Experienced Team
Avantex Biotechnologies Inc. is managed by a knowledgeable and motivated team of professionals with extensive international experience and a broad range of industry skills. Much of this experience was gained working for senior international companies, which makes the Avantex unique in the early stage biotechnology sector.
Nikita Chou, MBA – President and Director
Nikita Chou brings a rare combination of analytics, creativity and soft skills to Avantex, all critical to the successful commercialization of early stage ventures. Her successful past experience working with a Microsoft AR company and AST Computers, a pioneer of the PC industry, helped her hone skills in international sales, marketing and negotiation. She is Special Advisor to the Canadian Securities Exchange and co-founder and Board Member of 888 Capital and 360 Capital Financial Services Group, a publicly listed company in Canada. Nikita possesses extensive knowledge and experience in international and cross-cultural negotiations and marketing. With her business acumen, entrepreneurial spirit and professional experience in technology and capital markets, Nikita launched Avantex to fulfill a personal life purpose to help reduce the suffering and financial burdens families endure when experiencing cancer and other diseases. She holds a Master’s of International Management from the top ranked Thunderbird School of Global Management in the USA, complemented by a mathematics degree.
John Gan – Chief Financial Officer and Director
John Gan’s experience in corporate finance and the financial services industry spans over 30 years practiced in multiple countries. His financial sector experience includes being a securities Investment Advisor, a bank Money Market trader, and an insurance executive where he was named “Manager of the Year”. His international senior corporate leadership experience includes applying his financial services expertise and managerial skills to a number of multi-national Insurance companies. This included being Regional Head of Agency Development for Allianz Life, where he oversaw 50,000 financial services representatives in eight Asia Pacific countries. Currently he is the CEO and Chief Compliance Officer of 360 Securities Ltd. and was formerly Chairman and CEO of 360 Capital Financial Services Group Ltd, a publicly listed company in Canada. He is a graduate of Simon Fraser University, attained honors in the Canadian Securities Course and is a Chartered Financial Consultant, Chartered Life Underwriter and Certified Financial Planner designation.
Andrew Csinger, B.Eng, PhD – Chief Strategy Officer
A curiosity-driven entrepreneur with considerable experience helping build successful companies, Andrew is adept at identifying the strategic marketable value in intellectual property to enable profitable ventures. His past successes include being founder and CEO of Xcert Software (acquired by RSA), a founder and CIO of Group Telecom (Initial Public Offering 2001), a founder and EVP of MineSense Technologies. Currently he is an Advisor for Blockchain Intelligence Group and First Block Capital, and is a Tech EIR and Program Advisor for EnginE at McGill University. He has a PhD in Computer Science from UBC, a B.Eng in Electrical and Computer Engineering from McGill University, and a Certificate in Corporate Governance from INSEAD.
Ullrich Schade, VP Marketing
Ullrich founded and is currently president of NextPhase Strategy Marketing Inc., and has over 30 years of experience in branding and marketing communications. His marketing savvy, creative talent and business acumen built NextPhase into an integrated design, marketing, advertising, communications and public relations company, providing services to a wide range of clients. Before that, Ullrich worked as an art director and creative director for national advertising agencies in Toronto and Vancouver. He has created successful branding and marketing campaigns for numerous regional and international organizations including Canada Bread, Chevron, Sierra Wireless, Scott Paper, Telus and The Geo Group Inc. Ullrich is a past-president of the American Marketing Association BC Chapter, and has been involved in many investor and technology-based organizations as both founder and board member of VANTEC Angel Network and the Vancouver Enterprise Forum.
Vlad Budzynski, M.D, PhD. – Biotechnology Advisor
An experienced biotechnology scientist with a medical background, Vlad has a great range and depth of expertise in developing pharmacology and advanced drug delivery solutions by providing preclinical consulting services for biotech companies – including Qu Biologics, EIT+ Wrocław Research Centre (now PORT), Polfa Tarchomin and Therapyraft. His past experience includes being the senior scientist at MIVI Technologies where he researched new drugs for Drug Eluting Stents. Previous to MIVI, he was the Leader of the Pharmacology Group at Inimex Pharmaceuticals where he performed research on the peptides modulating innate immunity during bacterial infections. At Cytovax Biotechnologies Inc., he was Director of Immunology where he was responsible for preclinical development of vaccines against P. aerouginosa and S. pneumo infections. While at Biomira Inc, he was Senior Manager of Preclinical Development responsible for animal and immune response studies during the preclinical development of BLP25 liposomal vaccine. He was also a Guest Researcher at National Cancer Institute, Frederick, MD, USA. Vlad holds a PhD in Experimental Oncology from the Institute of Immunology and Experimental Therapy, and a MD in Medicine from Wroclaw Medical University.
Deanmo Liu, Ph.D – Scientific Advisor
Deanmo’s areas of expertise include research in Molecular Design for Controlled Release of Drug Delivery Nano-Platforms; Nano Medicine; Medical Devices for Cardiovascular Disorder; Biomolecular Sensing System; and Molecular Imaging. Previously for over 20 years, he acted as a chief scientist and technical consultants for a number of biomedical companies and research institutes in the US, Canada, China, and Taiwan. He has published hundreds of technical papers, and filed and been granted dozens of patents. Deanmo received a PhD degree at University of British Columbia, Canada and a double MS degree in both Chemical Engineering and Materials Science in the United States.
Dr. Louis Liu, MD, Ph.D – Medical Advisor and Former Head of Chest Division, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital
For over 15 years, Dr. Liu was the director of Chest Medicine at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital. Currently he works as a physician in pulmonology respirology and respiratory medicine. His medical focus is lung cancer, respiratory medicine, pharmacology and thoracic medicine. He is also a Chest and Critical Care Practitioner, a Guiding Physician and an Assistant Professor. In 2008 Business Week selected him as one of the “Top 100 Best Doctors”. After obtaining his doctor’s license in 1988, Dr. Liu received a Ph.D. in pharmacology from the University of London, UK. He has published his results in dozens of research papers in international scientific journals.
Dan Cohen – Vice President, Corporate Strategy
Dan is the President and founder of Accelerated Ventures, a boutique corporate finance and strategy company based in Montreal, Canada. He is an experienced business strategist with a track record in several science and technology disciplines. For over 15 years, he has provided high-level technical and financial advice to Fortune 100 clients, academia and government. With an outstanding track record in understanding early innovation, industry trends, disruptive approaches and creative strategies, Dan has been involved in helping build more than forty businesses as a consultant, manager and entrepreneur. A seasoned advisor, he has participated and presented at international conferences, standards bodies, professional development bodies and academic faculties. Most of Dan’s work is concentrated in areas where innovation has a tangible impact on the world in health care, the environment and sustainable development. He specializes in life sciences, materials sciences, information technology and telecommunications.