NATIVE CARDIO - Key Persons
Robert B. Raffa, Ph.D. - Dr. Robert B. Raffa has devoted his professional career to pharmacology and understanding the balance between therapeutic utility and abuse potential of drugs. Previously, he was team co-leader for analgesics drug discovery at Johnson & Johnson. Dr. Raffa has received more than $3 million in research funding from National Institutes of Health and other sources for investigation of drug action and drug abuse issues. In addition, Dr. Raffa has published over 300 peer-reviewed papers, is the co-author or editor of several books on pharmacology and thermodynamics and is a co-editor of the Journal of Clinical Pharmacy and Therapeutics. He is a past president of the Mid-Atlantic Pharmacology Society, and he lectures and consults worldwide on analgesics and analgesic combinations.
Robert D. Colucci, PharmD. - Dr. Colucci has over 20-years' experience in pharmaceutical research and development and has been involved in all phases of clinical research and drug development. Dr. Colucci has held leadership and management positions in the development, planning, and execution of numerous analgesic, CNS, and cardiovascular therapies. He has been employed by Schering-Plough Research Institute, Purdue Pharma L.P., New River Pharmaceuticals, and Javelin Pharmaceuticals. He now serves as an independent consultant for various pharmaceutical and medical device companies.
Job Titles:
- Director Operations and Business Development
Gary Dixon, Director Operations and Business Development - Mr. Dixon has 30-years of international experience within the medical device, biotech, and commercial technology industries. He has had a successful career in coaching and leading both domestic and international teams. His areas of expertise include: product development, operational leadership, sales leadership, new therapy research and development, upstream and downstream marketing, global sales, and business development. Mr. Dixon has experience and a proven track record of strategic worldwide product development from the start-up phase through full product commercialization.
Mr. Dixon has held executive leadership positions at: Osteometer, Criticare, Mortara Alliance Laundry Systems, Axiom Worldwide.He holds a Bachelor's degree from Barry University in Miami and a Master's degree from St. Leo University in San Antonio, Fl.
Joseph Pergolizzi, MD, CEO - Dr. Joseph V. Pergolizzi, Jr. is an internationally recognized thought leader in anesthesiology, internal medicine, perioperative care, pain medicine, critical and palliative care, pharmacology, drug development and regulatory affairs. As a drug and device regulatory subject matter expert, Dr. Pergolizzi is a top consultant for numerous blockbuster-branded medications. He is an experienced C-suite executive who brings an extensive professional network and background in global healthcare to Native Cardio.
He is the co-founder of NEMA Research, Inc., a specialty CRO, a former invited subcommittee member of the FDA Safe Use Initiative, an SGE VAH Grant Reviewer, a section Chairman of PAINWEEK, and Consultant to Global Pain Initiative's Board of Directors. Dr. Pergolizzi is the former director of business development and financial affairs for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Clinical Trials Unit and a former part-time adjunct faculty member in the Department of Medicine at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
Dr. Pergolizzi has published over 100 peer-reviewed medical articles and is frequently invited to share his presentations at scientific conferences around the world.
Young D. Kim, MD, Chief Science Officer - Dr. Kim is former Chairman and Professor, Department of Anesthesia, Georgetown University Medical Center 2004-2012. Dr. Kim is a former NIH researcher with over 40-years of cardiovascular anesthesia clinical and research experience. Dr. Kim has been awarded multiple research grants for his work and has exhibited his findings at numerous scientific conferences. Dr. Kim is the author of over 150 peer-reviewed articles, abstracts, and platform presentations in his areas of interest and expertise. He is an internationally recognized expert and is in demand as a lecturer. He holds U.S. patents for his innovations.
Joseph Pergolizzi, MD, Executive Chairman - Dr. Joseph V. Pergolizzi, Jr. is an internationally recognized thought leader in anesthesiology, internal medicine, perioperative care, pain medicine, critical and palliative care, pharmacology, drug development and regulatory affairs. As a drug and device regulatory subject matter expert, Dr. Pergolizzi is a top consultant for numerous blockbuster-branded medications. He is an experienced C-suite executive who brings an extensive professional network and background in global healthcare to Native Cardio.
Myles P. Dempsey joined the Native Cardio Board in February 2019. He is the Founder and retired CEO of Tech Air, a leading industrial gas distributor in the Northeast. Myles sold Tech Air in 2011 to Private Equity firm CI Capital Partners after more than 30 years as its leader. Prior to founding Tech Air Myles was responsible for acquisitions within the Linde Division of Union Carbide. For the past decade, Myles has been an active supporter of numerous medical research pilot projects at Sloan Kettering and the Albert Einstein Cancer Institute, with a particular focus on breast and colon cancer. This has resulted in significant NIH grants being awarded to both institutions to continue this critical research.
Job Titles:
- Professor of Surgery at McGovern Medical School
Randall K. Wolf, M.D., FACS, FACC - Dr. Randall Wolf is an internationally recognized key opinion leader in cardiothoracic surgery. He is a surgical innovator and has pioneered since 2000 the minimally invasive surgical procedure, the Wolf Minimaze, to treat atrial fibrillation (AF). Dr. Wolf was the first heart surgeon to perform DaVinci robotic cardiac procedures in North America and was the first DaVinci proctor. He has performed cardiac surgery in 20 countries.
Dr. Wolf is Professor of Surgery at McGovern Medical School, Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, University of Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth). Dr. Wolf is also the Surgical Director of the Atrial Fibrillation Clinic Cardiothoracic and Vascular Institute at Memorial Hermann Hospitals, Houston, TX. Dr. Wolf is Honorary Professor of Surgery at Capital University in Beijing, China.
Dr. Wolf's research and area of expertise include: minimally invasive atrial fibrillation procedures and devices, minimally invasive heart and lung surgery, robotics in cardiac surgery, anastomotic devices, surgical sealants, biosurgery, video thoracoscopy and video-assisted thoracic surgery, lung volume reduction for emphysema and thoracoscopic spine surgery, phrenic nerve pacemakers MEMS technology.
Dr. Wolf has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers and textbook chapters. He is frequently invited to present his work at scientific conferences around the world.
Dr. Colucci is a member and has been active in numerous professional organizations including the American College of Clinical Pharmacology, College on Problems of Drug Dependence, and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. He is a fellow in both the American College of Clinical Pharmacology and the Society of Critical Care Medicine. He has authored over 125 abstracts and scientific publications in the area of clinical pharmacology and drug development and he holds 15 pharmaceutical patents. Dr. Colucci has held academic appointments at Rutgers University, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and the University of Connecticut. Additionally, he has been a reviewer and served on the editorial boards for leading clinical pharmacology and pharmacy journals.