Lead Scientists

Critical to the success of Allied Minds’ subsidiaries are the lead scientists who drive the technical development. We are proud of our scientific team.

• Sos Agaian, Ph.D. (BA Logix)

  University of Texas, San Antonio

  The Peter T. Flawn Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas, San Antonio
  
  Dr Agaian is a Professor of Engineering at UT, San Antonio as well as a member of the graduate faculty at the University of Texas Health Center, San Antonio. He earned his M.S. degree in Mathematics and Mechanics from Yerevan University and his Ph.D. in Mathematics and Physics degree from the Steklov Institute of Mathematics of the Academy of Sciences. Dr Agaian also earned a Doctor of Engineering Sciences from the Computer Center Academy of Sciences of the USSR. Dr Agaian area of research interest is Signal and image processing where he uses the technology to solve complex engineering challenges for military and industrial applications. He has been a visiting lecturer at over 50 academic institutions internationally as well as a consultant for numerous organizations.

• Elliott Bedows, Ph.D. (Purtein)

  University of Nebraska Medical Center

  Associate Professor at University of Nebraska Medical Center (Retired)
  
  Dr. Bedows was a member of the University of Nebraska Medical Center for 13 years where he specialized in protein purification and hormonal therapy. His area of research interest is in engineered hormones for use in vitro fertilization for reproduction of endangered tigers. Dr. Bedows earned his B.SC. and PhD. from the University of Illinois. He also performed research to study the effects of general anesthesia on virus replication and cellular toxicity. Dr Bedows has collaborated with the Henry Doorly Zoo in Omaha to generate and purify tiger hormones to facilitate assisted field reproduction. He was also awarded patents for his work in developing a novel recombinant purification method, which has become the basis of Purtein’s technology.

• Mina J. Bissell, Ph.D. (ProGDerm)

  Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

  Distinguished Scientist, Life Sciences Division, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory
  
  Dr. Bissell is an award winning scientist, who has been recognized for her lifetime contributions to the field of breast cancer research. She earned her B.SC., M.S. and Ph.D. from Harvard University. Besides her work at LBNL, Dr. Bissell is also a Factulty Member at the UCSF Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California. She holds several patents in the area of cancer research. The Institute of Molecular Pathology and Immunology of the University of Porto in Portugal has named its award given for lifetime cancer research after Dr. Bissell.

• Joseph P. Culver, Ph.D. (Cephalogics)

  Washington University

  Associate Professor , Department of Radiology, Washington University Medical School
  
  Dr. Culver is a physicist by training who work with the UWMS in their radiology department as well as being an Adjunct Professor in the Washington University Physics Department. His work is centers on the development of exploiting non-invasive optical measurements for molecular biology and functional biology. Dr. Culver has a B.A., M.S. and Ph.D from the University of Pennsylvania. His laboratory at University of Washington is developing a wearable brain imaging that will expand the range of human behaviors that can be assessed with functional neuroimaging techniques.

• John Daily, Ph.D. (Precision Biopsy)

  University of Colorado

  Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Colorado at Boulder
  
  Dr. Daily’s academic career has been primarily devoted to the field of combustion and environmental studies. He has recently been working in the areas of biomass thermochemical processing and source characterization, which has applications in such diverse areas such as optical biopsy and wildfire behavior. Dr. Daily has B.Sc and M.S. Degrees in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. from Stanford University. He is also the Director of the Center for Combustion and Environmental Research, located in Golden, CO.

• Linda M. Gerber, Ph.D. (SaltCheck)

  Cornell University

  Professor of Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College
  
  Dr. Gerber is an Epidemiologist and Director of the Biostatistics and Research Methodology Core at Weill Cornell. She is a national expert in the study of hypertension. Dr. Gerber’s hypertension research has explored the roles of the psychological characteristics and responses to antihypertensive drug therapy, as well as the role of ethnicity, socioeconomic status, and behavioral and genetic factors on diurnal blood pressure patterns. She has B.A. in Anthropology from State University of New York at Binghamton and a M.A. and Ph.D. University of Colorado. She has also conducted research in traumatic brain injury, vitamin D deficiency, and sleep-disordered breathing.

• Andrew D. Kent, Ph.D. (Spin Transfer Technologies)

  New York University

  Professor, Physics Department, New York University
  
  The focus of Dr. Kent’s research is the physics of small scale ferromagnetic structures, condensed matter physics and in the physics of magnetic nanostructures. He earned his B. Sc. from Cornell University and his M.S. and Ph. D. from Stanford University. Dr. Kent has conducted experimental studies of quantum tunneling of magnetization and coherence in arrays of nanometer scale magnets known as single molecule magnets. He has also studied spin-dependent transport and spin momentum transfer in thin film magnetic nanopillars. He holds several patents relating to the spin-transfer technology. Dr. Kent has expertise in thin film growth and characterization, device nanofabrication and high frequency measurements, which includes; ferromagnetic resonance, electron paramagnetic resonance and time-resolved studies of magnetization dynamics.

• Manuel C. Lagunas-Solar, Ph.D. (RF Biocidics)

  University of California, Davis

  Research Chemist, Crocker Nuclear Laboratory, University of California, Davis
  
  Dr. Lagunas-Solar’s research has led to several breakthroughs in non-chemical methods of disinfection and pest control of agricultural products. He holds several patents, both in the US and internationally, in the area of utilizing radiofrequency and ultraviolet methods for disinfection and pest control. Dr. Lagunas-Solar’s hold a degree from the Universidad Catolica in Chile, as well as a M.S. in Radiation Chemistry from the University of Puerto Rico and a Ph. D. in Radiochemistry from the University of California, Davis.

• Dale N. Larson (CryoXtract)

  Draper Laboratory

  Director of Biomedical Systems, The Charles Stark Draper Laboratory
  
  Mr. Larson has had an extensive career taking emerging technologies, shepherding them through the research and development process and into viable applications and businesses. He is an engineer by training with a BSME from the University of Virginia and a MSME from Stanford University. Mr. Draper holds several patents for biomedical devices and chemical detection equipment. Mr. Draper the founding Director of the Technology & Engineering Center at Harvard University Medical School.

• M. Scott Lucia, M.D. (Precision Biopsy)

  University of Colorado

  Associate Professor, University of Colorado School of Medicine
  
  Besides his position on the Faculty of the University Of Colorado School Of Medicine, Dr. Lucia also serves as Chief of Genitourinary and Renal Pathology and Director of Prostate Diagnostic Laboratory. His research includes work in the mechanisms of carcinogenesis, growth factor regulation, telomerase activity as well as prostate cancer. Dr. Lucia earned his MD from the University of Colorado. He has published over 50 peer reviewed articles and has also served as Chief Pathologist for several trials aimed at the treatment and prevention of prostate cancer.

• Samuel J. Mann, M.D. (SaltCheck)

  Cornell University

  Professor of Clinical Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College
  
  Dr. Mann is a researcher, clinical specialist and published author in the area of hypertension. His research has explored the connection between hypertension and a patient’s repressed emotions. Dr. Mann earned his B.A. from New York University and his M.D. from State University of New York Health Science Center at Brooklyn. In conjunction with his position at Weill Cornell Medical College, Dr. Mann is also an Attending Physician at New York Presbyterian Hospital.

• David C. Martin, Ph.D. (Biotectix)

  University of Michigan

  Karl W. and Renate Boer Professor Chair, Department of MSE, University of Delaware
  
  Dr. Martin is an award winning research and educator with expertise in polymers. He earned his B.S. and M.S. from the University of Michigan and his Ph.D. from the University of Massachusetts. His research has explored the use of polymers for interfacing biomedical devices with living tissue, the micromechanisms of deformation and failure in polymer solid and molecular engineering of high-strength polymer fibers. Dr. Martin’s innovations have applications across many diverse industries.

• Karen A. Panetta, Ph.D. (BA Logix)

  Tufts University

  Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Tufts University
  
  Dr. Panetta is an award winning educator and engineering consultant. Besides her work as a professor, Dr. Panetta is also the Director of the Simulation Research Laboratory at Tufts University and the Worldwide Director of the IEEE Women In Engineering program. Her Simulation and Modeling work has earned her several awards from NASA. Dr. Panetta earned her B.S. from Boston University and her M.S. and Ph. D. from Northeastern University. She holds several patents and is an industry consultant. Dr. Panetta has also created the “Nerd Girl” program that encourages young woman to peruse careers in science and engineering.

• Shriram Ramanathan, Ph.D. (SiEnergy)

  Harvard University

  Associate Professor, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Harvard University
  
  Dr. Ramanathan is an award winning engineer who has applied his expertise in materials science to both industry and academia. In addition to his position as an associate professor at Harvard, Dr. Ramanathan is an associate of the Rowland Institute for Science. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the Indian Institute of Technology, his M.A. from the University of Houston and his Ph. D. from Stanford University. His current research area of interest is oxide materials science, with a concentration on elucidating structure-property relations and exploratory solid state devices.

• Tobias Ritter, Ph.D., M.B.A. (SciFluor Life Sciences)

  Harvard University

  Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University
  
  Dr. Ritter is an academician and researcher who focuses on fluorination chemistry for late-stage functionalization of complex natural and unnatural products and bimetallic transition metal redox catalysis. Dr. Ritter earned his Ph. D.. from the ETH Zurich and conducted his post-doc work at Stanford University. He has also earned an M.B.A. at Hagen University. Dr Ritter has earned multiple awards and is an international lecturer. His research programs are based on synthetic organic and organometallic chemistry working towards the development of new synthetic methods based on transition metal catalysis; stereoselective synthesis of biologically active natural and unnatural products.

• Robin Shandas, Ph.D. (Illumasonix)

  University of Colorado

  Professor & Chair, Bioengineering, College of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Colorado
  
  Dr. Shandas has held several positions at the University of Colorado. His work has bridged the gap between engineering and medical research, as such he has been appointed as the first Chair of the new Bioengineering Department on the Denver campus. Dr. Shandas earned his BSEE from the University of California, Santa Barbara and his M.S. & Ph. D. from the University of California, San Diego. He has also conducted Post-Doctoral research at the California Institute of Technology. Dr. Shandas’s research efforts are concentrated in developing novel methods for translational bioengineering. His work has often crossed into medical applications such as medical ultrasonics, cardiovascular biomechanics and the development of next-generation medical polymers including shape memory polymers for medical devices.

• Eva A. Turley, Ph.D. (ProGDerm)

  Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory

  Professor, Department of Oncology, University of Western Ontario
  
  Dr. Turley area of research is focused on identifying the signaling pathways that regulate cell motility and tumor cell invasion, in particular, factors that contribute to breast cancer progression. She holds nearly 100 patents/ pending patents in the area of cell motility, immune response and role of connective tissue. Dr. Turley has experience in both academia and in industry; she also holds Research Scientist position at the London Regional Cancer Program, London Health Sciences Centre.

• Priya Werahera, Ph.D. (Precision Biopsy)

  University of Colorado

  Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Medical School
  
  Dr. Werahera area of research is the biomedical and biotechnology areas of natural history and mechanisms of carcinogenesis. He earned his B.S. from the University of Moratuwa, his M.S. from Oregon State University and his Ph.D. from Colorado State University. Dr. Werahera also holds an advisory position with the School of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Colorado. His research applies engineering to medical research spanning such areas as guided needle biopsy protocols; optical spectroscopy for disease diagnosis, computer architecture and parallel processing, embedded computing systems and simulations and statistical modeling.

• Fan-Gang Zeng, Ph.D. (SoundCure)

  University of California, Irvine

  Professor and Director of Research, Anatomy & Neurobiology Department, University of California School of Medicine
  
  Dr. Zeng’s is an accomplished Otolaryngology expert who’s research is seeking to understand human communication disorders from deafness and tinnitus to stuttering and language impairment. He earned his B.S. from the University of Science and Technology of China, his M.S. from Institute of Physiology, Academia Sinica and his Ph. D. from Syracuse University. Dr. Zeng’s is also the Director of Cochlear Implant Research at the University of California, Irvine’s Health Center. He holds 7 patents, is extensively published and has been invited to lecture worldwide. His current research concentrates on the development and design innovative prosthetic devices and training procedures for people who have lost hearing and balance functions.