Meet Our Executive Team
Steve Gorlin
Principal & Founderfounded several biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, including Hycor Biomedical, Inc. (acquired by Agilent), Theragenics Corporation (NYSE: TGX), CytRx Corporation (NASDAQ: CYTR), Medicis Pharmaceutical Corporation (sold to Valeant for approximately $2.6 billion), EntreMed, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENMD), MRI Interventions (MRIC), DARA BioSciences, Inc. (NASDAQ: DARA), MiMedx (NASDAQ: MDXG), and Medivation, Inc. (NASDAQ: MDVN). Mr. Gorlin served for many years on the Business Advisory Council to the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and on The Johns Hopkins BioMedical Engineering Advisory Board and serves on the Board of Andrews Institute. Mr. Gorlin founded a number of nonmedical related companies, including Perma-Fix, Inc., Pretty Good Privacy, Inc. (sold to Network Associates), Judicial Correction Services, Inc. (sold to Correctional Healthcare), and NTC China. He started The Touch Foundation, a nonprofit organization for the blind and was a principal financial contributor to the founding of Camp Kudzu for diabetic children. He presently serves as Vice Chairman of NantKwest, Inc., Chairman of ViCapsys, CEO of Nantibody Fc and on the Boards of Medovex, Inc. (MDVXU), Catasys, Inc. (CATS), Nantibody Fc and on the Board of NTC China, Inc. He is also a member of the Research Institute Advisory Council (RIAC) at Massachusetts General Hospital.
John Thomas
CFOof experience in a variety of financial and accounting positions. Since 1986, Mr. Thomas has worked for Mr. Steve Gorlin and served as the Chief Financial Officer for CytRx Corporation, CytRx Biopool, Medicis Pharmaceutical Corp, EntreMed, Inc., ClearPoint Neuro, Inc., DARA BioSciences, MiMedx Group, Inc., DemeRx, Inc., and SmartPharm Therapeutics, Inc. Mr. Thomas has also served as a Director of NantKwest, Inc., Novelion Therapeutics, Inc., and presently serves as a Director of Virios Therapeutics. In addition, Mr. Thomas has also served as CFO of multiple private companies. Prior to working with Mr. Gorlin, Mr. Thomas began his career working at Arthur Andersen & Co. Mr. Thomas also served as a Trustee and Chairman of the Finance Committee of The Walker School, a private Pre-K through 12 grade school. Mr. Thomas is a Certified Public Accountant and graduated from the University of Virginia.
Michael Mansour, MD, PhD
Chief Science Officerwho started his research career in the biotech sector and graduated with MD/PhD dual degrees from Boston University School of Medicine with a research concentration in immune responses against invading pathogens. He completed his medical residency at the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) in Boston, MA where he also served as a Chief resident, before completing the Harvard combined Infectious Diseases training program at the MGH and the Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Mansour joined the MGH ID faculty in 2014, and now attends on the clinical Transplant Infectious Diseases and Immunocompromised Host Service, where he cares for solid and stem cell transplant recipients and those individuals with weakened immunity. Dr.Mansour is an investigator overseeing a RO1- funded laboratory with a focus on innate immune responses to infectious pathogens. He also directs several immunology and infectious diseases clinical trials including several on COVID-19 novel treatments for coronavirus. In addition, he sits on committees for the development of treatment guidelines for patients with Transplant infectious diseases and COVID-19 infection.
Leon Hebert, JD, MBA
corporate, legal, and scientific experience to create and build start-up biotechnology companies. Prior to joining the Company, Dr. Hebert was Counsel for Safi Biosolutions, Inc. and President of Pulsethera, Inc. after he negotiated the successful acquisition of SmartPharm Therapeutics, Inc., a non-viral gene therapy company, as its General Counsel and Director of Business Development. Dr. Hebert began his career in business development as Associate Director of Innovation for Mass General Brigham where he launched device, biotech, and pharmaceutical start-up companies based upon intellectual property created at Massachusetts General Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Dr. Hebert began developing his skills as a patent attorney with Pennie & Edmonds LLP in New York City and obtained his B.S. in biology from the University of Notre Dame, Ph.D. in cellular biology from the University of Alabama Birmingham, J.D. from Seton Hall University, and M.B.A. from the University of Connecticut.
Franklyn Prendergast, MD, PhD
professor of Biochem- istry & Molecular Biology and Professor in Department of Molecular Pharma- cology & Experimental Therapeutics at Mayo Clinic Rochester. He received his Medical degree with honors from University of West Indies; Oxford Univer- sity Rhodes Scholar BA and MA degree in physiology. After internal medicine residency at Mayo Clinic, he obtained his PhD in biochemistry at University of Minnesota/Mayo Graduate School. Dr. Prendergast has held numerous leadership positions within Mayo Clin- ic: Chair, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology; Director for Re- search, Mayo Clinic Rochester,1989-1992; Member of the Board of Gover- nors for Mayo Clinic in Rochester; Mayo Clinic Board of Trustees, 1992-2009; Mayo Clinic’s Board of Governors, 1999-2006. Mayo Distinguished Investiga- tor, Emeritus Director of the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center and Emeritus Director of Mayo Center for Individualized Medicine. He served extensively for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Board of Advisors for Division of Research Grants. He also served on the National Advisory General Medical Sciences Council, the Board of Scientific Advisors of National Cancer Institute and the National Cancer Advisory Board. In these positions Dr. Prendergast has greatly influenced the direction of the United States healthcare and research for medical sciences.
Keon Zhang
in the development of brand recognition and transforming that into accelerating product growth and market acceptance. Throughout his career, he has been responsible for the launch and development of brands/products along with the evaluation and development of white space growth through new brands, distribution and organizational transformation. He has managed hundred million dollar launches in different consumer products goods industry brand, spanning health & beauty (L’Oréal) and apparel & footwear (Nike) and has been recognized as achieving the #1 category brand launches in multiple categories and years, developing international best practices for brand development and execution, and first to market award winning marketing campaigns. Keon obtained his undergraduate degree in business from McGill University, MBE from MIT and an Executive MBA from Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University.
Elena Ulansky
as a part of its Business Development effort. She is managing ongoing communications with current and new investors, actively sourcing new opportunities for investments and strategic partnerships for the Gorlin Group. Elena Ulansky is currently the Director of Partner Relations with Gorlin Companies. She is responsible for development of partnerships with companies in Biotechnology area as well as developing partner relationships with institutional investors and family offices. In the past, Ms. Ulansky worked for investment companies in different capacities focused in capital raising, originating deals for PE opportunities and cross border M&A. Her diverse background of working with many international investors, and unique knowledge of Eastern European investment markets allowed her to develop a unique network of relationships globally. Ms. Ulansky graduated with a Master's degree in Economics, with distinction, from Moscow State University, Russia.
John Mogford, PhD
capacities for the Texas A&M University System (“Texas A&M”). Since May 2013, Dr. Mogford has served as the Vice Chancellor for Research, from August 2012 until April 2013 he served as the Chief Research Officer and from November 2011 until August 2012 he served as Associate Vice Chancellor for Strategic Initiatives at Texas A&M. Prior to joining the Texas A&M in 2011, from February 2010 until October 2011, Dr. Mogford served as Deputy Director of the Defense Sciences Office (DSO) of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in the U.S. Department of Defense. From July 2005 until January 2009, Dr. Mogford served as Program Manager of DSO of DARPA. In addition, since November 2016, Dr. Mogford has served as a member of the board of directors of Medovex Corp. Dr. Mogford is the recipient of the Secretary of Defense Medal for Outstanding Public Service. Dr. Mogford obtained his bachelor’s degree in Zoology from Texas A&M University and doctorate in Medical Physiology from the Texas A&M University Health Science Center, College Station, Texas. His research in vascular physiology continued at the University of Chicago as a Postdoctoral fellow from 1997 until 1998. Dr. Mogford transitioned his research focus to the field of wound healing at Northwestern University, both as a Research Associate and also as a Research Assistant Professor from 1998 until 2003. He then served as a Life Sciences Consultant to DARPA on the Revolutionizing Prosthetics program from December 2003 until June 2005. Dr. Mogford is qualified to serve as a member of the Company’s Board because of his experience and research in regenerative medicine.
Contact Us
Alpine Bank Building. 600 E. Hopkins Ave., #302. Aspen CO 81611
sgorlin@gorlincompanies.com