SORTIPHASE - Key Persons
David Hoey has more than 25 years' experience in technology financing and commercialization, with primary expertise in business development, strategic planning, market development, and corporate partnering for medical technologies, diagnostics and drug development. Mr. Hoey is currently Chief Executive Office and a Director of Vaxxas, Inc., a company that has developed and is commercializing a novel high-density microarray patch for vaccine delivery. During his career, David has worked in management and leadership roles in the preclinical development of small molecule and biologic therapeutics, molecular diagnostic assays and platforms, and analytical instrumentation. Mr. Hoey served as Vice President of business development at U.S. Genomics Inc., PathoGenetix Inc., and InfoLibria Inc.
Job Titles:
- Managing Director of Genoa Ventures
Dr. Jenny Rooke is the Managing Director of Genoa Ventures. This fund invests in early-stage companies innovating at the intersection of biology and technology. She is a rare investor who deeply understands both business and technological sides of emerging enterprises. With Doctorate in genetics, Bachelors in physics, and background in computer science, her career could follow technological path, as she had demonstrated being VP R&D and CSO at US Genomics. This experience and education were her competitive advantage in the business world, when she worked at McKinsey & Co, joined Fidelity Biosciences as the Kauffman Fellow, became a Venture Partner at F-Prime Capital Partners, and finally is in charge of the investment fund. No surprise that both emerging and established companies, such as Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, search for her advice.
Job Titles:
- Chief Scientific Officer
- Scientist
Dr. Natalia Rodionova is the Chief Scientific Officer. Natalia is an experienced scientist with an extended record of various projects completed both in the biotech industry and in academia. In both milieus, she had leveraged her expertise in biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, microfluidics, and analytical instrumentation. As Instructor of Biochemistry in Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, Natalia was responsible for research on addictive drugs, supported by an NIH grant. She was an HHMI-funded Research Specialist in charge of all methods for protein and DNA analysis in Protein Core of the Rockefeller University. Throughout her tenures at several biotech startups, Natalia was involved in development of novel therapeutic reagents, multiplex assays for detection of early stage of diseases and cancer in cell-free DNA, affinity-acoustic selection of CAR T cells, and customer-oriented production of point-of-care instrumentation. At various companies, she organized QC groups and led patent publications, outsourcing, and external collaborations.
Natalia's PhD degree in Molecular Biology was awarded by Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology. She attained M.S. in Biophysics at Leningrad State University. Dr. Rodionova is also a certified Project Manager (from Worcester Polytechnic Institute) and a Microfabrication Specialist (from Harvard Center for Nanoscale Systems).
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive
- Chief Technology Officer
Dr. Rudolf Gilmanshin is the Chief Executive and Chief Technology Officer. In US Genomics (later Pathogenetix), Rudolf climbed the ladder from the first full-time employee of a startup up to the principal leading development of the core technological platform and applications. As a Vice President there and later in FloDesign Sonics, Dr. Gilmanshin created and managed strong multidisciplinary teams of knowledge-intensive workers. Rudolf is the author of proposals and PI on contracts and grants that brought in $57M funding. He collaborated with academic labs, government organizations, and major companies.
Following his original training, Rudolf reduced research results into disruptive technologies, into proof-of-principal and pre-commercial prototypes. As a researcher, Dr. Gilmanshin specialized in self-organization of molecular structures applying his experience in molecular engineering, molecular films, and single molecule studies. He is experienced in development and application of various methods for study and manipulation of structures of biomolecules and their supramolecular complexes. This activity has led to 41 paper and 10 patents.
Rudolf Gilmanshin attained his PhD in Molecular Biophysics from the Institute of Biological Physics at the Russian Academy of Sciences. He also holds a M.S. in Physics of Fast Processes from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology, which he graduated with honors. In 2007, he has won the outstanding entrepreneurship award from the National Science Foundation for his SBIR project.
Job Titles:
- Program Quality Manager at UTC Aerospace Systems
- Program Quality Manager for PW1100 NEO Program at UTC Aerospace Systems
Jason Dionne is currently a Program Quality Manager for PW1100 NEO Program at UTC Aerospace Systems. Before that, he was one of founders of a startup, FloDesign Sonics, where he worked on an acoustic-based separation technology. His combination of skills of a mechanical, system, and industrial engineer combined with experience in separation and early startup makes him a valuable adviser in planning the development of both early prototypes and commercial systems. Jason graduated Summa Cum Laude from Western New England University with Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering.
Job Titles:
- Chief Bio - Applications and Technical Adviser at ArteSyn
John Rozembersky is currently the Chief Bio-Applications and Technical Adviser at ArteSyn Bio. He is also the President of Rozembersky Group, an independent biofiltration consulting firm founded in 2005. In these two capacities as well as throughout his previous employment at FloDesign Sonics, WaterSep Technologies, Pall, Filtron Technology, Waters, and Millipore, John was involved in development of filtration and separation technologies. With over 40 years of hands-on experience and in-depth knowledge, he is internationally recognized as a leading authority in membrane technologies in the biopharmaceutical sector. John brings his separation and purification expertise in large scale bioprocessing to help shaping our systems to meet the demands of biopharma.