Kinexus Bioinformatics has appointed Justin Stephenson and Joel Bellenson to its board of directors. Stephenson is the founder and president of Galiano Ventures, a Vancouver-based venture capital firm specializing in the life sciences industries. Prior to founding Galiano Ventures in 2004, he was managing partner of the life sciences fund for RBC Capital Partners. Bellenson is currently the president and CEO of Upstream Biosciences, a Vancouver-based company developing software for modeling cell systems, protein signaling, and gene regulatory pathways. Bellenson was the co-founder and CEO of DigiScents and the co-founder, CEO, chief strategist, and director of DoubleTwist.
Stephen Wilson has joined Luna Innovations as the company’s executive vice president for the newly-formed Nanomaterials Division in Danville, Va. Wilson is a leading fullerene and nanotube chemist. Before joining Luna, he was a founder and chief scientific officer with the Houston-based bio-nanotechnology company C Sixty Inc. Wilson is also a former professor of chemistry at New York University and a former visiting professor at Rice University, where he worked with Nobel Laureate Richard Smalley. Wilson is noted for his work in novel drug discovery, new synthetic methods, computer-aided design, and electrospray mass spectrometry.
Sigma-Aldrich announced last week that Jai Nagarkatti, president of the company’s scientific research business unit, has been elected president and chief operating officer. He replaces David Harvey, who will continue as chairman of the board and chief executive officer. Three business units - scientific research, biotechnology, and fine chemicals - will now report to Nagarkatti.