Zhuo-Hua Pan, PhD
Scientific Advisor
Dr. Zhuo-Hua Pan received his B.S. degree from the University of Science and Technology of China, his M.S. degree from the Institute of Biophysics of Chinese Academic of Science, and his Ph.D. in biophysics from the State University of New York at Buffalo. He worked as an instructor and then an assistant professor at Harvard Medical School from 1991-1999. He joined the Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology at Wayne State University School of Medicine in 1999. He is currently Scientific Director of the Ligon Research Center of Vision and the Edward T. and Ellen K. Dryer Endowed Professor in Vision and Blindness Research for the WSU Department of Ophthalmology and Kresge Eye Institute.
Dr. Pan’s research focuses on the basic mechanisms of visual information processing by the retina and the development of optogenetic approaches to restoring vision to the blind. His research has been funded by NIH since 1996. His work has been published in many high-prestige journals, including in Nature, Neuron, PNAS, and Journal of Neuroscience, among others. His recent groundbreaking work on using channelrhodopsins to restore retinal light sensitivity to blind mice has been widely reported by the scientific community and news media, such as NIH press release, Research Highlights in Nature, Daily News in Science, New Scientist, and New York Times. He is the recipient of many awards, including Faculty Research Excellence Award at WSU School of Medicine, WSU Board of Governors Faculty Recognition Award, and Hope for Vision Visionary Award.
George A. Williams, MD
Scientific Advisor
George A. Williams, MD is Chair, Department of Ophthalmology, Director of the Beaumont Eye Institute and Vice Chief of Surgical Services for Academic Affairs at William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak, Michigan. He is Professor and Chair of Ophthalmology, Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine and a partner with Associated Retinal Consultants. He is on the faculty of the European School for Advanced Studies in Ophthalmology in Lugano, Switzerland.
A graduate of Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, he completed his residency in ophthalmology and his fellowship in vitreoretinal surgery at the Eye Institute of the Medical College of Wisconsin.
Dr. Williams has published over 200 articles and book chapters in the field of vitreoretinal surgery. He has participated as principal investigator or co-investigator in over 20 clinical trials. He is on the Board of Trustees of The American Academy of Ophthalmology. He is a recipient of the Special Recognition Award, the Secretariat Award and the Senior Achievement Award of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He is past chair of the Retina Ophthalmic Technology Assessment Committee and a member of the Health Policy Committee of the American Academy of Ophthalmology. He represents the American Academy of Ophthalmology as a member of the Relative Value Update Committee of the American Medical Association. He is past president of the American Society of Retinal Specialists and the Michigan Society of Eye Physicians and Surgeons.
He serves on the editorial board of the journals, Retina, Retinal Physician, Retinal Cases and Brief Reports and Current Opinion in Ophthalmology. Dr. Williams is an associate examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology and a member of The Retina Society, The Macula Society, the American Society of Retina Specialists, the Association of University Professors in Ophthalmology and the Club Jules Gonin.
George Lasezkay, PharmD, JD
Business Advisor
Dr. Lasezkay is the president of Horizon Pharma Group, a consultancy practice that advises life sciences companies on strategy and business development. Formerly, he was Corporate Vice President of Corporate Development and Assistant General Counsel for Allergan, Inc., a global pharmaceutical and medical aesthetics company. In these positions, he was responsible for corporate strategy as well as licensing, R&D collaboration and acquisition transactions involving both products and companies. While at Allergan, he was instrumental in establishing the Allergan Ligand Retinoid Therapeutics joint venture that was subsequently awarded the Recombinant Capital Breakthrough Biotechnology Alliance award in 1997. He also has extensive experience in hospital pharmacy practice, clinical pharmacokinetics consultation, clinical drug research, and pharmacy education.
Dr. Lasezkay earned BS Pharmacy and Doctor of Pharmacy degrees from the State University of New York at Buffalo and a JD degree from the University of Southern California Law Center. He has served as a director of a number of domestic and foreign biotechnology and emerging pharmaceutical companies, both public and private.
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Terry Cross
Business Advisor
After graduating from Wayne State University in 1966 with an MBA in Finance, Terry began his career with an 8-year stint in the machine tool industry. In 1968 he co-founded CP Systems Company and sold it in 1972 to a NYSE listed company for more than $ 10.0 million. In 2005 he was named The Distinguished Alumni of Wayne’s Business School.
From 1972 until 1998, Terry worked for Kidder, Peabody and its successor, PaineWebber Inc. first as a stockbroker and then in the investment banking area focusing on business generation. During his tenure, he worked in Detroit, New York City and for the last nine years in San Francisco covering companies and venture capitalists in Silicon Valley. In 1998 he left Paine Webber and co-founded Sonoma Photonics where he led a $ 14.0 million venture financing and successful launch of the company. He served as Chairman and CEO until returning to Michigan in 2002. Sonoma Photonics was sold to Lockheed-Martin in 2008 for a significant return.
Terry has served as director of 12 companies as well as Chairman of 3 companies. Over forty years he has invested 44 venture deals including the following that became publicly traded: Novell, DSC Communications, Napster, PayPal, Inkotomi, Warehouse Club and he was an angel round investor in Google. Terry also served for three years on the Laboratory for Manufacturing and Productivity at MIT and helped launch three companies from MIT’s Tech Transfer Department.
Since returning to Michigan, he founded Windward Associates, a capital formation advisory, to assist young companies in connecting and growing in the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Michigan. He is currently Interim CFO of InfoReady Corporation of Ann Arbor, MI. He is a founding member of The Michigan Venture Capital Association and has served on many economic development committees and judging panels . He was most recently appointed to the Board of The Detroit Chapter of The American Technion Society, a benefactor of The Technion in Haifa, Israel. Terry is on the investment committee of The First Step Fund and administers the Adams Family Entrepreneurial Fellowship for The Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan.
