Advances in Medical Biochemistry, Genomics, Physiology, and Pathology

Raj Bawa, MS, PhD, MD, is president of Bawa Biotech LLC (founded in 2002), a biotech/pharma consultancy and patent law firm based in Ashburn, Virginia, USA. Trained as a microbiologist and biochemist, he is an inventor, author, entrepreneur, professor, and registered patent agent (since 2002) licensed to practice before the US Patent & Trademark Office. He is currently a scientific advisor to Teva Pharmaceutical Industries (Israel), a visiting research scholar at the Pharmaceutical Research Institute of Albany College of Pharmacy (Albany, NY), and vice president/chief IP officer at Guanine, Inc. (Rensselaer, NY). He has served as a principal investigator of various research grants, most recently as a principal investigator of a CDC grant to develop an assay for carbapenemase resistant bacteria. He was an adjunct professor at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (Troy, NY) from 1998 to 2018. After earning a BSc (Honors School) in microbiology, he earned a MS (cancer biology), a PhD (biophysics/biochemistry) and an MD. In the 1990s, Dr. Bawa held various positions at the US Patent & Trademark Office, including primary examiner from 1996-2002. Presently, he is a life member of Sigma Xi, cochair of the nanotech and precision medicine committees of the American Bar Association and founding director of the American Society for Nanomedicine (established in 2008). He has authored over 100 publications, edited 8 texts, and serves on the editorial boards of numerous peer-reviewed journals, including serving as an associate editor of Nanomedicine (Elsevier).

Esther H. Chang, PhD, is a member of the Departments of Oncology and Otolaryngology at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center of Georgetown University Medical Center, USA. She previously held positions at the National Cancer Institute, Stanford University, and the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences. She is president of the American Society for Nanomedicine and an executive board member of the International Society for Nanomedicine. Dr. Chang is the founding scientist of and senior consultant for SynerGene Therapeutics, Inc., a privately held company that has five ongoing clinical trials for two distinct nanomedicines. She has over 140 scientific publications and has served as a member of a number of scientific advisory boards for NCI, NASA, the US Military Cancer Institute, and the Department of Energy. Dr. Chang's research effort focuses primarily on the molecular mechanisms of carcinogenesis and in translating this basic information into new clinical modalities. She has been a contributor in the understanding of oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. She has also contributed to the understanding of the molecular basis of resistance to radiation and chemotherapy. She is the inventor/co-inventor of 115 issued patents (50 applications being prosecuted) surrounding a tumor-targeting nanodelivery platform being developed by SynerGene. This nanodelivery system represents a broad platform nanotechnology in that the payload for delivery can include gene therapy, siRNAs/miRNAs, antisense oligonucleotides, imaging agents, and chemotherapeutic agents.

Gerald F. Audette, PhD, is associate dean of faculty in the Faculty of Science, an associate professor of chemistry, and member of the Centre for Research on Biomolecular Interactions at York University, Canada. His research focuses on the correlation between protein structure and biological activity of proteins involved in bacterial conjugation, in particular, the type 4 secretion system from the conjugative F-plasmid of Escherichia coli. In addition, his research targets the type IV pilins and associated assembly systems from several bacterial pathogens and is exploring the adaptation of these protein systems for applications in bionanotechnology and nanomedicine. Dr. Audette is the co-editor of volumes 1-4 of the Jenny Stanford Series on Nanomedicine and is a subject editor of structural chemistry and crystallography for the journal FACETS.

Anil R. Diwan, PhD, is president and chairman of NanoViricides, Inc., a publicly traded company dedicated to advancing antiviral applications of a novel nanomedicines platform with the potential for creating drugs that the virus cannot escape by virtue of genomic changes, (mutations, recombinations, re-assortments) that are common in the virus world. He founded his own private company and began working in nanomedicines circa 1992. There he invented ""TheraCour (R)"" polymeric micelle zip-code-like targeting and encapsulating drug delivery platform. With his colleagues at AllExcel, Inc., he has also co-developed a novel cell therapy that promises to be a cure for Parkinson's Disease. Dr. Diwan received his first US patent in nanomedicines in 2004. Further advancements have already resulted in three international PCT applications that have matured into a number of patents worldwide. Dr. Diwan co-founded NanoViricides, Inc., in 2005 and played a key role in its up-listing NYSE-American exchange in 2013. He has been instrumental in raising over $100 million at NanoViricides since founding it. He was also instrumental in the design and architecture of the new NanoViricides campus in Shelton, CT with discovery-to-cGMP-manufacture capabilities under one roof. Dr. Diwan was recognized as ""2014 Researcher of the Year"" by BusinessNewHaven and NewHaven Register group, which provides annual recognitions for outstanding individuals in Connecticut state.

Dr. Diwan obtained his BS in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay, India, in 1980. Acceptance to the Indian Institute of Technology is based on the ultra-competitive Joint Entrance Examination. Dr. Diwan stood 9th nationally in this examination. Following his undergraduate degree, he obtained his PhD in (bio)chemical engineering in 1986 from Rice University, Houston, USA.

Saadia A. Faiz, MD, currently practices at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center as a pulmonary and sleep specialist in cancer medicine. She is a professor of pulmonary medicine in the Division of Internal Medicine. She is board certified by the American Board of Internal Medicine in internal medicine, critical care, pulmonary and sleep medicine. Dr. Faiz is an active member of the American College of Chest Physicians and serves on the 2020 Scientific Program Executive Committee, the Clinical Pulmonary Network Steering Committee, and Educator Development Subcommittee. Her research interests include pulmonary manifestation of cancer, pleural disease in hematologic malignancies, pulmonary hypertension in cancer and sleep and cancer. She also dedicated a significant amount of time to trainee education specifically using simulation for procedural education. She founded and is the director for the Southwest Regional Boot Camp for First Year Pulmonary and Critical Care Fellows, and she serves as an associate program director for the McGovern Medical School at UTHealth PCCM fellowship. She also serves as a faculty instructor for the CHEST Live Learning Pleural Procedures course and at the annual CHEST Fellows course.