Team

Dr. Jeremy B. Desai PhD, MBA

Chief Executive Officer, Director

Dr. Desai is the Chief Executive Officer of MRI. He was previously the CEO of Apotex Canada. He is an accomplished pharmaceutical veteran, with over 35 years of knowledge and experience. Extensive experience in product development, regulatory affairs, business development, manufacturing, quality and compliance. Worked across multiple geographies and known for driving change through the successful implementation of business transformation projects and culture.

Dr. Nikopoulos is the President of MRI. He has worked with and advised a number of biotechnology, pharmaceutical and med-tech companies in addressing their pre-market, start-up and early stage commercialization programs. Dr. Nikopoulos’ expertise includes translating complex technologies and innovations into strategies for commercialization, market research, and business development as well as pre-clinical toxicology study design, and research and development.

Dr. Susan E. Quaggin, MD

Founder and former CSO

Dr. Quaggin is the founding CSO of MRI. Dr. Quaggin has served as an elected councilor of the American Society for Clinical Investigation (ASCI), is a member of the ISN executive Council and was elected to the American Association of Physicians (AAP) in 2013. She received the Kidney Foundation of Canada 2009 Award for Research, a Finnish Distinguished Professorship in 2012 and the Alfred Newton Richards Award for Basic Science from the International Society of Nephrology in 2013. In addition, Dr. Quaggin sits on the editorial boards of several journals, and has organized a number of international renal and vascular meetings.

In January 2013, Quaggin joined Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine as the Charles Horace Mayo Professor of Medicine, where she serves as the Chief of Medicine.

Quaggin’s research program focuses on genetic pathways required to establish and maintain the integrity of microvascular beds including the glomerular filtration barrier – a highly selective filter that separates the blood from the urinary space. To understand the pathways and interactions between perivascular cells and the endothelium, her research team has developed a number of genetic models that permit cell and time-specific manipulation of gene expression.

Christopher A. Smith

Founder, and Chairman, BoD

Mr. Smith is a founder of MRI and Chairman of the Board of Directors. He is a successful and experienced entrepreneur, with a wide range of experience with the initial execution of business concepts. Christopher, among other accomplishments, was the former founder and President of Chippery, a fresh snack food concept. More recently, he was a founding consultant to Bionik Laboratories in Toronto, a company which specializes in advanced exoskeleton development and human mechanical developments.