BioLife Solutions, Inc. today announced two new additions to its Scientific Advisory Board.
The new members are Jason Acker, PhD, and Anthony Davies, PhD. Acker is a Senior Development Scientist with the Canadian Blood Services and a Professor in the Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. He received his Bachelor of Science, Master of Science in Experimental Pathology and PhD in Medical Sciences degrees from the University of Alberta. Acker was a Canadian Institutes of Health Research Post-Doctoral Fellow at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School. He completed his Master of Business Administration in Technology Commercialization program at the Alberta School of Business at the University of Alberta in 2009.
Focusing his research on understanding the biological response of cells to freezing and freeze-drying has allowed Acker to develop a solid foundation from which he has contributed to the design of new methods for the long-term storage of a number of cell types and tissues. Acker has received recognition for his work on low temperature cellular injury, cryopreservation and mammalian cell desiccation. Acker is the President-Elect of the Society for Cryobiology.
Davies is President of Dark Horse Consulting, a boutique practice focused on CMC and product development issues in cell and gene therapy. After training as a biochemist, chemical engineer and molecular biologist, Davies has worked in the cell and gene therapy field for some 20 years. He brings with him an extensive track record in manufacturing, operational management and commercial development, most recently as Chief Technology Officer for Capricor, Inc. and Vice President, Product Development for Geron Corporation’s cell therapy programs.
Davies received a masters in Biochemistry from the University of Cambridge and a PhD from the University of Birmingham. He conducted postdoctoral research at the Institute of Virology at Oxford and the University of California, San Francisco.
