Sudip Chakrabortty, Co-founder
Sudip Chakrabortty is a co-founder and CEO of BCN Bisociences and oversees Finance, Licensing, Corporate Development and Partnership activities at BCN among other responsibilities.
Dip has more than 20 years of experience in Investment, Product, Strategy & Operations primarily in the Healthcare and High-Tech Sectors. Over the years, he has worked in Management Consulting, Investment Banking, Startups as well as Fortune 500 corporate houses - having worked at and with companies such as Healthnet, Pfizer, US Oncology, Medtronic, IMUC etc. Currently he is on the Board of Advisors for mPulse mobile – a secure messaging platform for healthcare.
Dip has Bachelor of Engineering degree and a MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA.
Dip has more than 20 years of experience in Investment, Product, Strategy & Operations primarily in the Healthcare and High-Tech Sectors. Over the years, he has worked in Management Consulting, Investment Banking, Startups as well as Fortune 500 corporate houses - having worked at and with companies such as Healthnet, Pfizer, US Oncology, Medtronic, IMUC etc. Currently he is on the Board of Advisors for mPulse mobile – a secure messaging platform for healthcare.
Dip has Bachelor of Engineering degree and a MBA from the Anderson School at UCLA.
Andrew J. Norris, Cofounder &
Director of Research
Dr. Andrew Norris has a varied background in both business and the technology sector. Dr. Norris co-founded BCN Biosciences, with the aim of creating novel approaches to the development of therapeutics in oncology and supportive care. Currently he oversees all research at BCN Biosciences and holds a research faculty position at The University of California, Los Angeles Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior. He has also served as a consultant to many life sciences and healthcare companies. Dr. Norris technical background is formally in pharmacology and biochemistry with an emphasis in synthetic chemistry. He has worked with a variety of disciplines spanning across executive level business teams to chemistry, virology, immunology, oncology, and the process of drug developments. He has lead programs in the development of countermeasures for radiation toxicity for more than 10 years in collaboration with NIH, University of California, and Kansas University Medical center. He has also held key roles in work with the United States government Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) and has coordinated the activity of multiple centers (UCLA, CitoxLab North America (now Charles Rivers Laboratories, Cambridge Major Laboratories (now Alcami Corporation etc.), as well as served as the PI multiple contracts and grants with the National Cancer Institute, the National institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) among others. Historically, Dr. Norris has also given guidance to faculty and researchers alike on multiple levels of the process of preclinical drug development to empower the intention of basic research is effectively translated into useful therapies.
Eric Gruff, CMC and Project Lead
Dr. Eric Gruff is a pharmaceutical R&D professional with more than 20 years of experience in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device industry. He has expertise in pharmaceutical development and project/portfolio management from discovery stage through NDA/MAA filing. Dr. Gruff has a record of proven success in developing strategy at the project and corporate level, and overseeing the progression of drug candidates through development and approval. He has experience in establishing and managing outsourcing relationships with external contract partners. Dr. Gruff led Pfizer’s SARS Project Team that was tasked with the development of a medical countermeasure during the 2003-2004 outbreak.
Examples of Dr. Gruff’s specific experiences include: Oral, Parenteral, Topical, and Intranasal Dosage Forms; GLP/GMP and 21 CFR Part 11 Regulations; Small Molecule and Biological Candidates; Orphan Drugs; US and EU Regulatory Filings (IND, IMPD, NDA, MAA, CTD); Medical Devices: IDE, 510(k), and PMA; Therapeutic Areas: Antivirals, Diabetes, Oncology, CNS, Antitoxin, and Inborn Diseases of Metabolism; Creation and submission of paper and electronic filings to FDA; Design and Improvement of Quality Systems; Internal and External Auditing and Mock Inspections; Cross-Functional Team Leadership; US Agent for Foreign Drug and Device Companies; Strategic Management and Financial Planning; Process Design and Validation; Veterinary Drug Development and Approval; Development of Project and Program Strategy.
Examples of Dr. Gruff’s specific experiences include: Oral, Parenteral, Topical, and Intranasal Dosage Forms; GLP/GMP and 21 CFR Part 11 Regulations; Small Molecule and Biological Candidates; Orphan Drugs; US and EU Regulatory Filings (IND, IMPD, NDA, MAA, CTD); Medical Devices: IDE, 510(k), and PMA; Therapeutic Areas: Antivirals, Diabetes, Oncology, CNS, Antitoxin, and Inborn Diseases of Metabolism; Creation and submission of paper and electronic filings to FDA; Design and Improvement of Quality Systems; Internal and External Auditing and Mock Inspections; Cross-Functional Team Leadership; US Agent for Foreign Drug and Device Companies; Strategic Management and Financial Planning; Process Design and Validation; Veterinary Drug Development and Approval; Development of Project and Program Strategy.
Elizabeth Marie Singer Ph.D. is a senior staff scientist who overseas all molecular biology research. Elizabeth has a Ph.D. from University of California Los Angeles where she worked in structural biology, investigating functional aspects of oncology protein targets. She subsequently did a brief residency at Amgen and later moved to City of Hope before joining BCN Biosciences. Elizabeth has extensive experience in preclinical oncology drug development platforms including mechanistic interrogation using biochemical and molecular techniques as well as animal studies along with histopathology. Elizabeth is a critical team member in much of the in house work at BCN Biosciences.
Jerry Kolaja,
PK & Toxicology
Gerald J. Kolaja, DVM, PhD, DACVP
Jerry’s formal training includes a DVM from Michigan State University and a PhD in pathology from the University of Maryland Medical School. He is board certified in Veterinary Pathology and has extensive experience in developing pharmaceuticals for human use. His expertise is in toxicology and toxicologic pathology derived from training and experience in the military, pharmaceutical industry and as a consultant. He has played a significant role at the Upjohn Company, Pharmacia and Upjohn, Immunex and Amgen in the early characterization of compounds being selected for development.
Jerry also planned and supervised the pre-clinical programs for filing INDs and NDAs for several of these compounds. In his consulting practice, he routinely collaborates with pharmaceutical companies on lead selection and development as well as investigative toxicology. He has extensive experience in toxicology and pathology at both the scientific level as well as in management, being the Vice President for Toxicology Operations for Pharmacia and Upjohn.
Jerry’s formal training includes a DVM from Michigan State University and a PhD in pathology from the University of Maryland Medical School. He is board certified in Veterinary Pathology and has extensive experience in developing pharmaceuticals for human use. His expertise is in toxicology and toxicologic pathology derived from training and experience in the military, pharmaceutical industry and as a consultant. He has played a significant role at the Upjohn Company, Pharmacia and Upjohn, Immunex and Amgen in the early characterization of compounds being selected for development.
Jerry also planned and supervised the pre-clinical programs for filing INDs and NDAs for several of these compounds. In his consulting practice, he routinely collaborates with pharmaceutical companies on lead selection and development as well as investigative toxicology. He has extensive experience in toxicology and pathology at both the scientific level as well as in management, being the Vice President for Toxicology Operations for Pharmacia and Upjohn.
Roger Ulrich, PK & Toxicology
Dr. Roger Ulrich has thirty years of experience in pharmaceutical R&D in both large and small company settings. He was Founder and Chief Development Officer at Calistoga Pharmaceuticals Inc., where he led the development of idelalisib for the treatment of patients with hematologic malignancies; Calistoga Pharmaceuticals was acquired in 2011 by Gilead Sciences. Prior to Calistoga, Dr. Ulrich was Senior Scientific Director with Merck Research Laboratories-Rosetta Inpharmatics, Director Regulatory Toxicology & Safety Pharmacology, and Cellular and Molecular Toxicology with Abbott Laboratories, and as Senior Scientist with The Upjohn Company and Pharmacia & Upjohn Inc. Dr. Ulrich holds several patents and has authored more than 120 publications.
Dr. Ulrich received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology/Chemistry and a Masters of Arts in Biomedical Sciences from Western Michigan University. He received his doctorate in Cellular and Molecular Biology from West Virginia University, and is a Fellow of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences.
Dr. Ulrich received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology/Chemistry and a Masters of Arts in Biomedical Sciences from Western Michigan University. He received his doctorate in Cellular and Molecular Biology from West Virginia University, and is a Fellow of the Academy of Toxicological Sciences.