Dr. Melanie Santos, MD, UroGynecologist – Chief Medical Officer
Urogynecology & Pelvic Reconstructive Surgery specialist with over 17 years of experience. Dr. Santos is Medical Director of Pelvic Health at Providence St. Jude Medical Center where she performs clinical work and serves on both executive and advisory boards for the Providence St Joseph Health Women & Children’s Institute. Dr. Santos has considerable experience working in the medical device and pharma area consulting to various entities and is a key-note speaker internal to Providence Health being responsible for communications with GYN related practitioners within the organization. Dr. Santos Education includes Albert Einstein College of Medicine at Yeshiva University, residency in obstetrics and gynecology at Stanford University with fellowship at Emory University.
Hyunsook Park, Ph.D. Microbiology – Director of Microbiology
Dr. Park is Professor of Microbiology at California State University Los Angeles with over twenty years of research experience on fungal pathogenesis and is a first-generation, US immigrant female scientist, Dr. Park has focused her career in research with the goal of improving women’s health using C. Albicans as a model for fungal pathogen while recognizing host environmental changes may initiate infection as part of the normal microbiome. Dr. Park received her PhD in Microbiology from Ewha Women’s University in Seoul South Korea. Dr. Park conducted post doctoral research at Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center.
Todd Peterson, PhD. Microbiology – Chief Science Advisor
Dr Todd Peterson has spent over 35 years in academic research and industrial R&D, spanning molecular genetics, genomics, cell biology and synthetic biology engineering, his experience encompasses biotechnology, clinical diagnostics, life science research tools, drug discovery and industrial biotechnology markets, products, and technologies. Prior to founding GenApex Bio, Dr Peterson was Chief Scientific Officer at the Allen Institute comprising foundational and applied for research programs across Brain Science, Cell Science, Immunology Institutes, and the Paul G. Allen Frontiers Group.
Vern Roohk, Ph.D. Physiology – Key Advisor
Dr. Roohk has spent over 50 years in physiology associated with the development and testing of medical devices. He has clinical experience as an ECMO (Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation) team member and lab supervisor with the original NIH-funded life-support team at UCI. Dr. Roohk has served as lab director and/or IACUC chair for a number of both university and private pre-clinical testing facilities. Dr. Roohk co-founded American ImmunoTech, LLC, and Vestara in Costa Mesa, CA, which conducted sepsis research utilizing ultraviolet technology in an extracorporeal circuit. Dr Roohk is a recognized expert in Animal Physiology, and in vivo testing. Dr. Roohk received his Ph.D. in Physiology and Biochemistry from UC Davis in 1971 where he focused on bioengineering at USC and UCLA.
Dr. Jack Sobel MD, GYN – Key Advisor
Dr. Sobel is a consulting Physician, Clinical Advisor, and one of the world’s foremost authorities on infectious diseases of the GYN tract. Dr. Sobel is a widely published and strongly funded physician-researcher. He has been involved in basic science, translational and clinical research since the inception of his Infectious Diseases Research Fellowship in 1976 at the NIH Laboratory of Clinical Investigation. He has served as a consultant for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s special committee for recommending guidelines for the treatment of sexually transmitted disease. He has served as President of the Michigan Infectious Diseases Society from 1997 to 1999, a Member of the Infectious Diseases Society of America, and the National State President’s Committee and the Infectious Diseases Society of America, Practice Guidelines Committee.
Annette M. Walker – Cern, Board of Directors
Annette’s current position is President, City of Hope Orange County and has also held past positions as President, Strategy at St. Joseph’s as well as CEO, St. Joseph’s Health. Annette is recognized as one of the “Top 100” people in US Healthcare and has been named one of America’s most influential health care leaders @modernhealthcare. Annette is now building a world-class cancer center for The City of Hope in Orange County CA. Annette is a solutions architect and nationally recognized strategist, thought leader and author/keynote speaker on transforming the health care industry. Annette also mentors hundreds of up-and-coming next-generation executives. Annette is a passionate team leader and Life-long advocate for female leaders and moms.
Dr. David C. Lagrew – Cern, Board of Directors
Dr. Lagrew is Chief of Service, Maternal Fetal Medicine at Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach CA, Prior experience includes Executive Medical Director for Women’s Services at St. Joseph’s/Providence Health, Medical Director at Long Beach Memorial as well as Medical Director, Women’s Services at Saddleback Memorial Medical Center. Dr. Lagrew has recently retired from over 35 years of clinical practice and is regarded as a thought leader within the industry.
Gregg A. Klang, MBA – Cern, Founder, CEO, CoB
Gregg’s background is principally in business with most of his career in technical sales and marketing for a Fortune 50 organization. Gregg has senior management experience, an extensive background in global sales and account management, and extensive training through the Boston Consulting Group. His interest in life sciences has generated multiple patents in the medical device space. In the summer of 2019, Cern Corp. was nominated to participate in the LA-BioStart program for CEOs bringing novel and disruptive technologies within the life sciences vertical to market.