Cynthia C. Bamdad PhD

Dr. Cynthia C. Bamdad, Ph.D. founded Minerva Biotechnologies Corp. in 1999 and serves as its Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. Dr. Bamdad served as Chief Scientific Officer of Minerva Biotechnologies Corp. Dr. Bamdad invented the first electronic DNA chip and the first universal protein chip. Intellectual property surrounding these inventions and extensions thereof, also developed by Dr. Bamdad formed the cornerstone of a California startup company, which was sold within two years to Motorola for $300 million. Dr. Bamdad is the sole or co-inventor inventor of over 100 patent applications in the United States and foreign jurisdictions for novel technologies, therapeutics and diagnostics. Dr. Bamdad is a recognized leader in the field of nanotechnology, having invented the first method to form biochip surfaces on nanoparticles and methods to use those particles in biomedical testing and drug discovery. He served as a Director of Pharmacyclics Inc. from October 2008 to December 9, 2009. Dr. Bamdad holds a B.S. in Physics from Northeastern University and a Ph.D. in Biophysics from Harvard University and also earned a Ph.D. from Harvard.