Dr. Patrick L. McGeer
President & CEO
Dr. Patrick McGeer is a professor emeritus in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He received his PhD in chemistry at Princeton University and his MD at UBC. In between he worked for the DuPont Company in Wilmington, Delaware where he met his wife, Dr. Edith McGeer. Dr. McGeer is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Royal Society of Canada and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada. He is an Officer of the Order of Canada and a member of the Order of British Columbia. He has repeatedly served on scientific review panels for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and on advisory boards for the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation and the Canadian societies for Parkinson’s disease, ALS and multiple sclerosis. For many years, he combined his scientific career with politics, serving in the British Columbia Legislature from 1962 to 1986, and in the British Columbia Cabinet from 1975 to 1986. In Government, he worked to promote the development of high technology industry in the province, and also served as President and Chairman of the Board of the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, and on the Board of the British Columbia Hydro and Power authority, The British Columbia Petroleum Corporation, and the British Columbia Systems Corporation. He is the Founder of two charitable foundations, the Pacific Alzheimer Research Foundation, and the Canadian Dementia Action Network. Dr. McGeer is the author of more than 680 scientific papers and 8 patents. With his wife Edith and Nobel Laureate Sir John Eccles, he is an author of two scientific textbooks and is the editor of 3 others. Dr. McGeer is the recipient of four honorary degrees and is recognized as one of the world’s most highly cited neuroscientists.
Dr. Gosse B. Bruinsma
Director
Gosse Bruinsma has over 30 years experience in the medical, pharmaceutical and biotechnology fields. He received his BSc degree from McGill University and his MD from the University of Leyden in The Netherlands. After practicing medicine in Europe and West Africa, he joined the pharmaceutical industry in 1990 to become European Medical Director for Zambon, Milan, Italy, responsible for clinical programs in CVS, anti-infective and respiratory therapeutic areas. He subsequently joined the international contract research organization (CRO) ClinTrials Research in the UK as VP Medical and Regulatory Affairs and 1995 joined Forest Laboratories in New York, as Medical Director responsible for the market launch of an antihypertensive, as well as the woman’s health and analgesic therapeutic areas. Returning to Europe in 1997 he served as General Manager of the CRO Chrysalis Clinical Services in Switzerland. In 1999, he established Axonyx Europe BV in The Netherlands, a subsidiary of Axonyx Inc. a NASDAQ listed company in New York. In 2001, he became a Director and COO of Axonyx Inc., in 2003, he was appointed President, and 2005 the CEO. As President and CEO, Dr. Bruinsma raised over $110 million and successfully merged the company with a private US company. Dr. Bruinsma also served as Chairman and CEO of OXIS International in 2004, a NASDAQ listed company based in Oregon, USA. In 2007, Dr. Bruinsma founded Ciurem Pharma Inc., a strategic consultancy firm that seeks to maximize asset value and minimize the risk profile for executives and shareholders of start-up and small/medium bio-pharmaceutical companies. Appointments have included Chairman, Director and CEO of public and private companies in Europe and North America and mandates have included M&A, equity financing, and portfolio analyses. Currently, Dr. Bruinsma serves on the Board of Directors of several start-up and small bio-pharmaceutical companies in Canada and USA.
Dr. Patrick C. McGeer
Director
Dr. Rick McGeer is a Canadian-American mathematician and computer scientist, with a career spanning industrial research, academia, and successful startups. He is currently the founder and CEO of engageLively, the live visualization company. Dr. McGeer earned a PhD in Computer Science from the University of California at Berkeley, and then joined the faculty at the University of British Columbia (UBC). After leaving UBC for a research position at University of California, Berkeley, he co-founded Cadence Berkeley Labs, the research arm of Cadence Design Systems, where he remained for several years. After founding and leading technology at Softface, Inc., a startup in natural-language understanding and content creation (purchased by Ariba, Inc.) he joined HP Laboratories as a Distinguished Technologist. He then moved to SAP as a Principal Investigator, leaving to found engageLively. He has written over 120 technical papers in refereed journals and conferences, and two books, all in the fields of VLSI design, computer networking, large-scale distributed systems, natural-language understanding, and Cloud computing. He holds 13 US patents in these fields and has brought 10 products to market. He currently serves as Chief Scientist of US Ignite, a non-profit accelerating the smart city movement – and creating value for an entire ecosystem – by guiding communities into the connected future, creating a path for private sector growth, and advancing technology research that’s at the heart of smart city development. He serves as an Adjunct Professor of Computer Science at the University of Victoria and is a Visiting Scholar in the Computer Science Department at the University of California, Berkeley.
Dr. Douglas Bell
Director
Dr. Douglas Bell is a retired physician who received his MD from McGill University in 1955. After several years of general practice he entered post-graduate training in head and neck surgery. In 1975 he became a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Canada (FRCS), the American College of Surgeons (ACS), and the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery (AAOHNS). He was offered a position in the Head and Neck Surgery Department of the Scripps Clinic & Research facility in La Jolla, California. He was also appointed Assistant Clinical Professor at the University Hospital and the Veteran’s Hospital at the University of San Diego where he taught medical students and residents. Following lithotripsy treatment for a kidney stone at age 58 he developed a severe autoimmune disease which devastated him physically and ended his medical career. As a result he became extremely interested in researching autoimmune disorders. After reading journal articles regarding low molecular weight aurintricarboxylic acid synthetic complex he concluded it might be effective for him. He synthesized his own material and, after self-treatment, he and his family were ecstatic with the response. It provided him with the first positive relief from the overwhelming muscular fatigue he had endured for the previous 26 years.
Dr. Andreas von Flotow
Director
Dr. Andreas von Flotow is a successful serial technology entrepreneur, with interests ranging from aerospace to agriculture. He is also an accomplished researcher and inventor. Dr. von Flotow earned a PhD in aerospace engineering from Stanford University and joined the faculty of MIT where he taught and conducted research in spacecraft control and dynamics from 1985 to 1992. He then moved to the Columbia Gorge with his family and founded Hood Technology Corporation and other companies. Dr. von Flotow was the founding chairman of Insitu Inc., a pioneer in unmanned aircraft systems, which was acquired by Boeing in 2008 for a reported $400M. He is author and co-author of over 100 technical papers in refereed journals and conferences, and is the holder of over 25 patents. During his academic career, he supervised 7 PhD and 20 MS students. He currently serves as the President and Chairman of Hood Technology and is involved in numerous other business and investment interests.
Dr. Hagen Kennecke
Director
Dr. Hagen Kennecke is the Professional Practice Leader of Medical Oncology at the BC Cancer Agency Vancouver Centre, and is also an Associate Professor at the University of British Columbia (UBC). He received his MD from Dalhousie University in 1997 and subsequently did residency training in internal medicine and oncology. He is a fellow of the Royal College of Physicians of Canada and an executive member of the National Cancer Institute of Canada CTG GI Site Committee, and a member of the US Neuroendocrine and Rectal Tumor Task Force of the NCI GI Steering Committee. He is a strong advocate of patients with gastrointestinal cancers and has worked to improve education, treatment and outcomes for those affected by the disease. He founded the BCCA Colorectal Cancer Outcomes Unit and BCCA Colorectal Cancer Awareness Day. He is the author of 52 peer reviewed scientific articles as well as numerous invited presentations. He is passionate about finding new therapeutics for cancers and is currently conducting vital research into new therapy options for colorectal cancer patients. Dr. Kennecke has extensive experience in developing and conducting clinical trials with new therapeutic agents and brings this important expertise to the Board.
Stephen Tong
Corporate Counsel and Secretary
Stephen Tong is a corporate attorney with extensive experience in corporate finance, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance. He earned his B.A. from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 1992, and received his LL.B. from the University of Manitoba in 1998. His primary focus is on corporate and securities law where he has acted for both public and private companies in a variety of industry sectors, including natural resources, industrial and technology. His expertise includes IPOs, private placements, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance matters. Stephen sits on the Board of several private and public companies and performs various in-house counsel roles.
Christopher J. Campbell
Business Manager
Christopher J. Campbell is an executive and entrepreneur with over 20 years experience leading and supporting business development and technology commercialization activities. Mr. Campbell has a degree in physics from the University of British Columbia and served as the Chief Operating Officer of a nationally designated Centre of Excellence for Commercialization and Research. In this capacity he was responsible for day-to-day operations and the coordination of R&D and commercialization activities for a diverse range of technologies with applications in geophysical imaging, material science, nuclear security, and medicine. As an entrepreneur, he led an international effort to develop a novel radioactive ion beam technology for processing isotopes for use in therapeutic nuclear medicine applications. He has proven ability in navigating complex organizational environments and in building strategic relationships to drive results. As a consultant, he provides strategic planning, facilitation, fund raising, and management services. These skills were instrumental in the formation of two research networks, including a national organization comprised of stakeholders dedicated to the mission of eradicating Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias.