Portrait of Harry F. Hixson

Harry F. Hixson, Ph.D.
Chairman, BrainCells Inc.

Dr. Hixson has been Chairman of BCI since December 2003. He was Chief Executive Officer from July 2004 to September 2005. Dr. Hixson served as Chief Executive Officer of Elitra Pharmaceuticals, a privately held biopharmaceutical company focused on anti-infective drug development, from February 1998 until May 2003. Dr. Hixson is currently Chairman of Sequenom, Inc. and a Director of Arena Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Infinity Pharmaceuticals, Inc. Dr. Hixson held various management positions with Amgen, Inc. from 1985 until 1991. He was Amgen's President and Chief Operating Officer and a member of the Amgen Board of Directors from 1988 until 1991. During this period Amgen developed two major breakthrough therapeutic products, Epogen and Neupogen, which have been approved for sale worldwide. Since leaving Amgen he has been involved in the start-up of several biopharmaceutical companies, most notably as Chairman of Neurocrine Biosciences and as a Director of Signal Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Hixson received a Ph.D. in Physical Biochemistry from Purdue University and a MBA from the University of Chicago. He has also received a Honorary Doctor of Science from Purdue University. Top

Portrait of Ellen S. Baron

Ellen S. Baron, Ph.D.
Partner, Oxford Bioscience Partners

Dr. Baron is a partner at Oxford Bioscience Partners. She has more than 20 years of operating and investing experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry. Prior to joining Oxford in 2003, Dr. Baron was Senior Vice President of Business Development at Human Genome Sciences where she led merger and acquisition, strategic alliance, and licensing functions. Previously Dr. Baron spent 20 years at Schering-Plough Corporation in both Research and Development and Business Development. Dr. Baron received her B.A. from Goucher College, her Ph.D. in Microbiology from Georgetown University School of Medicine and was a post-doctoral at the Public Health Research Institute in New York. Top

Portrait of William C. Bertrand, Jr.

William C. Bertrand, Jr., J.D.
Senior Vice President, Legal Affairs, General Counsel, Corporate Secretary and Corporate Compliance Officer, MedImmune

Mr. Bill Bertrand is senior vice president, general counsel, corporate secretary and corporate compliance officer at MedImmune. He was appointed as the first general counsel of MedImmune in September 2003 after joining MedImmune in 2001 as vice president, legal affairs. Under Mr. Bertrand’s leadership, MedImmune’s legal affairs department has grown from three members with no full-time lawyers to more than 30 employees, with 15 full-time lawyers who cover all aspects of legal matters concerning MedImmune including those regarding intellectual property, contracting, compliance and litigation. In March 2006, Mr. Bertrand assumed responsibility for MedImmune’s government affairs and public policy functions. In September 2007, his role expanded to oversee MedImmune’s public affairs function, including public relations, community relations and internal communications. With these additional responsibilities, his full team comprises more than 50 MedImmune employees. Prior to joining MedImmune, Mr. Bertrand served in various legal positions at Pharmacia Corporation from 1997-2001, including litigation counsel, senior corporate counsel and associate general counsel. He had also been associate general counsel for a life insurance company; a partner at Dickinson, Wright, Moon, Van Dusen & Freeman of Lansing, MI; and taught courses at various institutions, including Seton Hall University School of Law. Mr. Bertrand holds a bachelor of science degree in biology from Wayne State University and a juris doctorate (cum laude) from University of Wisconsin – Madison. Top

Portrait of Fred H. Gage

Fred H. Gage, Ph.D.
Professor, Salk Institute

Dr. Gage is a co-founder of BCI. Dr. Gage's lab has shown that, contrary to years of dogma, human beings are capable of growing new nerve cells throughout life. Small populations of immature nerve cells are found in the adult mammalian brain, and Dr. Gage is working to understand how these cells can be induced to become mature nerve cells. Dr. Gage's team is investigating how such cells can be transplanted back to the brain and spinal cord. They showed that physical exercise can enhance the growth of new brain cells and are examining the underlying molecular mechanisms, work that may lead to new therapeutics for neurodegenerative conditions. He has received multiple awards and honors including the Charles A. Dana Award for Pioneering Achievements in Health and Education (1993), the Christopher Reeve Research Medal (1997) and the Max Planck Research Prize (1999). He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and served as President, Society for Neuroscience in 2001. Top

Portrait of Carl Goldfischer

Carl Goldfischer, M.D.
Managing Director, Bay City Capital

Carl Goldfischer, MD, is an Investment Partner and Managing Director of Bay City Capital, serving as a member of the board of directors and executive committee, and has been with the firm since December 2000.  His background includes extensive public and private investment and transaction work, as well as clinical trial development knowledge.  Prior to joining Bay City Capital, Dr. Goldfischer was, until mid-2000, Chief Financial Officer of ImClone Systems where he oversaw financial operations and strategic planning. Previously, he was a Research Analyst with the Reliance Insurance Company, helping to establish its portfolio and presence in the health care investment community.  In addition to BrainCells, Dr. Goldfischer is a member of the board of directors for EnteroMedics, Etex Corporation, MAP Pharmaceuticals, Metabolex, Poniard Pharmaceuticals, and PTC Therapeutics.  He is also a member of the Board of Trustees of Mt. Zion Hospital.  Dr. Goldfischer received an MD with honors in Scientific Research from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, and a BA from Sarah Lawrence College. Top

Portrait of Charles W. Newhall III

Charles W. Newhall III
General Partner/Co-Founder, New Enterprise Associates

Charles W. Newhall III co-founded New Enterprise Associates (NEA). Founded in 1978, Baltimore-based NEA is one of the largest Venture Capital firms in the United States. To date Chuck has served as a director of over 40 venture backed companies. Many have gone public and have been acquired. Several of these companies achieved market capitalizations in excess of $1 billion. He also started several healthcare information technology companies like PatientKeeper, TargetRx, and LifeMetrix. Some of his current board memberships include Vitae Pharmaceuticals, Supernus Pharmaceuticals, Bravo Health, Hospital Partners of America, TargetRx, and Sensors for Medicine and Science. In 1986 he founded the Mid-Atlantic Venture Capital Association (MAVA), which now has over 80 venture capital firms that are members, and is one of the most active regional venture associations in the country. He is Chairman Emeritus of MAVA. Before NEA, Chuck was a Vice President of T. Rowe Price. He served in Vietnam commanding an independent platoon including an initial reconnaissance of Hamburger Hill. His decorations include the Silver Star and Bronze Star V (1st OLC.) He received an MBA from Harvard Business School, and an Honors Degree in English from the University of Pennsylvania. Top

Portrait of Roger J. Quy, Ph.D.

Roger J. Quy, Ph.D.
Partner, Technology Partners

Dr. Quy has been responsible for the life science practice of Technology Partners since 1989. Before joining the firm, Dr. Quy was a member of the founding management team of Hewlett Packard Laboratories in Europe. Previously he led the development of ambulatory neurological monitoring devices for the Oxford Instruments Group in England. Dr. Quy began his career at the Institute of Neurology in London, where he was a post-doctoral Research Fellow of the British Medical Research Council. During his research, he developed new techniques and devices for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological, cardiac and sleep disorders. He has published a number of scientific papers and contributed to a textbook on epilepsy. He holds five issued patents. Dr. Quy earned a B.A. with honors in psychology and law and a Ph.D. in neuroscience from the University of Keele, England. He received a MBA from the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley. Dr. Quy is a Director of the Western Association of Venture Capitalists. Top

Portrait of James Schoeneck

James A. Schoeneck
Chief Executive Officer, BrainCells Inc.

Mr. Schoeneck joined BCI in September 2005 from ActivX BioSciences, a proteomics-based drug development company, where he served as CEO and led the strategic sale of the company to Kyorin Pharmaceuticals of Japan in December 2004. Prior to ActivX, Mr. Schoeneck was at Prometheus Laboratories Inc. where he served as President and CEO for over three years, having previously served as President and COO. While at Prometheus, he led their business strategy and operations during a period of exceptional growth and transformation. Under his leadership, Prometheus was recognized as #3 on the Inc. 500 list of the fastest growing private companies in America and as the San Diego Venture Group success story of the year (2002). Prior to joining Prometheus, Mr. Schoeneck was Vice President and General Manager, Immunology Business Unit of Centocor, Inc., a division of Johnson & Johnson. His responsibilities included leading the development and launch of Remicade® on a worldwide basis, including the formation of a strategic partnership with Schering-Plough Corporation. Before that assignment, Mr. Schoeneck served as Centocor's Vice President of Marketing and Commercial Development. Prior to Centocor, he spent 13 years at Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, Inc. (now Aventis) serving in various positions of increasing responsibility. Top