Leadership
Board of Directors
Art Coury, PhD, Chairman
Art Coury holds a B.S. degree in chemistry from the University of Delaware (1962), a Ph.D. in organic chemistry (1965) and an M.B.A. (1980) from the University of Minnesota. His career in biotechnology industry includes positions such as, Senior Research Chemist at General Mills, Inc. (1965-1976), Director, Polymer Technology and Research Fellow at Medtronic, Inc. (1976-1993), Vice President, Research and Chief Scientific Officer at Focal, Inc. (1993-2000), and Vice President, Biomaterials Research at Genzyme Corporation (2000-June, 2008). His career focus has been polymeric biomaterials for medical products such as implantable electronic devices, hydrogel-based devices and drug delivery systems. He holds over fifty patents and has published and presented widely in his field. His teaching positions have included adjunct appointments at the University of Minnesota and the Harvard-MIT Graduate Program in Health Sciences and Technology. Dr. Coury has served as President, Society for Biomaterials, USA (1999-2000); President, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2003-2004) and holds membership on several university, society and corporate advisory boards. His recent recognitions have included the delivery of distinguished lectureships and receipt of the 2007 Innovation and Technology Development Award of the Society for Biomaterials
Raphael Lee, MD, ScD, DSc, Inventor, Founder, & Director
Dr. Lee is an Emeritus Professor of Surgery, Medicine, Anatomy and Organismal Biology at University of Chicago Hospitals, Dr. Lee is the inventor of Maroon Biotech’s technology. He performed his residency at Harvard (Mass. General), interned at the University of Chicago and earned his MD at Temple University. In addition, Dr. Lee earned a biomedical engineering doctorate (ScD) at MIT prior to joining the faculties of Harvard and MIT and, 15 years ago, the University of Chicago. Dr. Lee has been researching novel uses of surfactants for cellular wound healing for the past 14 years and is currently the founding researcher in this field. He is the recipient of more than 25 scientific awards including a MacArthur Genius Award and the Searle Scholar Award. He is also the founder and Chairman, Avocet Polymer Technologies, Inc., a wound healing corporation and founder of Electrokinetic Signal Research, Inc.
Richard B. Egen, MBA, Director
Mr. Egen is the former President and CEO of NephRx Corporation, a biotechnology company focused on acute renal failure. Mr. Egen brings a wealth of experience to Maroon Biotech. He spent seven years as President and CEO of Clintec International, a joint venture owned by Baxter International Inc. and Nestlé, S.A., engaged in the development and commercialization of clinical nutrition products. Prior to Clintec, Mr. Egen was a Senior Vice President and held various senior management positions during his fifteen year career with Baxter International Inc., in which he held responsibility for corporate strategic planning and all European operations. Mr. Egen is former Chairman of the Board of Aksys, Ltd. and serves on the Board of Directors of Väsamed.
Adela Cepeda, MBA, Director
Ms. Cepeda has worked as a finance specialist since 1980 and served as the Founder and President of A.C. Advisory, Inc. for over 20 years, structuring and executing transactions in the capital markets for corporations and municipalities. Ms. Cepeda has led the company to a national leadership position in municipal financial advisory services with over $45 billion in completed transactions. She has extensive community involvement and serves on the board of a number of important boards, including Rush University Medical Center. Ms. Cepeda is an honors graduate of Harvard College with a major in Economics and holds an MBA from the University of Chicago School of Business.
Scientific Advisory Board
Jeremy Marks, MD, PhD
Dr. Marks is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Neurology at University of Chicago Hospitals specializing in mediated neuroprotection for conditions such as cerebral palsy. Dr. Marks was the first to demonstrate the capability of P-188 to reduce central nervous system damage following simulated stroke or cerebral anoxic injury. He has collaborated with Dr. Raphael Lee on several research projects using P-188 and brings a knowledge of wealth regarding P-188s mechanism of action and its effects on the brain and spinal cord to Maroon.
Ka Yee C. Lee, PhD
Dr. Lee is the Executive Vice President for Strategic Inititatives at the University of Chicago and has served as the Provost and Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Institute for Biophysical Dynamics. She specializes in interfacial physical chemistry and is the recipient of several prestigious scholarly awards for her scientific work and worldwide collaborations. She has been instrumental in helping Maroon develop its surfactant chaperone therapeutics.
Mehmet Toner, MD, PhD
Dr. Toner is a Professor of Surgery and Biomedical Engineering at Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts General Hospital. In 2000, Dr Toner was selected to become a Fellow of the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering. His research interests are focused on cryobiology, tissue engineering, and microsystems bioengineering. His expertise in protein refolding has been invaluable to Maroon as the company pursues therapeutic and industrial applications.