Leadership

Alan Smith, PhD is a biotechnology executive with a background of over 35 years in executive management in research and development, operations, manufacturing and quality roles in industry.  He has served on our Board of Directors since the Board was formed in 1998. He currently serves as Chief Technology Officer at Ambys Medicines, Inc.  Prior to Ambys, he served as Chief Technology Officer at Akouos, Inc. (NASDAQ: AKUS). He joined Bellicum Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ: BLCM), in 2015 as the Sr. Vice President, Manufacturing and  served as Executive Vice President of Technical Operations at Bellicum.  Prior to Bellicum, he served as the Vice President of Research & Development and Cellular Therapeutics for LifeNet Health and its wholly owned subsidiary, The Institute of Regenerative Medicine from 2013 to 2015.  Here he was responsible for research, product development, cell production, research tissue, and cardiovascular research for the company including overall program management and general operations of the Institute. Prior to this position, Dr. Smith was an independent consultant owning a consulting business in the cell therapy industry from 2010 to 2013 after serving as President and Chief Executive Officer and other executive roles for Cognate BioServices for eight years from 2002 to 2010.  He has held senior executive management positions with Osiris Therapeutics (NYSE: OSIR) as Chief Operating Officer and Sr. Vice President of Research and Development, Aastrom Biosciences as Vice President of Research and Development, Geneic Sciences as Vice President of Research and Development, Baxter Healthcare Corporation (now Baxter International Inc., NYSE: BAX) as Director of Cell Separations Research and Development, and has held several other leadership positions in other companies. Dr. Smith is a published co-author on numerous journal articles and recently served as an Adjunct Professor at Eastern Virginia Medical School, Department of Biology and Molecular Cell Biology. His past academic experience includes adjunct professorships at California State University Long Beach and Utah, State University. Dr. Smith earned his BS degree in Chemistry at Southern Utah University in 1976 and a PhD degree in Biochemistry from Utah State University in 1982.