2019 Emerging Company Showcase Participants
ALDANS HEALTH
Aldans Health is a startup that collaborates with prominent scientists from multiple research institutes in China, Canada and the US. The ANTIS DMS Stimulator Pillow is based on non-invasive neuromodulation technology that enhances the
function of the hippocampus and promotes adult hippocampal neurogenesis. It is based on deep brain reachable low field gamma rhythmic magnetic stimulation (DMS) to act deeply in the brain. The result is not just to relieve the symptoms but to tackle
the pathological changes caused by chronic stress and traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Presenter: Song-Song S. Liao
Song-Song is the founder and Interim CEO of Aldans Health US. As executive and entrepreneur, Song-Song has pioneered the healthcare insurance industry in both the United States and China. She started her actuarial career in the US at Blue Cross of California,
Health Net, and Deloitte Consulting before becoming Munich Re’s first Health General Manager in the Greater China region. She later returned to the US and served as Actuarial Director in Blue Shield of California. Since the beginning of 2015,
she has advised and incubated multiple healthcare startups in Silicon Valley and Beijing before founding Aldans in 2019.
CELLEXCELL
CellExcel is a spin-off of AllExcel, Inc., with two platform technologies, together offering a complete solution for cell-replacement therapies. One, the CCI™ platform, enables development of novel factory-manufacturable cell lines
for allogeneic cell replacement therapies, without using any viral vectors or transfection approaches. The other, our CellTrove™ micro-encapsulation platform, enables delivery of the cell therapy for use in patient, protecting the foreign cells
from immune attack while enabling chemical communication with the new host.
Presenter: Anil R. Diwan, PhD
Dr. Anil Diwan has been working in nanomedicines development since 1992. He founded a private company, AllExcel, Inc., to develop novel technologies. He invented the "TheraCour®" polymeric micelle/hydrogel-based targeted drug delivery technologies.
In 2004, he co-founded TheraCour Pharma, Inc. to further develop these technologies. He co-founded NanoViricides, Inc., (NNVC) which became public through a reverse shell merger in 2005, and he led its up-listing to NYSE-Amer. exchange in Sep. 2013.
NanoViricides has licensed TheraCour technologies for antiviral drug development against several viruses and is currently performing IND-enabling cGLP Safety/Toxicology studies of its first antiviral drug candidate. NanoViricides has several drug
candidates in the pipeline that have shown extremely high efficacy and safety in animal models against a number of viruses including Influenzas, HIV, HSV-1, and VZV, among others. At NanoViricides, he helped raise or raised over $65MM. In addition,
Dr. Diwan played a key role in developing a flexible, multi-product, cGMP-capable, R&D and Drug Product Manufacturing Facility that was purchased at cost by NanoViricides, Inc.
At AllExcel, for the last several years he has led the development of cell replacement regenerative therapies for diseases including Parkinson’s disease, with Dr. Ashok Chakraborty, an expert in cell biology, and Dr. Jayant Tatake, an expert in
nanomedicines. Spin-off of CellExcel to focus on commercializing these technologies is in progress. CellExcel will be one-stop-shop that develops novel allogeneic, factory-manufacturable cell lines as well as hydrogels for micro encapsulation of the
same as drug products for various applications including Parkinson’s and Diabetes, among others.
Anil is intimately involved in drug development activities from design to drug product. Previously, Dr. Diwan performed post-doctoral research in Virology at Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs, & in Biomedical Engg. at Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison. He holds
a PhD in (Bio)Chem. Engg. from Rice Univ., Houston, TX, and a BTech (Chem Engg.) from IIT Bombay.
Clarigent Health
Clarigent Health is a platform technology company leveraging artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide clinical decision support to mental health professionals. The initial focus is suicide prevention in school age children.
Using a smartphone-based app and server-based algorithms, individuals can be identified with a simple six-minute interview.
Presenter: Don Wright
Now the founder and CEO of Clarigent Health, Don Wright spent the past decade growing Assurex Health from technology invented at Mayo Clinic and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center to a company of over 500 employees serving over one million
people with mental health conditions. Assurex Health was acquired in 2016 by Myriad Genetics allowing Don to use his more than 25 years of experience in the informatics, product development, operations and life sciences fields, to assisting others
turn their ideas into hyper-growth companies as he developed and founded Clarigent Health
CONVALESCE
Our vision at Convalesce, is to transform regenerative medicine for neurological conditions combining stem cells and brain mimetic implantable biomaterials, that will regenerate lost neurons restoring neural pathways. Our primary focus
is on Parkinson’s Disease due to its socio-economic impact, not only on the patient but on the entire society.
Presenter: Subhadeep Das
Subhadeep is a trained biochemist and has worked at the junction of materials engineering and stem cell biology across multidisciplinary and multinational groups at IIT Bombay (India), Monash University and Florey Institute of Neuroscience (Australia).
He is the co-inventor of AmGel, the core matrix technology behind Convalesce’s hydrogel for stem cell transplantation.
ISCHEMIA CARE
Ischemia Care is a venture backed, molecular diagnostic company commercializing tests across the care continuum, including point of care. In 2019, Ischemia Care is launching their first test, ISCDx, to diagnose the cause of stroke
based on gene expression analysis to provide better answers for the 200k annual patients who never know the cause of their stroke.
Presenter: Jeff June
Jeff June, CEO, founder, investor, and board member for Ischemia Care, a molecular diagnostic company commercializing blood tests for cause of stroke, across the stroke care continuum, including atrial fibrillation and point of care. Background includes
founding and investing in multiple early stage companies, including life sciences and IT. Investment experiences spans seed stage venture capital and large private equity firms. As a company founder, participated in a establishing clinical, operational,
sales, and financial foundations; from seed stage to exit, including a $600M IPO, and a separate $95M exit.
MONARCHBIO
MonarchBio is a unique company developing medical device and biotechnology products based on its Thin Film Nitinol (TFN) technology platform. TFN is a unique biomaterial that is fabricated using techniques adapted from the microelectronics
industry. This allows MonarchBio to produce a TFN micromesh with virtually any pattern down to the single micrometer scale. Extensive preclinical testing of the TFN micromesh has demonstrated that it can be rationally designed to encourage a desired
biological effect. MonarchBio's lead product is the Titan Flow Diverting Stent for treating intracranial aneurysms. The device is currently being readied for human trials in late 2019. Preclinical testing of the Titan Flow Diverter has demonstrated
significant advantages over competing technologies including: 1. Improved ease-of-use; 2. Faster aneurysm occlusion; and 3. More reliable aneurysm occlusion. MonarchBio is currently raising funds to advance the Titan Flow Diverter into a human clinical
trial scheduled to commence in late 2019. MonarchBio believes that human data demonstrating the device advantages listed above will position the Titan Flow Diverter as a market leader in this category, and also mark a major value inflection point
for the company. A leading site for clinical trials of novel neurovascular devices has been identified, and the proposed trial will be led by two globally-recognized key opinion leaders in the field. In addition to the Titan Flow Diverter, MonarchBio
has an internal pipeline of products based on TFN micromesh technology. These include additional endovascular devices, systems for local delivery of therapeutics such as small molecules and engineered T-cells treating solid tumors, and novel platforms
for regenerative medicine applications.
Presenter: Colin
Kealey, MD
Dr. Kealey is the CMO at MonarchBio. He has also served as Director of Global Medical Affairs and Corporate Projects at NeuroSigman since March 2014. Dr. Kealey spearheaded the introduction of eTNS to major epilepsy centers throughout the EU and Canada,
and interfaced with key opinion leaders in the field to convey the science behind eTNS and how it may fit into their current clinical practice. Dr. Kealey also served as Co-Principal Investigator on two of our National Institutes of Health (NIH) grants.
In addition, he assisted with the preparation of materials submitted to the FDA, which led to the approval of our IDE application, and has been a major contributor to the design of our planned pivotal trial of eTNS for epilepsy. Prior to joining NeuroSigma,
Dr. Kealey was a resident physician in the UCLA Department of Surgery from 2007 to 2011. During his time at UCLA, Dr. Kealey was responsible for all aspects of the care of surgical patients, ranging from outpatient procedures to critically ill patients
in the intensive care unit. From 2009 to 2011, Dr. Kealey also served as a Post-Doctoral Researcher at the UCLA Center for Advanced Surgical and Interventional Technology, where he performed pre-clinical research and development on novel medical devices.
Dr. Kealey earned his B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Wisconsin – Madison and his M.D. from the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine.
Neural Dynamics Technologies
Neural Dynamics Technologies (NDT) builds novel invasive neural interfaces to record from and modulate the electrical activity of the brain.
Presenter: Ingrid van Welie, PhD
Ingrid is the Founder and CEO of Neural Dynamics Technologies (NDT). She is also a Research Affiliate at the Picower Institute for Learning and Memory
at MIT. Ingrid is an experienced neuroscientist, specialized in the study of the biophysical properties of neurons and how these change during learning and memory and during disease states. She is an expert in various electrophysiological recording
technologies and recently, while at MIT, worked on developing new technologies for recording and manipulating the electrical properties of neurons. Ingrid hails from the Netherlands, where she obtained her PhD in Neuroscience from the University
of Amsterdam.
NIRAXX
Niraxx is a biotech company creating a new category of wearable light therapy devices for brain health and overall wellness. We’ve taken the data from years of research and science on the benefits of Low Level Light Therapy
and translated it into effective self-care solutions for people who are looking to gain an edge in their everyday wellness and proactively work towards a longer, healthier life.
Presenter: Paolo Cassano, MD, PhD
Dr. Paolo Cassano is assistant professor of psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and Director of Photobiomodulation at the MGH Depression Clinical and Research Program. Dr. Cassano
has over 10 years of experience in treatment of depressive disorders with low level laser light therapy and brain bioenergetics. He is Co-founder of Niraxx Light Therapeutics, Inc.
AWARE - Custom Biometric Hearable for Remote Brain Monitoring
Aware can remotely monitor the brain, and a myriad of other biometrics, through a custom earphone. Aware is a non-invasive, medical device, built into a custom earphone, and integrated into a machine learning platform. Aware is capable of obtaining accurate and repeatable brain monitoring EEG signals in the ear, and it can be worn while sleeping. Aware’s learning algorithms enable it to be customized for specific medical domains and then tied to a specific treatment.
Presenter: Samuel Kellett
Sam Kellett, Jr. is the Chairman, CEO, and Founder of Aware. Sam is the co-creator of the first custom biometric hearable that can be tied to specific medical domains and the underlying medicine. Sam is also Chairman of United Sciences, and developed the 3D ear scanner technology which is the enabling technology behind Aware. The Otoscan 3D ear scanner technology is now the industry standard in the hearing aid industry.
Past Emerging Company Showcase Participants
AURAL ANALYTICS
Aural Analytics is an emerging healthtech company founded by Professors Julie Liss, Ph.D. and Visar Berisha, Ph.D. in 2015 after decades of speech science and speech signal processing research at Arizona State University. Aural Analytics
has built proprietary metrics that use speech to capture changes in neurological health. With Aural Analytics’ downloadable apps, any smartphone or tablet becomes a powerful brain health monitor.
Presenter: Visar Berisha, Co-Founder, CSO, Aural Analytics
Dr. Berisha is an assistant professor at Arizona State University (joint appointment in the College of
Engineering and College of Health Solutions), a Research Fellow in the department of Neurology at Mayo Clinic, and the Chief Science Officer at Aural Analytics. At ASU, Dr. Berisha directs the Signal Analysis Representation and Perception Lab.
With a focus on speech, his research focuses on using technology to better understand neurological disease progression. Dr. Berisha received his Ph.D. in electrical engineering from Arizona State University in 2007. From 2007 to 2009, he was a
member of the technical staff at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, where he worked on fundamental questions related to signal processing and machine learning. Following his appointment at MIT, Berisha worked in industry as Principal Research Engineer. At
the university, Dr. Berisha’s research is funded by the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation, the Department of Defense, and Industry. As co-founder of Aural Analytics, Dr. Berisha brings vast speech signal processing
and machine learning experience as well as a track record of translating basic technology research to commercial applications in industry
AXOSIM
AxoSim’s Nerve-on-a-Chip is the first 3D model of the nervous system to deliver human-relevant data to predict clinical outcomes prior to costly human trials. Employing breakthroughs in biomaterials, tissue engineering, and
stem cells, the patent-pending platform replicates living human biology in both form and function. The Nerve-on-a-Chip platform is a more accurate, less expensive, and faster alternative to animal testing, and while working to develop a shippable
product, AxoSim is already providing revenue generating services to large pharma customers.
Presenter: Lowry Curley, CEO, AxoSim
J. Lowry Curley, PhD is the CEO of Axosim. Since its inception, he has driven the vision and implementation
for product development and industry adoption of AxoSim’s Nerve-on-a-Chip, with the goal of making a significant global impact on healthcare and medicine. AxoSim is pioneering its Nerve-on-a-Chip as a living nerve that recreates human form
and function to enable pharma companies a faster, less expensive, and more accurate alternative to animal testing. Lowry received his PhD at Tulane University in biomedical engineering, focusing on tissue engineering and neuroscience. Following
several postdocs, including a stint in Belgium working on neural interfacing technology, Lowry realized the only way to translate research breakthroughs outside of the lab was through commercialization, which drove him to return to New Orleans
and begin AxoSim’s efforts. Lowry has been named on multiple patents and has received both Phase I and Phase II small business grants from the NIH, NSF, and CASIS.
BRAINMARC
Brainmarc is redefining brain health. We are building a brain health platform for the aging population by leveraging our proprietary bei (brain engagement index) technology. Brainmarc’s bei derived therapy platform is clinically
proven to treat a variety of cognitive deficiency conditions including: Post Stork, TBI (Traumatic Brain Injury) and MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment). We improve clinical outcomes in the clinics and at home!
Presenter: Sefi Epel, CEO, Brainmarc
Mr. Epel is a results driven leader with a passion for driving health care via technology. Mr. Epel brings to BrainMARC unique track record as top performer in leadership positions across multiple disciplines: General management, Managing large scale
cross-organization business and process transformations, overall responsibility for P&L, pre-sales, business development, sales and marketing. Mr. Epel was the co-founder of Pulsacool ltd. and of Kiddos ltd., and served in significant roles
at Comigo ltd. and at the Israeli Prime Minister Office. Mr. Epel holds B.Sc in Electrical Engineering from the Technion Israeli Institute of Technology.
BRAINSVIEW
Brainsview is a software company analyzing real-time brain activity and predicting functional outcome. Combining physiologic data, dynamic systems analysis and machine learning we offer clinicians, researchers and patients new insights
into brain function.
Presenter: Vera Nenadovic, Founder, Brainsview Inc.
Vera Nenadovic is a clinician, neuroscientist and new entrepreneur. She has channeled her interest in dynamic and complex systems into a startup company dedicated to revealing brain function.
DEHA
DEHA is developing a first in class small molecule inhibitor of the water channel protein AQP-4 expressed highly in the brain. Our approach is to find a therapeutic cure for the brain edema occurring in large stroke, traumatic brain
injury and sports injury. We aim to get Orphan designation and fast track FDA development status considering the unmet need.
Presenter: Kumar Sripathirathan, CEO, DEHA
Dr. Kumar is the CEO of the DEHA. He received his Ph.D. in Toxicology-Pharmacology program. He has been instrumental in successful execution of the efficacy and toxicology studies for several pharmaceutical companies and multinational organizations.
Digital medical technologies, inc.
Digital Medical Technologies Inc. was founded by Dr Hasey and his computer engineering colleagues at McMaster University to commercialize the artificial intelligence-based psychiatric management software they have developed. This
pre-revenue company owns patents describing this technology that have been allowed in the USA, Canada and Australia and are under review in the European Union.
Presenter: Gary Hasey, CMO, Digital Medical Experts Inc.
Dr Gary Hasey is the Chief Medical Officer of Digital Medical Technologies Inc. and an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences, the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and the School of Biomedical
Engineering at McMaster University. After training at the University of Alberta, the University of Toronto and the University of Pittsburgh he opened Canada’s first therapeutic transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) clinic at McMaster University.
This clinic uses EEG and brain imaging technology to enhance the effectiveness of TMS. Partnering with electrical and computer engineers he has developed Machine Learning algorithms that can accurately diagnose mental illness and predict the response
to a wide variety of treatments.
Grey Matter Technologies, LLC
Grey Matter Technologies, LLC is Making Patients Heard™. The Company employs innovative natural language processing (NLP) techniques to analyze and interpret verbatim reports from patients about their problems and preferences
to make their input more actionable in clinical care and research settings. Grey Matter is focused initially on patients with neurological diseases, and is collaborating with other companies to expand its technology platform for other therapeutic
areas.
Presenter: Carol Christopher, Principal, Grey Matter Technologies LLC
Carol Christopher’s 35-year career includes marketing, business development, finance, and product development leadership roles at ALZA Corporation, AeroGen, Alexza Pharmaceuticals, and NuMedii, Inc. In the last two decades, Carol has focused
on building successful new ventures, and mentoring entrepreneurs in academia and in international contexts. Carol holds patents on novel drug formulations, and has published in peer-reviewed journals on entrepreneurship. She has a B.S. in Chemical
Engineering and a doctorate in Intercultural Studies. She also has six years of consumer product development and brand management experience at Procter & Gamble and the Clorox Company.
iBIONICS
iBIONICS designs smart implantable bionic solutions that can treat debilitating diseases by stimulating neural tissue. The Diamond EYE retinal implant, uses ground-breaking technology to return sight up to 10 times better than
today’s bionic vision. The solution address blindness caused by Dry Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD).
Presenter: Steven Prawer, Director, Cofounder, CTO, iBIONICS
Professor Steven Prawer is the lead inventor of the Diamond Eye™ and Cofounder of iBIONICS. He envisions technology development to benefit health and quality of life by providing a platform to communicate to the brain. Prior to joining iBIONICS,
Professor Prawer developed a model to measure research and development return on investment from economic and societal impact perspectives at the National Research Council of Canada. He has also led the Melbourne Materials Institute, a multidisciplinary
research initiative using advanced material science and technology to address problems of global significance. Professor Prawer has a worldwide reputation in advanced diamond science and technology, has published more than 300 scientific papers.
He has received numerous fellowships and awards and in 2010 was elected to the Australian Academy of Science.
IMEKA
Imeka was created to help researchers get the most out of their medical images. We are dedicated to help medical research get to the next level through great quantitative image analysis. Our specialties are Diffusion MRI and preclinical
PET/SPECT cardiac imaging.
Presenter: Jean-René Bélanger, CEO, Imeka
Jean-René Bélanger Owns a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from Université de Sherbrooke. Ex-member of the speed skating national team, he brings to the company his high perserverance, discipline and work
ethics. His go-to skills and his dreams push Imeka to innovate in its way of giving solutions to researchers.
KalGene Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
KalGene Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is a privately held company working in partnership with many of North America and Europe’s leading clinician-scientists and academic institutions. KalGene is focused on the development of targeted
therapeutics and companion diagnostics. Its programs are aimed at improving clinical and survival outcomes through the use of personalized medicine.
Presenter: Nathan Yoganathan, President & CSO, KalGene Pharmaceuticals
Dr. T. Nathan Yoganathan is the President and Chief Scientific Officer of KalGene Pharmaceuticals Inc. He was the founder, and former Chairman, President and Chief Scientific Officer of Med BioGene Inc, a Canadian diagnostics company listed on
TSX Venture Exchange. Dr. Yoganathan has over 25 years of experience in scientific research in cell signaling and gene expression technology. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research
Council of Canada and the Thyroid Foundation of Canada. He also serves as a mentor for the student biotechnology network (SBN) of British Columbia and also as an industry member on the CIHR Strategic Training Program in the Bioinformatics
Advisory Board. Dr. Yoganathan was a faculty member of the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto and was affiliated with the Mt. Sinai Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute. He holds a B.Sc. (Honours) from the University of North
London, a M.Sc. from the University of Sussex and a Ph.D. from the University of Oslo.
MED-LIFE DISCOVERIES LP
Med-Life Discoveries (MLD) is a life-sciences human health company focused on the early detection, treatment, and prevention of chronic diseases including Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis
and a rare pediatric condition called Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata (RCDP). The company has a strong intellectual property position based on the composition and therapeutic use of synthetic plasmalogen precursor compounds for augmenting
plasmalogen levels across various indications. Plasmalogens are a unique class of naturally-occurring phospholipids that are critical for neuronal membrane function, and are deficient among subjects with cognitive impairment and children born
with RCDP. MLD has completed a PreIND meeting with the FDA for its lead compound PPI-1040 and is planning a first in human Phase I trial in late 2019.
Presenter: Shawn Ritchie, CEO and CSO, Med-Life Discoveries LP
Dr. Ritchie is currently the CEO and Chief Scientific Officer at Med-Life Discoveries. He obtained
his BSc in Biochemistry from the University of Saskatchewan, a degree in Technical Writing and Communications from Simon Fraser University, and a PhD in Biochemistry from the University of Saskatchewan. Dr. Ritchie has over 17 years of commercial
metabolomics biomarker discovery experience using high resolution mass spectrometry to investigate metabolic underpinnings of chronic disease. He has patented and played a key role in the development and commercialization of several Health
Canada approved blood tests for identifying early risk of disease, and now leads MLD’s development of plasmalogen metabolic replacement therapies for the treatment and prevention of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, Multiple
Sclerosis, and an orphan disease called Rhizomelic Chondrodysplasia Punctata (RCDP).
NARBIS
Narbis is a hardware/software development company and following the strong trend of consumerizing medical technology, we have brought the power of neurofeedback into the home and out of the clinic. While there are many applications
for our platform, we have chosen at first to help children struggling with ADHD. We have our first revenues and our product is being used in pilot programs.
Presenter: Devon Greco, Founder and CEO, Narbis
Devon is patented inventor and entrepreneur passionate about building tools that help people take control of their own health.
NIA THERAPEUTICS
Nia Therapeutics is developing closed-loop neurostimulation therapies to treat Alzheimer's disease and memory impairment. Nia's technology was developed at the University of Pennsylvania with funding from DARPA as part of the
United States BRAIN Initiative.
Presenter: Dan Rizzuto, CEO, Nia Therapeutics
Dan Rizzuto, PhD, is developing brain stimulation therapies for patients with memory disorders as part of the DARPA
RAM project at the University of Pennsylvania and as a Founder at Nia Therapeutics. He previously managed neurotechnology development at the Allen Institute for Brain Science and Northstar Neuroscience. Dan completed his doctorate in systems
neuroscience and human memory at Brandeis University, his postdoctoral training in brain-machine interfaces at Caltech, and was the recipient of the 2015 Neurotechnology Researcher of the Year award from Neurotech Reports.
Ngoggle
NGoggle is developing a brain interface platform (BIP) for detecting and monitoring neurodegenerative diseases of the eye and brain. Analogous to a “battery checker” for the brain, the AR/VR form-factor medical device
uses EEG to measure the neural response and changes thereto to visual stimuli. NGoggle’s initial focus is on glaucoma - the leading cause of blindness.
Presenter: Kye Cheung, COO, NGoggle
Kye Cheung has over 30 years of senior managerial experience working in high tech and medical devices. His core skills and experiences include product development, operations, strategic partnerships and business development where his focus is
on growing start-ups. Initially after graduating from MIT, Kye worked at Verizon, Qualcomm and Intel developing and managing new products and services. He then co-founded NeoPoint, one of the first smartphone developers in the US, selling
through Sprint and other US cellular carriers. Kye has been involved with several successful startups including CommASIC, which developed 4G chipsets (acquired by Motorola-Freescale NYSE: FSL, FSL.B); and IconnWireless (acquired by Wavecom,
SA). Kye served as President of Impeto Medical, a FDA cleared pre-diabetes medical device company and was on the board of directors of Kneron, a deep learning company developing computer vision algorithms and AI chipsets.
RetiSpec
The global quest to find a cure for Alzheimer’s Disease is at an uphill battle, as companies and clinicians struggle to locate pre-symptomatic patients early enough to matter. At RetiSpec, we are developing the means for
widespread detection of at-risk individuals years before cognitive decline, so that clinicians could intervene early, when there is still a chance of impacting the disease. Specifically, RetiSpec is developing a tool for detection of early
Alzheimer’s disease biomarkers in the human eye. Our test is non-invasive, simple to take, and inexpensive compared to current practices, paving the way for a widely adopted Alzheimer's Disease screening.
Eliav Shaked, Founder & CEO, RetiSpec
Eliav Shaked, M.Sc, Founder and CEO of RetiSpec is a Biomedical Engineer with a track record of leading medical
products from ideation to launch. Eliav holds a B.Sc and a M.Sc in Biomedical Engineering from Tel-Aviv University and is a recent graduate of Singularity University’s flagship Global Solutions Program (NASA/Google).
SalubRx Therapeutics Inc
SalubRx Therapeutics Inc. has developed a platform of selective inhibitors of the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) enzyme family, the enzyme which produces nitric oxide (NO). As the first company to be able to specifically target and
inhibit the individual isozymes (nNOS, eNOS, iNOS), SalubRx Therapeutics Inc. can avoid any of the effects of blood pressure usually associated with eNOS providing the benefits of nNOS and iNOS alone or in combination as required.
Presenter: John Andrews, CEO, SalubRx Therapeutics
25 yrs pharma experience: Schering AG, Organon, Descartes, Janssen, (J&J VP CNS). Co-founder NeurAxon and Ketogen; Track record of approved drugs and late stage drug candidates e.g. Remeron (mirtazapine), Abecarnil, Saphris (asenapine)
SAVONIX
SAVONIX assesses function in multiple cognitive and emotional domains by delivering digitized neurocognitive assessments via Android and iOS mobile operating systems supported by a web-based client dashboard with integrated data
tracking and analytics.
Presenter: Myela Charvat, Founder and CEO, Savonix
Dr. Mylea Charvat is a clinical psychologist, translational neuroscientist and the CEO and Founder of the digital cognitive assessment company, Savonix. She specializes in working with and leading dynamic healthcare organizations looking to expand
the access to and affordability of healthcare using digital tools.
Dr. Charvat founded Savonix to address a critical challenge in the health care world – how do we assess the mental health, specifically the cognitive and emotional function, of patients on a large scale despite limited dollars and insufficient
numbers of trained specialists. Savonix has developed mobile tools that utilize critical cognitive data to better understand patients’ health, identify those at risk and improve outcomes at the individual and systems level in healthcare.
A trained clinical psychologist with a neuro specialty, Dr. Charvat is a recognized thought leader in her field. She completed her fellowship in clinical neuroscience at Stanford School of Medicine and has been a lecturer at Stanford, the University
of San Francisco and San Francisco State University. She has authored several peer reviewed articles published in well-respected mental health and neuro-imaging journals. She is a frequent guest author for the Huffington Post, has written
for Tech Crunch and has appeared as a subject matter expert at multiple conference and events including with The Atlantic Council.
Vivid Genomics
Vivid Genomics is developing non-invasive, accessible tools to identify underlying neurodegenerative disease pathologies, drug response, progression rate, and tools to facilitate on-target enrollment for clinical trials. Additionally,
our machine learning pipeline can identify novel drug target pathways and match existing drugs for repurposing.
Presenter: Julie Collens, CEO, Vivid Genomics
Julie Collens, PhD, is the CEO of Vivid Genomics. She received a BSc from University of Calgary and PhD in evolutionary population genetics from the University of Chicago. Following her academic career, she was a sell-side equity analyst covering
life science tools and molecular diagnostics companies at Robert W Baird and was most recently Associate Director of Market Development at Illumina, developing and driving strategies to accelerate the clinical application of genomics in
complex diseases, with a particular focus on neurodegenerative disease. At Vivid Genomics, she is leveraging a combined experience in genomics, finance, business development, strategy, and commercialization to identify efficient approaches
to improving neurodegenerative drug development.
WinterLight Labs
With two minutes of speech WinterLight Labs can objectively assess and monitor cognitive health through its proprietary AI-based platform. Current applications include identification and monitoring of symptoms of Alzheimer’s,
aphasia, multiple sclerosis and other CNS conditions. WinterLight is currently piloting its assessment with three large organizations.
Presenter: Liam Kaufman, CEO, WinterLight Labs
Liam has conducted research in cognitive neurology focusing on mapping motor areas with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and analyzing pre-surgical fMRI brain mapping data. Liam completed an MSc in medical science with Dr. Sandra
Black, researching eye movement for detection of Alzheimer’s disease. He has years of experience writing software and leading teams of software developers in a professional environment. Liam has authored multiple peer-reviewed scientific
publications in neuroscience, cognitive neurology and human-computer interaction. In 2012 Liam launched Understoodit, a classroom polling app that was acquired in 2013 by EventMobi.