Company Leadership
President
Dr. Richard Pestell is a clinician scientist. He has >700 published works and holds patents in cancer diagnostics and treatment including light-activated gene therapy. He founded companies (ProstaGene, LightSeed), Departments and Institutes, led cancer not–for-profits and directed two USA Cancer Centers (Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, and the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University).
He was most recently Executive Vice President Thomas Jefferson University (TJU), Philadelphia, USA. TJU has an annual budget of $5.6B, eleven hospitals and 30,000 employees in the Philadelphia region, with more than 160 undergraduate and graduate programs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Pestell
Dr. Pestell completed his M.B., BS at the University of Western Australia, he conducted clinical training in Internal Medicine, Oncology and Endocrinology. He received M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from Melbourne Australia and his MBA from NYU, Stern School of Business. He was the Winthrop Fellow at Harvard Medical School and was Clinical Fellow at Massachusetts General Hospital. He is past President of INCTR (USA), a global not-for-profit working to impact cancer in the developing world and was founding Director of the Delaware Valley Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (University of Delaware, Thomas Jefferson University, Nemours and Christiana).
He was recipient of the Irma T. Hirschl Weil Caulier Career Scientist Award, Diane Belfer Faculty Scholar in Cancer Research, Gragnani endowed Chair, the Pfeiffer Award, the Harrison award, the R.D. Wright medal, Komen Light of Life award, two Doctorus Honoris Causa, the Raine Distinguished Professor, Advance Global Australian Award (biotechnology), the Eric Susman Prize, Jamie Brooke Lieberman Remembrance Award, Susan G. Komen and the Order of Australia (A.O.) on the Queen’s birthday announcements for distinguished contribution “in the field of endocrinology and oncology” .
Dr. Pestell had identified key genetic target for cancer stem cells governing the onset and progression of cancer, with issued patents that have led to current clinical trials. His papers have been published in journals including Cell, Science, Nature Medicine, Molecular Cell and EMBO J. His work is well cited (>63,000 citations, H index 140) and he is ranked in the world by Google Scholar for oncology, prostate cancer, #1 in the world for his area of research “cell-cycle ” https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=RYlsfBQAAAAJ&hl=en
- His Biotechnology company ProstaGene LLC provided a successful exit to prior investors. https://www.cytodyn.com/newsroom/press-releases/detail/299/cytodyn-completes-acquisition-of-prostagene-and-names-dr
- Dr Pestell is an elected Fellow of ASCI, FRS Med, FACP, FRACP, FAAAS
- https://www.the-asci.org/controllers/asci/AsciProfileController.php?pid=500154
Clinical Advisory Board
Professor Rick Kitsis, MD., PhD., is an internally reknowned cardiologist Director, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research InstituteDr. Gerald and Myra Dorros Professor of Cardiovascular Disease at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Dr Kitsis is one of the worlds leading expert in the mechanisms governing cardiac death.https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=kitsis+r&hl=en&as_sdt=0,10
Company Management
President/CEO and Founder
Dr. Pestell MD, PhD, MBA founded LightSeed to harness molecular technologies to provide more precise therapy. He is the inventor of record on patents to reduce cardiac side effects and to provide precise control of gene therapy delivery. He is leading LightSeed as an active Board Chair, is directly engaged in the recruitment of a full time CEO and a Senior Licensing Executive, and will continue to provide Board Chair leadership in the future
Chief Operating Officer (COO) - Interim
Dr. Chris Blaxland has over 30 years of experience in small and large companies, in general management, product development, and marketing and aspects of the industry. His 20 years at GlaxoSmithKline (SmithKline Beecham and SK&F) included worldwide responsibility as Vice President of Strategic Product Development. Chris is a Principal of Hunter Partners, LLC, a consultancy that provides advice and interim management for early to mid-stage pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies
Chief Scientific Officer
Professor Ashton PhD., is internationally known for his cardiovascular research including mechanisms of cardiac death and mechanisms governing cardiac progenitor cell function. He received his PhD from the University of New South Wales and spent 12 years in cardiovascular research at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York prior to his current position at the Kolling Institute in Sydney Australia. He was most recently Scientific Director, Division of Perinatal Research Kolling Institute of Medical Research.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-ashton-524a9a33/?originalSubdomain=au
Chief Financial Officer
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Clinical Advisory Board Head
Professor Rick Kitsis, MD., PhD., is an internally reknowned cardiologist Director, Wilf Family Cardiovascular Research InstituteDr. Gerald and Myra Dorros Professor of Cardiovascular Disease at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. Dr Kitsis is one of the worlds leading expert in the mechanisms governing cardiac death.https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=kitsis+r&hl=en&as_sdt=0,10
Chief Licensing Officer
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