dr. Arkinstall is an accomplished molecular biologist with 13 years' experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He is currently the Head of the Serono Reproductive Biology Institute where he supervises 75 scientists and oversees a $24M budget. Dr. Arkinstall has a major role at Serono in the identification and development of new drug targets. His work at Serono has included new product development and studies on the molecular and genetic basis of altered reproductive function and identification of novel mechanisms responsible for specific regulation of MAP kinases. Prior to joining Serono Dr. Arkinstall played various scientific and leadership roles at the Glaxo-Wellcome Biomedical Research Institute. His assignments at Glaxo-Wellcome included the generation of novel screening systems, new target identification, discovery of novel immunoregulators, discovery of novel blockers of neuronal apoptosis for neurodegenerative diseases and discovery of small molecule regulators of the neurotrophin/Trk receptor system for neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases. Dr. Arkinstall holds a DPhil from the University of Oxford and a BSc in Biochemistry and Physiology from the University of Sheffield. He has authored over 40 publications.
Dr. Kevin LiDr. Kevin Li Ph.D. Partner, HBM BioMed China
Dr. Kevin Li has extensive experience in biotech entrepreneurship and venture capital investment. He is a Partner at the HBM BioMed China, a venture capital fund focused on China-related biomedical investment opportunities with $100M under management. Prior to joining HBM, he was Managing Director of Fountain Healthcare Management, where he and his partners identified growth opportunities in the healthcare field in emerging markets, infuse good business and technical practice, and attract finance for their initiation and expansion. Previously, he was with the Bethesda, MD based Toucan Capital, a $120M venture capital fund focused on biotech investment, and was involved in Toucan's investments in several biopharmaceutical companies, and participated in portfolio company management. As an entrepreneur, Kevin was the co-founder and senior manager of several product and service companies in the biomedical space. Kevin is a graduate of Nankai University and Indiana University, and received training at Stanford University.
Mr. Iskandar Mizal MahmoodMr. Iskandar Mizal Mahmood Chief Executive Officer, Malaysian BiotechCorp
Malaysian Biotechnology Corporation (BiotechCorp) BiotechCorp is an agency under the purview of Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation and is wholly-owned by the Ministry of Finance Incorporated. BiotechCorp is governed by the Biotechnology Implementation Council and advised by the Biotechnology International Advisory Panel, both chaired by the honorable Prime Minister of Malaysia, YAB Dato’ Seri Abdullah Hj. Ahmad Badawi. The objective of the establishment of BiotechCorp amongst others is to identify value propositions in both R&D and commerce and support these ventures via financial assistance and developmental services. BiotechCorp’s key mandates are as follows:
- Act as a one-stop-centre
- Nurture and accelerate growth of Malaysian biotechnology companies
- Create conducive environment for biotechnology
- Actively promote foreign direct investments in biotechnology
Corie Lok , Senior Editor, Nature Network
Corie oversees all editorial content on Nature Network, a new interactive, social-networking website for researchers produced by the publishers of Nature. She is also responsible for the news section of Nature Network Boston, which covers people and trends in the Boston research community. She has been in the Boston area since 2001. Before arriving at Nature, she worked for MIT's Technology Review magazine as an editor, writing about biotech, nanotech, IT and telecom. She's also worked for US News and World Report and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Patricia TurneyPatricia Turney Director, R&D Strategic Operations, Amgen
Patricia Turney joined Amgen Inc. in 1996 as a Supervisor in Operations and has grown her role to enable Amgen's global expansion & development. In 1998, she managed Capital Construction Funding and, in 2000, was selected by the VP of Operations to be his Chief of Staff for two years. Patricia then created the Corporate Engineering group supporting Amgen's rapid site expansion. In conjunction with industry peers & the FDA she developed a Baseline Guide for Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing Facilities used worldwide. Now a Director in R&D Strategic Operations, Patricia is responsible for pipeline planning and strategy, international expansion, and business process improvements. Prior to Amgen, Patricia owned and operated an aircraft charter company. She also served in the U.S. military as a Naval Aviator for 6 years. Patricia received a B.S. in Mathematics, minor in Engineering from the United States Naval Academy and a Masters in Business Administration from UCLA.
Mr. Kevin CroninMr. Kevin Cronin CEO, Techlawglobal, Beijing, China
Title: "The Tao of the Deal: Lessons Learned from Pharma Projects in Asia". His talk will give a brief overview of the Chinese biopharmaceutical industry and the lessons learned from both successful and unsuccessful pharma deals in Asia.
Kevin Cronin has advised information technology and biopharmaceutical companies for over 20 years, and currently is a consultant to and board member of several early-stage and growth-stage pharmaceutical, information technology and data security companies. Kevin received his law degree from Washington University and his undergraduate degree from the University of Chicago. Before practicing law, Kevin designed software and conducted medical research. He is the author of "Data Security and Privacy Law" (West Group) and publishes and lectures widely on technology legal and business topics.
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