Larta's Life Science Advisory Committee

Larta Institute is proud of the partnerships we've built with many of the following leaders in the health sciences. These partners are committed to exploring new business opportunities and collaborations with the emerging companies involved in 2009 Life Sciences Venture Forum and other life science initiatives.

Advisory Committee Chair - Joanna Schulman, Founder & Managing Partner, Thallo Bioscience Advisors
Joanna Schulman is founder and managing partner of Thallo Bioscience Advisors, LLC a financial and strategic advisory firm serving clients globally in the life sciences sector. She has extensive experience working with organizations ranging from startups to multinational enterprises providing advisory services in the areas of corporate financing & growth strategies, asset acquisition & divestiture, M&A, partnering and alliances, licensing opportunities, company/product positioning and capital raising. Prior to establishing Thallo, Joanna worked with Deloitte to build their national/international life sciences practice and has held various executive positions in industry including Vice President of pharmaceutical commodities trading company and Consulting Director to Pathways Cancer Center.

Advisory Committee Co-Chair - Bruce Pratt, Vice President, Science Development, Genzyme Corporation
Dr. Bruce M. Pratt is Vice President, Science Development, for Genzyme Corporation, with responsibilities in the identification and evaluation of early stage opportunities (primarily therapeutic products) and proactive, selective outreach activities to the academic, biotechnology and life science venture capital sectors. He has worked for Genzyme for 17+ years in positions of increasing responsibility in Cell & Protein Therapeutics Research & Development, most recently as Sr. Director of Cell Biology. For 2+ years, through July 2004, he was based in one of Genzyme’s European offices, identifying early stage European research and product opportunities as well as developing relationships with biotechnology companies and academic centers of excellence.

Ron Eastman, Managing Director, Essex Woodlands Health Ventures

David Bowser, Vice President, Technology Transfer & Academic Relations, Johnson and Johnson

G. Steven Burrill, CEO, Burrill & Company

Victor Hwang, T2 Venture Capital

Rainer Fuchs, Vice President, Biogen Idec Innovation Incubator, Biogen Idec, Inc.

Paul M. Grand, Director, RCT BioVentures, Research Corporation Technologies, Inc.

Robert Gruetzmacher, Director of Technology Commercialization, DuPont Center for Collaborative Research and Education

Bruce Halpryn, Sr. Director, New Business Development & Global Leader, Technical Due Dillegence, P&G Pharmaceuticals

Kinney Horn, Business Development, Genentech

Don A. Madren, Associate Director, Strategic Alliances, Pfizer

Graeme R. Martin, CEO, Takeda Research Investment Inc.

Jeff Kogl, Sr. Director, Ventures Program, Medtronic

Kimberly Rogers, VP, Technology Assessment, Allergan

Dr. James M. Schaeffer, Executive Director of Worldwide Licensing and External Research, Merck & Co., Inc.

Ben Verwer, Manager, Corporate Strategy & Development, BD Ventures

Boris Nikolic, Sr. Program Officer, Global Health & Discovery, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation