Michael Berens, Ph.D.
Dr. Michael Berens is the Director of the Cancer and Cell Biology Division at the Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), and head of its Brain Tumor Research Lab.
He previously held the positions of CEO of the International Genomics Consortium (IGC), a non-profit medical research organization established to expand upon the discoveries of the Human Genome Project and other systematic sequencing efforts by combining world-class genomic research, bioinformatics, and diagnostic technologies in the fight against cancer and other complex genetic diseases. Dr. Berens also served as Executive Director of IGC's expO, whose mission is to build on the technologies and outcomes of the Human Genome Project to accelerate improved clinical management of cancer patients.
Dr. Berens' 25-year scientific career has been devoted to cancer research, with a focus on brain tumors. Dr. Berens earned his Ph.D. in biology from the University of Arizona, and then held a post-doctoral fellowship in experimental oncology at the University of Zurich, Switzerland. He has held faculty positions at Bowman Gray School of Medicine and at the University of California San Francisco. For 12 years he served as senior staff scientist and Director of Neurology Research at Barrow Neurological Institute, St. Joseph's Hospital & Medical Center.
Brian Burns
Brian Burns is the Founding Partner of The Maverick Organization, a sales consulting firm focused helping early stage companies. He is a sales leader, advisor and investor, having spent his entire career creating, capturing and dominating early stage innovative markets. Over his 20 year career he has played key leadership, management and sales roles for nine venture capital-backed companies, resulting in three IPOs and six acquisitions. Through his experience he has developed a unique and powerful sales method for bringing innovative products to market and marginalizing competitors. He is also the author of "Selling Into a New Market Space" published by McGraw Hill.
Adena T. Friedman
Adena Friedman is Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Corporate Strategy for The NASDAQ OMX Group, Inc. In August 2009, Friedman assumed an expanded role of CFO, responsible for all financial, tax and investment matters. Friedman's responsibilities also include identifying and developing strategic opportunities for NASDAQ OMX, which she has performed since 2003.
In 2007-2008, Friedman directed NASDAQ's acquisition of OMX Group, the Nordic and Baltic market and global exchange technology business. As part of that acquisition, Friedman negotiated a unique transaction with Borse Dubai, including a NASDAQ OMX investment in NASDAQ Dubai, formerly the Dubai International Financial Exchange. Also in 2007-2008, Friedman managed NASDAQ OMX's acquisition of the Philadelphia Stock Exchange, the third largest options exchange in the U.S. In 2005, Friedman directed NASDAQ in its acquisition of the INET ECN, which enhanced NASDAQ's technology infrastructure and further improved its ability to trade NASDAQ, NYSE and AMEX-listed stocks. Additionally, Friedman led the effort in 2004 to launch the NASDAQ Closing Cross, a very successful market innovation. Friedman continuously identifies and evaluates new opportunities for NASDAQ OMX to grow its presence in the financial community and better service traders, issuers and their shareholders.
In her role as head of Global Data Products from 2000 to 2009, a $250M business unit within NASDAQ OMX Group, Friedman was responsible for maintaining the integrity of all market data disseminated to the public, as well as creating new data products to serve the industry's information needs. Friedman focused on increasing the market transparency of the NASDAQ OMX exchanges for the ultimate benefit of investors worldwide, including the 2008 launch of NASDAQ Last Sale and European Last Sale, both of which provide real-time data to investors via Internet portals.
Friedman joined NASDAQ in 1993, where she has served in several roles, including as Senior Vice President and Executive Vice President of NASDAQ Data Products.
Friedman serves on the Board of Directors of NASDAQ Dubai. Friedman earned an M.B.A., with honors, from Owen Graduate School of Management, Vanderbilt University, in Nashville, TN. She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Williams College in Massachusetts. Friedman lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland with her husband and two sons.
Robert N. Hotchkiss, M.D.
Robert N. Hotchkiss is Medical Director of Clinical Research at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York. An orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Hotchkiss is also Director of Research, Hand & Upper Extremity Service, and Director of Translational and External Initiatives at the Hospital for Special Surgery. He is an associate professor for surgery (Orthopaedics) at Weill Medical College of Cornell University, and a consultant in orthopedic surgery to Burke Rehabilitation Hospital.
Dr. Hotchkiss received his medical degree from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.
John Lovitt
John Lovitt is an investor, board member, and advisor to technology startup companies, with a focus on issues related to technology adoption and commercialization. John was a senior executive with Rational Software from 1986 to 2003 with roles including VP Worldwide Services and Senior VP Worldwide Field Operations. John played a key role in shaping Rational's team oriented approach to achieving customer results by accelerating adoption of tools and best practices. Under his leadership sales grew to over $700M annually prior to Rational's acquisition by IBM in 2003.
Prior to joining Rational, he was with Hewlett-Packard for 13 years, and McDonnell Douglas for 5 years. John holds a masters degree in computer science from Missouri University of Science and Technology, and a BS degree in aeronautical engineering from Wichita State University. He serves on advisory boards to both MST and WSU.
John and his wife Diane live in the San Francisco Bay area, where they are active with Habitat for Humanity. They have taught leadership and entrepreneurship at summer programs for international high school students in Eastern Europe and China.
Dan Von Hoff, M.D.
Daniel D. Von Hoff, M.D., is Senior Investigator and Head of Translational Research at the Translational Genomics Research Institute’s (TGen) Translational Drug Development Division and Head, Pancreatic Cancer Research Program in Phoenix, Arizona. He is also Chief Scientific Officer for US Oncology. Dr. Von Hoff’s major interest is in the development of new anticancer agents, both in the clinic and in the laboratory. He and his colleagues were involved in the beginning of the development of many of the agents we now use routinely, including: mitoxantrone, fludarabine, paclitaxel, docetaxel, gemcitabine, CPT-11, and others. At present, he and his colleagues are concentrating on the development of molecularly targeted therapies.
Dr. Von Hoff’s laboratory interests and contributions have been in the area of in vitro drug sensitivity testing to individualize treatment for the patient. He and his laboratory are now concentrating on discovery of new targets in pancreatic cancer. Dr. Von Hoff has published more than 529 papers, 129 book chapters, and more than 892 abstracts.
Dr. Von Hoff was appointed to President Bush’s National Cancer Advisory Board in June 2004 - March 2010. Dr. Von Hoff is the past President of the American Association for Cancer Research, a Fellow of the American College of Physicians, and a member and past board member of the American Society of Clinical Oncology. He is a founder of ILEX™ Oncology, Inc. (recently acquired by Genzyme). He is founder and the Editor Emeritus of Investigational New Drugs - The Journal of New Anticancer Agents; and, Editor-in-Chief of Molecular Cancer Therapeutics. He is also proud to have been a mentor and teacher for multiple medical students, medical oncology fellows, graduate students, and post-doctoral fellows.
