Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization Announces Election of Cynthia Goh, Ian Smith and Mark Steedman to its Board of Directors
Toronto, Ontario, December 3, 2014 – Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (“OBIO®”), a non-profit organization that is Ontario’s leading advocate for the life science sector, announces the election of three new members to its Board of Directors: Cynthia Goh, Ian Smith and Mark Steedman. “We are very pleased to welcome three industry thought leaders to the OBIO Board of Directors,” said Dr. David Young, Chair of the OBIO Board of Directors. “Their business leadership and in-depth knowledge of the bioscience industry will add to the breadth of our current Board of Directors. We look forward to their contributions to OBIO’s efforts to engage stakeholders working towards a common goal - the development of an integrated health innovation economy and bioscience ecosystem for the benefit of Ontarians and people of the world.”
Dr. M. Cynthia Goh is Professor at the Department of Chemistry, the Institute of Medical Science, the Munk School of Global Affairs, and Director of the Impact Centre at the University of Toronto. She received her PhD from the University of California at Los Angeles, and carried out postdoctoral fellowships at Columbia University and the University of California, Berkeley, prior to taking a faculty position at the University of Toronto. Dr. Goh has a diverse set of research interests, including fundamental studies of complex systems biomaterials, interfaces, probe microscopy, the development of new research instrumentation and nanotechnology. She is also known for her interest in the translation of scientific discovery to technology and products and the education of scientist-entrepreneurs. Together with her students, she has co-founded six companies including Axela Inc., Vive Crop Protection and Sciventions, as well as Entrepreneurship101 at MaRS, the flagship entrepreneur training program of the MaRS Discovery District, with thousands registered attendees annually. In 2010, Dr. Goh introduced Techno, a one-month intensive training program specifically geared for university scientists intending to build a tech-based company. Techno2010 to 2014 have led to the creation of over 60 start-ups based on the results of scientific research, many of which now have sales and follow-on funding.
Dr. Ian Smith began his National Research Council (NRC) career in Ottawa as a Research Officer specializing in magnetic resonance. In 1987, he became Director General of the NRC Institute for Biological Sciences, Ottawa. In 1992, he founded the Institute for Biodiagnostics in Winnipeg as its first Director General. The Institute focuses on the development and commercialization of medical devices for the non-invasive diagnosis of disease. Dr. Smith is dedicated to early detection and treatment of disease and using this knowledge to advance the state of medicine and the economy. He is a passionate mover for the commercialization of the products of research, and has started nine companies with a present value of close to $1 billion. In 2013, he retired from NRC to help build a spin-off company, Innovative Biodiagnostics, specializing in tests for colon cancer and breast cancer. He was appointed Officer of the Order of Canada in 2008 for his leadership in the advancement, development and commercialization of Canada’s diagnostic technologies, notably magnetic resonance imaging, in the field of health care. In addition, Dr. Smith received the 2008 Outstanding Achievement Award of the Public Service of Canada, presented to individuals who have displayed long-term excellence throughout their careers in Canada's public service. He was awarded the Queen’s Gold (2002) and Diamond (2012) Jubilee Medals for his contributions. He holds a number of honorary degrees, including Phil. Dr. from Stockholm University. He is past president of the International Union for Pure and Applied Biophysics and a member of advisory boards of various companies and agencies. Dr. Smith currently is the Chair of the Board of Directors for the Centre for Imaging Technology Commercialization and President, Innovative Biodiagnostics Inc.
Mark Steedman coordinated the formation of Interface Biologics in December 2001 and is currently responsible for managing the corporate business aspects of the corporation. In 2004 Mr. Steedman raised $12 million in a Series A round, grew the team from zero to 15 people and helped recruit the senior management team. He was instrumental in landing early deals with several large medical device manufacturers, and oversaw company operations from early R&D to its first revenues in 2004. These early deals ultimately led to FDA approval for multiple medical device products. Mr. Steedman holds degrees in Applied Science in Engineering, a Bachelor of Arts in Biology both from Queen’s University and an MBA from Wilfrid Laurier University.
About OBIO® The Ontario Bioscience Innovation Organization (OBIO®) is a not-for-profit, membership-based organization engaged in the development of an integrated health innovation economy for Ontario that will become a leader in providing health technology to the international marketplace. OBIO advances this goal through advocacy, promotion and strategic leadership and via collaborative partnerships with industry, academia, patients and government. More information is available at www.obio.ca.
OBIO Contact Gail Garland President and Chief Executive Officer gailgarland@obio.ca 416-673-6619
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