Board of Directors
Kenneth Ward, M.D., Chairman, is founder of Affiliated Genetics and currently serves as the medical advisor. Dr. Ward established the DNA Diagnostic Testing Laboratory at the University of Utah in 1988 in connection with his research into the genetics of birth defects and obstetrical problems. He is a board certified Obstetrician/Gynecologist with specialized training and certification in perinatology. He is one of the few OB/GYN physicians in the country who is also board certified in Clinical Genetics and Molecular Genetics. Dr. Ward completed his undergraduate and medical school degrees at the University of Florida. He completed a residency in OB/GYN at George Washington University in 1987. He then completed a fellowship in Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Medical Genetics at the University of Utah. Dr. Ward has been investigator in the Eccles Program in Human Molecular Biology and Genetics. He is currently a Professor and Department Chair of the OB/GYN department at a major State University Hospital and Medical School, as well as heading up the research at Axial Biotech, and he oversees all laboratory testing procedures at AGI.
John M. Climaco, Director, is a Company Founder and the President and Chief Executive Officer of Axial Biotech, Inc. Mr. Climaco has been involved with start-up ventures in various capacities for the last twelve years. Prior to founding Axial Biotech, Mr. Climaco served as director of programming for Quokka Sports, a venture-backed online media company that went public in 1999. While with Quokka, Mr. Climaco closed deals with Intel, Microsoft WebTV, NBC Sports, and National Geographic.
An attorney by training, Mr. Climaco began his legal career with Gunderson Dettmer, one of Silicon Valley's leading firms. Mr. Climaco continued his career as a partner with Fabian & Clendenin in Salt Lake City, and has handled a wide range of transactions from IPOs, venture, private equity, and debt financings, mergers and acquisitions and intellectual property licensing transactions. Mr. Climaco holds a BA in Philosophy (Cum Laude) from Middlebury College and a JD from the University of California, Hastings College of the Law.
Dinesh Patel, Ph.D., Director, is a founding managing director of vSpring Capital. From 1999 to 2004 he was the Founder, Chairman, President & CEO of Ashni Naturaceuticals, Inc., a company that specializes in the research, development and marketing of clinically tested and patent-protected naturaceutical products. He currently holds 15 US Patents and Foreign Counterparts. Prior to vSpring, Dr. Patel was an active angel investor in over 20 biotech and technology companies. In 1999, Dr. Patel co-founded and was the Chairman of Salus Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company focused on the research and development of nucleic acid-based therapeutics, including antisense and gene therapy drugs. From 1985 - 1999 Dr. Patel served as Co-Founder, Chairman of The Board of Directors and President & CEO of TheraTech, Inc., a biotechnology company which he took public and eventually sold for $350 million to Watson Pharmaceuticals.
Born and raised in Zambia, Africa, Dr. Patel received his bachelor's degree in Pharmacy at GujaratUniversity located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India his master's degree from the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and his Ph.D. in Physical Pharmacy from the University of Michigan. Dr. Patel led the firm's investments in Altea Therapeutics, Axial, Exagen, Inflabloc, Protolex, Q Therapeutics, Zars and Salus Therapeutics which was acquired by Genta (NASDAQ: GNTA) for $30 million.
Roger J. Guidi, Director, is Vice President, Venture Investments, of Johnson & Johnson Development Corporation, the Johnson & Johnson venture capital subsidiary. His focus is on investment opportunities in innovative healthcare technologies located primarily in the western half of the United States.
Mr. Guidi's professional background spans a broad range of experiences ranging from Silicon Valley start-ups to Fortune 50 healthcare companies. He began his career at J&J's Ortho Pharmaceutical Corporation in sales and marketing management. Mr. Guidi then moved on to senior management positions at Alza, Coherent Medical and Cooper LaserSonics. He subsequently launched several start-ups, including Advanced Interventional Systems, Inc. (founder and General Manager), VISX, Inc. (Vice President, Sales and Marketing, and Corporate Development) and Intella Interventional Systems, Inc. (President and CEO). Both Advanced Interventional Systems and VISX completed successful IPOs. Intella Interventional Systems was acquired by its Japanese distributor. Mr. Guidi assumed his current position in 2001. He has subsequently invested in over 20 start-ups and served as a member of the Board of Directors for the majority of those companies. Out of this portfolio there have been nine successful exits (four IPOs, five acquisitions).
Mr. Guidi holds a BA degree in Biology (Pre-Med) from San Jose State University. He is a Founding Member and Fellow of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery. Mr. Guidi has three issued medical device patents.
R. Michael McCaffrey, Director, has had an impressive orthopaedic industry career has spanned more than two decades. Mr. McCaffrey was instrumental in the development and expansion of four of DePuy's five operating companies and at varying times was responsible for the management of DePuy, Inc., DePuy Spine, DePuy Trauma and DePuy Development Corporation. He brings a depth of experience from his distinguished career in medical technology as an individual that worked with leading clinicians and researchers to develop and market innovative solutions for orthopaedics and spine. During his fifteen-year career at Depuy, Mr. McCaffrey started and later became Chairman of Depuy Spine, one of the fastest growing companies in the medical device and diagnostics sector. Under Mr. McCaffrey's leadership, DePuy Spine became known throughout the medical world for its development of novel products to treat a wide range of spine disorders and for advancing the knowledge of spinal pathologies for patients and professionals alike. Highly respected in the orthopaedic industry, Mr. McCaffrey was the first layman to be elected to the Board of Directors of the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation.
John R. Climaco, Director, Founder of Climaco Lefkowitz Peca Wilcox & Garofoli. Mr. Climaco, a native of Cleveland, Ohio, graduated from Ohio State University in 1964 and Case Western Reserve University Law School in Cleveland in 1967. Mr. Climaco has in 30 years developed from a single subject, sole practitioner to one of the most respected problem resolving trial and business lawyers in the country. He devotes the majority of his time to General and Complex Litigation, including Mass Tort, Environmental, Toxic Tort, Health Care, White Collar Criminal RICO, Employment, Labor and Public Law matters. The National Law Journal named him one of the 100 most powerful lawyers in the United States.
John has lectured on trial preparation and practice, RICO, ERISA and Labor and Employment Law throughout the country including the Stetson University College of Law's Annual Conference; the New York City Bar Association; the Aspen, Colorado Advanced Criminal Law Institute; the Case Western Reserve College of Law-CLE Program; the Health Care Section Conference of the Cleveland Bar Association; the Columbus Bar Association's Annual Litigation Institute; the Institute of Business Law of California State University, Los Angeles and the Ohio CLE Institute. In January and May 2001, he was a panel member in the Mealey's Baycol Seminar in San Diego, California.
He is a Life Member of the Judicial Conference of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit, as well as a Charter and Life Member of the Judicial Conference of the Eighth Judicial District of Ohio. Recently, Paul R. Matia, Chief Judge United States District Court, Northern District of Ohio appointed him as a Member of the Advisory Group to the United States District Court for the Northern District of Ohio.
He is a former Trustee and current Advisory Board Member of the Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders; the Center for Mental Retardation, which selected him to receive the 1992 and the 1997/98 Service to the Center Award; and member of the Justinian Forum which serves as a professional organization for attorneys and judges of Italian heritage in Northern Ohio. On May 6, 2000 he received the Ellis Island Medal of Honor.
William L. Lister, Director, has had a distinguished career in sales, marketing and general management positions in the healthcare sector with companies focused in the diagnostic and pharmaceutical industries. Most recently, Mr. Lister was the Senior Vice President and General Manager of Patient Care at Roche Diagnostics Corporation. In this position, Mr. Lister was responsible for the U.S. diabetes monitoring, insulin pump and point of care diagnostics businesses, along with the global Drugs of Abuse business unit. He was a member of Roche Diagnostics Corporation's Management Group responsible for setting policy and overseeing all U.S. diagnostic and biochemical operations along with the Global Diabetes Care Operating Committee. In 2001, he was selected as the first recipient of Roche Diagnostics Corporation's Leadership Award. In 2004, upon his retirement, the Company created the William L. Lister Award to be presented annually at this national meeting.
Prior to Roche, Mr. Lister spent 10 years with Boehringer Mannheim Corporation where he held various general management and senior level sales and marketing positions in the Diagnostics and Biochemical Divisions. From 1973 to 1986, he worked for Eli Lilly and Company, in a number of sales and marketing positions including Director of Market Research for the Pharmaceutical Division.
Mr. Lister is currently a member of the board of directors of the American Diabetes Association Research Foundation, Patton Medical Devices and Polymer Technology Systems, Inc. In addition, he serves on the Management Resource Board of Linden Life Science, LLC. In 2004, he received the Sagamore of the Wabash, the highest award bestowed by the Governor of Indiana.
Mr. Lister received a Bachelor of Science degree in Management and a Master of Science degree in Marketing from Indiana State University in 1966 and 1967 respectively. In 2001, he was recognized by the University's College of Business as its Outstanding Alumnus. In addition, he received Indiana State University's Distinguished Alumni Award in 2005.
