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Management Team
Akiyoshi Fujiuchii is responsible for efficacy pharmacology and preclinical research in PRISM BioLab. He has about 30 years of deep knowledge and experience in drug discovery, especially in vivo animal experiments, at RaQualia Pharma as well as Pfizer. He nominated development candidates from internal and external collaborative projects as a lead. He received his BS and MS from Kanazawa University.
Akiyoshi Fujiuchii is responsible for efficacy pharmacology and preclinical research in PRISM BioLab. He has about 30 years of deep knowledge and experience in drug discovery, especially in vivo animal experiments, at RaQualia Pharma as well as Pfizer. He nominated development candidates from internal and external collaborative projects as a lead. He received his BS and MS from Kanazawa University.
Michihiro Maeda joined PRISM BioLab as CFO / Corporate Director. After obtaining an Economics degree at Austin College, TX, he took on various Finance responsibilities including M&A / IR / operational turnaround at USEN, CFO at Abbott Japan and Finance lead at Aillis Inc., as well as IPO / Fund raising lead at Promethera Biosciences Japan branch. He also comes with profound general management experiences as general manager and business expansion lead at both large corporations and small startup settings.
Michihiro Maeda joined PRISM BioLab as CFO / Corporate Director. After obtaining an Economics degree at Austin College, TX, he took on various Finance responsibilities including M&A / IR / operational turnaround at USEN, CFO at Abbott Japan and Finance lead at Aillis Inc., as well as IPO / Fund raising lead at Promethera Biosciences Japan branch. He also comes with profound general management experiences as general manager and business expansion lead at both large corporations and small startup settings.
Yohei Matsuda is responsible for medicinal chemistry and technology platform development. Before joining PRISM BioLab, he worked as a medicinal chemist at Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and engaged in drug discovery research in various disease areas and drug discovery technology development. He was involved in many projects as a chemistry leader and contributed to the identification of clinical candidates. He has a wide range of experience from the early to the non-clinical drug discovery stage, bulk synthesis, and API manufacturing method development. He received his Ph.D. degree from Chiba University.
Yohei Matsuda is responsible for medicinal chemistry and technology platform development. Before joining PRISM BioLab, he worked as a medicinal chemist at Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. and engaged in drug discovery research in various disease areas and drug discovery technology development. He was involved in many projects as a chemistry leader and contributed to the identification of clinical candidates. He has a wide range of experience from the early to the non-clinical drug discovery stage, bulk synthesis, and API manufacturing method development. He received his Ph.D. degree from Chiba University.
Yutaka Matsumoto joined PRISM BioLab as Administration Manager. Engaged in general management and IPO preparations as the manager of the management department at PharmaBio Co., Ltd., a drug discovery venture. He graduated from the Faculty of Engineering, Tokyo Polytechnic University.
Yutaka Matsumoto joined PRISM BioLab as Administration Manager. Engaged in general management and IPO preparations as the manager of the management department at PharmaBio Co., Ltd., a drug discovery venture. He graduated from the Faculty of Engineering, Tokyo Polytechnic University.
Takeshi Matsushita is responsible for medicinal chemistry at PRISM BioLab. He started his career as a medicinal chemist at ONO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., where he experienced a wide range of drug discovery programs including GPCRs and kinases, and contributed to the discovery of several clinical candidates with disease areas including CNS. Prior to joining to PRISM in 2023, he had worked at RaQualia, and mainly targeted ion channels. He received his M.S. degree from Kyoto University.
Takeshi Matsushita is responsible for medicinal chemistry at PRISM BioLab. He started his career as a medicinal chemist at ONO Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., where he experienced a wide range of drug discovery programs including GPCRs and kinases, and contributed to the discovery of several clinical candidates with disease areas including CNS. Prior to joining to PRISM in 2023, he had worked at RaQualia, and mainly targeted ion channels. He received his M.S. degree from Kyoto University.
Hiroyuki Ohshiro is responsible for in vitro pharmacology, MOA analysis, and new research projects. He has more than 20 years of experience in drug discovery research. Prior to joining PRISM BioLab, he was at RaQualia Phama and led as biology and manager many discovery projects. Hiroyuki worked at Pfizer R&D Japan, he contributed in many projects including pain and gastrointestinal disease areas. He holds an M.S. from Nagoya City University.
Hiroyuki Ohshiro is responsible for in vitro pharmacology, MOA analysis, and new research projects. He has more than 20 years of experience in drug discovery research. Prior to joining PRISM BioLab, he was at RaQualia Phama and led as biology and manager many discovery projects. Hiroyuki worked at Pfizer R&D Japan, he contributed in many projects including pain and gastrointestinal disease areas. He holds an M.S. from Nagoya City University.
Dr. Hyi-Man Park oversees the research and development initiatives for PRISM BioLab as Head of the Research and Development Department. Prior to joining PRISM BioLab, he was the Head of Biology at RaQualia Pharma Inc., which is a spin-off from the Pfizer Research Center Japan. Before RaQualia, he was at the Novartis Institute for BioMedical Research (NIBR), located in Cambridge, where he worked on initiating/leading novel drug projects in the cardiovascular and oncology area. He led projects from the target identification to preclinical stage. He serves as an Industry Advisor of the SPARK Translational Medicine program of Stanford University, and was a Designated Professor of Nagoya University. He received his undergraduate and PhD degrees from Naogya University and completed his Post-doc at University of Minnesota. His Ph.D. research elucidated transcriptional regulation by steroid hormones.
Dr. Hyi-Man Park oversees the research and development initiatives for PRISM BioLab as Head of the Research and Development Department. Prior to joining PRISM BioLab, he was the Head of Biology at RaQualia Pharma Inc., which is a spin-off from the Pfizer Research Center Japan. Before RaQualia, he was at the Novartis Institute for BioMedical Research (NIBR), located in Cambridge, where he worked on initiating/leading novel drug projects in the cardiovascular and oncology area. He led projects from the target identification to preclinical stage. He serves as an Industry Advisor of the SPARK Translational Medicine program of Stanford University, and was a Designated Professor of Nagoya University. He received his undergraduate and PhD degrees from Naogya University and completed his Post-doc at University of Minnesota. His Ph.D. research elucidated transcriptional regulation by steroid hormones.
Dr. Ivan Plavec serves as a Senior Advisor to PRISM BioLab responsible for alliance management and business development. He has over thirty years of experience in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry and held positions of Chief Business Officer at ImaginAb, Inc., Vice President of Business Development at BioSeek, Inc. and Asterand plc, Vice President of Technology and Alliances at Bioseek, Inc., and Director of Research at Novartis. He was founder and President of Ascellna Life Science Group, a boutique consulting firm advising life science companies with innovative technologies and products on matters of business and technology development. Ivan has personally negotiated complex drug discovery deals, technology-based collaborations, and product and technology licensing deals. He is author on over thirty peer-reviewed publications, has filed numerous patents and has a strong track record of scientific accomplishments and scientific experience in oncology, immuno-oncology, immunology, inflammation, clinical imaging and radiopharmaceuticals, human stem cells, drug discovery, protein-protein interactions, gene therapy and hematological disorders. Ivan holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Zürich, Switzerland.
Dr. Ivan Plavec serves as a Senior Advisor to PRISM BioLab responsible for alliance management and business development. He has over thirty years of experience in biotechnology and pharmaceutical industry and held positions of Chief Business Officer at ImaginAb, Inc., Vice President of Business Development at BioSeek, Inc. and Asterand plc, Vice President of Technology and Alliances at Bioseek, Inc., and Director of Research at Novartis. He was founder and President of Ascellna Life Science Group, a boutique consulting firm advising life science companies with innovative technologies and products on matters of business and technology development. Ivan has personally negotiated complex drug discovery deals, technology-based collaborations, and product and technology licensing deals. He is author on over thirty peer-reviewed publications, has filed numerous patents and has a strong track record of scientific accomplishments and scientific experience in oncology, immuno-oncology, immunology, inflammation, clinical imaging and radiopharmaceuticals, human stem cells, drug discovery, protein-protein interactions, gene therapy and hematological disorders. Ivan holds a Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Zürich, Switzerland.
Dr. Hajime Takashima is responsible for all aspects of chemistry and medicinal chemistry in PRISM BioLab. In addition to managing and promoting pipeline projects and collaboration projects with our partners, he oversees in silico drug design, compound management, and intellectual property management. His specialties are medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry, and computational chemistry. Before joinning in PRISM BioLab, he worked on Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. as a project leader and manager from early drug discovery to compound optimization and preclinical stages. He also has extensive experience in joint research with Japanese and oversea pharmaceutical companies. He received his BS and MS from Kyoyo University, and Ph.D. from Kanazawa University.
Dr. Hajime Takashima is responsible for all aspects of chemistry and medicinal chemistry in PRISM BioLab. In addition to managing and promoting pipeline projects and collaboration projects with our partners, he oversees in silico drug design, compound management, and intellectual property management. His specialties are medicinal chemistry, organic chemistry, and computational chemistry. Before joinning in PRISM BioLab, he worked on Taisho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. as a project leader and manager from early drug discovery to compound optimization and preclinical stages. He also has extensive experience in joint research with Japanese and oversea pharmaceutical companies. He received his BS and MS from Kyoyo University, and Ph.D. from Kanazawa University.
Dai Takehara joined PRISM in 2011 as CFO and succeeded CEO from a founder in 2016. Before joining PRISM BioLab, he was a management member of healthcare related startup companies, ZIOsoft and Advantage Risk Management. He started his career at Recruit Co., Ltd. He received an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, and BS from Kyoto University.
Dai Takehara joined PRISM in 2011 as CFO and succeeded CEO from a founder in 2016. Before joining PRISM BioLab, he was a management member of healthcare related startup companies, ZIOsoft and Advantage Risk Management. He started his career at Recruit Co., Ltd. He received an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management, and BS from Kyoto University.
Dr. Tatsuya Toma is responsible for synthesis and scaffold development as well as medicinal chemistry in PRISM BioLab. Before joining in PRISM BioLab, he had an academic career as an assistant professor at Nagoya University. His research involves total synthesis of complex natural products as well as chemical biology. He received his undergraduate and PhD degrees from the University of Tokyo and completed Post-doc research at Stanford University.
Dr. Tatsuya Toma is responsible for synthesis and scaffold development as well as medicinal chemistry in PRISM BioLab. Before joining in PRISM BioLab, he had an academic career as an assistant professor at Nagoya University. His research involves total synthesis of complex natural products as well as chemical biology. He received his undergraduate and PhD degrees from the University of Tokyo and completed Post-doc research at Stanford University.
Dr. Tomohiro Yoshida is responsible for medicinal chemistry as well as preclinical strategy in PRISM BioLab. He has more than 30 years experience in R&D, including translational research as a project leader/manager at Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp. In 2013, he earned the Breakthrough Award, Division of Medicinal Chemistry, PSJ for the discovery of an antidiabetic drug, Teneligriptin.
He received his BS and MS from Kyoyo Institute of Technology, and Ph.D. from Meiji Pharmaceutical University.
Dr. Tomohiro Yoshida is responsible for medicinal chemistry as well as preclinical strategy in PRISM BioLab. He has more than 30 years experience in R&D, including translational research as a project leader/manager at Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corp. In 2013, he earned the Breakthrough Award, Division of Medicinal Chemistry, PSJ for the discovery of an antidiabetic drug, Teneligriptin.
He received his BS and MS from Kyoyo Institute of Technology, and Ph.D. from Meiji Pharmaceutical University.
Scientific Advisory Board
Dr. Doriano Fabbro is a Senior VP of Cellestia Biotech. He obtained his PhD from the University of Basel and has been a successful leader and drug discoverer with over 30 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Fabbro was the Head of Oncology Drug Discovery and the Kinase Platform at Novartis, and has overseen a significant part of the Novartis global oncology drug discovery portfolio from target discovery to clinical development. Dr. Fabbro was involved in the BCR-ABL project, the first molecular targeted therapy which brought a paradigm-shift in pharmaceuticals with Imatinib, and also initiated/supported the development of Nilotinb, Asciminib, Afinitor, Midostaurin and many other FDA approved anticancer drugs targeting signal transduction inhibitors.
Dr. Doriano Fabbro is a Senior VP of Cellestia Biotech. He obtained his PhD from the University of Basel and has been a successful leader and drug discoverer with over 30 years experience in the pharmaceutical industry. Dr. Fabbro was the Head of Oncology Drug Discovery and the Kinase Platform at Novartis, and has overseen a significant part of the Novartis global oncology drug discovery portfolio from target discovery to clinical development. Dr. Fabbro was involved in the BCR-ABL project, the first molecular targeted therapy which brought a paradigm-shift in pharmaceuticals with Imatinib, and also initiated/supported the development of Nilotinb, Asciminib, Afinitor, Midostaurin and many other FDA approved anticancer drugs targeting signal transduction inhibitors.
Dr. ShiYin Foo brings 20 years of experience as a practicing physician and a catalyst in advancing innovative new programs through the various stages of drug development. She has expertise in a breadth of disease areas, including cardiorenal, immunology/ inflammation and rare diseases, as well as an interest in novel and adaptive clinical trial designs.
Dr. Foo has been in executive roles at Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Cydan Therapeutics, Imara Therapeutics and Tiburio Therapeutics, where she was also and Observer on the Board. She was previously a translational medicine expert at the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, where she was responsible for the establishment and development of multiple novel programs in heart failure and the cardiorenal space, including rare disease indications. She is the founder of Orchard Biomedical Consulting, which serves a variety of biotech and pharma partners in broad disease indications. Dr Foo is the scientific founder and CEO of Arvada Therapeutics, a company working on novel therapeutics in rare arrhythmic diseases.
Dr. Foo received her MD and PhD in Immunology from Stanford University, and a MMSc in Clinical Science from the Clinical Investigator Training Program at Harvard Medical School. She was clinical faculty at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and a dual Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and in Cardiology.
Dr. ShiYin Foo brings 20 years of experience as a practicing physician and a catalyst in advancing innovative new programs through the various stages of drug development. She has expertise in a breadth of disease areas, including cardiorenal, immunology/ inflammation and rare diseases, as well as an interest in novel and adaptive clinical trial designs.
Dr. Foo has been in executive roles at Cardioxyl Pharmaceuticals, Cydan Therapeutics, Imara Therapeutics and Tiburio Therapeutics, where she was also and Observer on the Board. She was previously a translational medicine expert at the Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, where she was responsible for the establishment and development of multiple novel programs in heart failure and the cardiorenal space, including rare disease indications. She is the founder of Orchard Biomedical Consulting, which serves a variety of biotech and pharma partners in broad disease indications. Dr Foo is the scientific founder and CEO of Arvada Therapeutics, a company working on novel therapeutics in rare arrhythmic diseases.
Dr. Foo received her MD and PhD in Immunology from Stanford University, and a MMSc in Clinical Science from the Clinical Investigator Training Program at Harvard Medical School. She was clinical faculty at the Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, and a dual Diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine and in Cardiology.
Graduated as MD in 1970 from Liège University (Belgium), Dr. Guy Heynen is an Internal Medicine specialist with experience in immunology and rheumatology. He has extensive experience in clinical development, trial design, and strategic and translational evaluations. Dr. Heynen joined Pfizer International as International Medical Director in 1982, with assignments in Brussels, New York, and Zurich, then continued as Regional Medical Monitor in Europe from 2011 to 2014.
Graduated as MD in 1970 from Liège University (Belgium), Dr. Guy Heynen is an Internal Medicine specialist with experience in immunology and rheumatology. He has extensive experience in clinical development, trial design, and strategic and translational evaluations. Dr. Heynen joined Pfizer International as International Medical Director in 1982, with assignments in Brussels, New York, and Zurich, then continued as Regional Medical Monitor in Europe from 2011 to 2014.
Dr. Hiroshi Nagabukuro is the Co-Founder and CEO of both ARTham Therapeutics and JURO SCIENCES. ARTham was recently acquired by Kaken Pharmaceutical for $100M, and JURO was founded as a spin-out of ARTham. He has extensive drug discovery experience for over 25 years across multiple therapeutic areas. Before ARTham, Dr. Nagabukuro was a senior director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Takeda, where he was heading the Entrepreneurship Venture Program and contributed launches of 9 different pharma startups out of the program. Before that, he was Research Fellow at Merck Research Laboratories, where he led multiple target identification/validation and optimization programs and significantly contributed to the adrenergic b3 program, which resulted in the approval of vibegron for overactive bladder indication. Dr. Nagabukuro also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Oita University Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics and a visiting fellow at Yokohama City University, School of Medicine. He received his PhD from the University of Tokyo.
Dr. Hiroshi Nagabukuro is the Co-Founder and CEO of both ARTham Therapeutics and JURO SCIENCES. ARTham was recently acquired by Kaken Pharmaceutical for $100M, and JURO was founded as a spin-out of ARTham. He has extensive drug discovery experience for over 25 years across multiple therapeutic areas. Before ARTham, Dr. Nagabukuro was a senior director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Takeda, where he was heading the Entrepreneurship Venture Program and contributed launches of 9 different pharma startups out of the program. Before that, he was Research Fellow at Merck Research Laboratories, where he led multiple target identification/validation and optimization programs and significantly contributed to the adrenergic b3 program, which resulted in the approval of vibegron for overactive bladder indication. Dr. Nagabukuro also serves as an Adjunct Professor at Oita University Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics and a visiting fellow at Yokohama City University, School of Medicine. He received his PhD from the University of Tokyo.
Dr. Dean Rigel is a senior drug discovery scientist, in vivo pharmacologist/physiologist, and bioengineer with over 30 years of pharmaceutical and instrumentation/device experience. He obtained a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University, joined Novartis and made significant contributions to enable 11 compounds to enter human clinical trials; some, including LCZ696/Entresto® and LCI699/Isturisa®, reached market.
Dr. Dean Rigel is a senior drug discovery scientist, in vivo pharmacologist/physiologist, and bioengineer with over 30 years of pharmaceutical and instrumentation/device experience. He obtained a PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Case Western Reserve University, joined Novartis and made significant contributions to enable 11 compounds to enter human clinical trials; some, including LCZ696/Entresto® and LCI699/Isturisa®, reached market.