Robert Lewis, M.D., Ph.D.

“I share the unique patient-oriented vision of helping those who suffer from difficult-to-treat diseases, and I am therefore fully supportive of SymBio's endeavor.”

• Former Senior Vice-President of US R&D, Aventis Pharmaceuticals; Chief Scientific Officer, Cell Therapeutics; Head of Discovery Research, Syntex Pharmaceuticals; Associate Professor, Harvard Medical School
• Currently serves as consultant in Immunology/Inflammation, Roche Palo Alto; Adjunct Faculty Member, Rockefeller University, New York

After serving as a physician in the US Air Force, Dr. Lewis returned to academia as Associate Professor at Harvard University Medical School, and was involved in research on mast cells and fatty acids for over 10 years. In 1986, he joined Syntex Corporation as Director of Basic Research and was subsequently promoted to Head of Discovery Research. In 1995, after the acquisition of Syntex, he moved to Cell Therapeutics as Chief Scientific Officer (CSO). During this period, he also studied gene expression during T-cell subtype differentiation. In 2000 Dr. Lewis joined Aventis Pharmaceuticals, and, as head of the research department, launched an immunology research program.

Tomomitsu Hotta, M.D.

“SymBio's vision which thrives on new challenges, I believe, will help to advance pharmaceutical innovation and make medicine become more viable and progressive.”

• Chairman, Foundation for Promotion of Cancer Research
• Honorary President, National Cancer Center
• Honorary Director, NHO Nagoya Medical Center

Dr. Hotta served as the President and Chief Director of National Cancer Center for four years from 2012. Between 2006-2012, Dr. Hotta served as President of Nagoya Medical Center. Prior to moving to Nagoya Medical Center, Dr. Hotta served as Dean of the School of Medicine at Tokai University from 2002, where he also held the position of Director of the Regenerative Medical Center, serving conjointly as Director of the General Medical Research Institute since 2004. He has taken on various roles including Chairman of the third annual meeting of the Japanese Society of Medical Oncology, member of the board of directors of the Japanese Society of Hematology and representative of the lymphoma study group of JCOG (Japan Clinical Oncology Group) between 1999-2005.

Makoto Ogawa, M.D., Ph.D.

“Drug development for rare cancers is difficult. SymBio supports contributions to new drug development in these challenging fields.”

• Honorary President, Aichi Cancer Center

While working at the Aichi Cancer Center (Department of Internal Medicine), Dr. Ogawa studied at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in the US , and was subsequently promoted to Medical Director in 1968. In 1977, he moved to the Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research where he became Director of the Cancer Chemotherapy Center Clinical Department. He served concurrently as Assistant Director (later Director) of the Chemotherapy Department in the affiliated Cancer Institute Hospital , followed by promotion to Vice Director in 1991. In 1992, he returned to the Aichi Cancer Center , where he served in several positions, including Hospital Director and President. From 1980 to 2002, he was Coordinator of the US-Japan Joint Cancer Research Cooperative Project sponsored by the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science.

Tatsutoshi Nakahata, M.D., Ph.D.

“We support the philosophy of "Delivering Hope to Patients in Need." We would like to co-develop new treatment methods for orphan illnesses which other larger pharmaceutical companies choose not to get involved with.”

• Emeritus Professor, Kyoto University
• Board Member, Central Institute for Experimental Animals

During the course of working in the Department of Pediatrics at Shinshu University School of Medicine, Dr. Nakahata studied abroad at the Medical University of South Carolina's Department of Hematology (Internal Medicine). In 1991, he was subsequently appointed to the position of Associate Professor at Shinshu University . In 1993, he moved to the Institute of Medical Science at the University of Tokyo as Professor of the Cancer Pathology Research Department. He then served concurrently in a number of roles, including Director of the Tokyo University Hospital Blood Transfusion Department, as well as the Department of Pediatric Cell Transplantation.
In 2003 he moved to Kyoto University as Professor of the Department of Pediatrics.
In 2010 he was appointed as Deputy Director and Professor of Center for iPS Cell Research and Application (CiRA), Kyoto University.
He has also served as President of the Japan Society for Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation and the Japanese Society of Pediatric Hematology, and has served on the Board of Directors for numerous organizations, including the Japan Pediatric Society; the Japanese Society of Inflammation and Regeneration; the Japanese Society of Hematology; the Japanese Society for Regenerative Medicine; the Japan Society of Obstetrical, Gynecological and Neonatal Hematology; the Japanese Society for Tissue Engineering; and the Japanese Society for Autologous Blood Transfusions. President, The 71st Annual Meeting of The Japanese Society of Hematology. Present position from 2022.

Toshio Suda, M.D., Ph.D.

“In a world where market principles are entrenched, the philosophy of adhering to medical basics in addressing the suffering of patients resonates with us all, and I sincerely wish to help.”

• Professor, International Research Center for Medical Sciences, Kumamoto University
• Professor, Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore

While working at Kanagawa Children's Medical Center and Jichi Medical School , Dr. Suda accepted an opportunity to study abroad at the Internal Medicine Department of the Medical University of South Carolina in the US . In 1984, he became a lecturer at Jichi Medical School (Department of Hematology Research Facility, Hematopoietic Generation), followed by the position of Assistant Professor in 1991. Since 1992, he has served as P rofessor at Kumamoto University School of Medicine, the Genetic and Developmental Medical Facility , and at the Cell Differentiation Department. Since 2000, he has served as Head of the Institute of Molecular Embryology and Genetics, and as Professor at the Department of Organogenesis, Cell Differentiation Sector. Since 2002, he has served as Professor at the Sakaguchi Laboratory, Developmental Biology, Keio University School of Medicine. Dr. Suda is now serving as Professor of Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, and as Distinguished professor of International Research Center for Medical Sciences (IRCMS), Kumamoto University.
He received the Baelz Award in 1991 and 2004 respectively, and is currently a member of the Expert Committee for the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED), and for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT). He sits on the editorial board of Blood ( J of Exp Med ). President, The 70th Annual Meeting of The Japanese Society of Hematology.

Tsutomu Takeuchi, M.D., Ph.D.

“SymBio is a unique drug discovery firm originating from creative collaboration. We anticipate incredible results that will truly address the needs of patients.”

• Emeritus Professor, Keio University
• President, Saitama Medical University

While working at Keio University Hospital as a physician, Dr. Takeuchi continued to conduct research at Keio University School of Medicine. During this period, he also spent time abroad to stud y at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in the U.S., and in 1986, accepted a position as Associate Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, Saitama Medical School. Prior to being promoted to Vice-Dean in 2004, he also served as Associate Professor and Professor at Saitama Medical School from 1989 and 1998 respectively. In 2009 Dr. Takeuchi was appointed Professor at Keio University, School of Medicine and appointed President of Keio University Hospital in 2013. Dr. Takeuchi was appointed Vice President at Saitama Medical School in 2022. Present position from 2023.

Toshio Heike, M.D., Ph.D.

"The SymBio vision of teamwork and establishing a symbiotic relationship between physicians, scientists, regulatory agencies, investors and patients resonates strongly within me. We're working to establish therapeutic alternatives for patients who are currently suffering from rare or therapeutically-challenging diseases."

• Emeritus Professor, Kyoto University
• Director of Hyogo Prefectural Amagasaki General Medical Center

In 1995, after working at Kyoto University Hospital and DNAX Research Inc. based in the US, Dr. Heike was appointed Visiting Associate Professor at the University of Tokyo, Institute of Medical Science (Division of Stem Cell Regulation). In 2000, he became Associate Professor at Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine (Developmental Medicine, Pediatrics). In 2010, he became Professor at Kyoto University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Developmental Medicine,Pediatrics) where he worked on the treatment and research of immunoallergic blood diseases. After being involved in the transplantation of hematopoietic stem cells for the treatment of congenital immune deficiency, he began to conduct research in stem cell science, focusing primarily on hemocyte signaling and hematopoietic cells. Dr. Heike currently sits on the board of the Japan Pediatric Society, the Japanese Society of Inflammation and Regeneration, and the Japanese Society of Pediatric Allergy and Clinical Immunology. Current position since 2017.

Koichi Takahashi, MD., Ph.D.

"I offer an unreserved support to the mission of SymBio which aims to help patients suffering from rare diseases through innovative drug development"

• Associate Professor, Department of Leukemia, Division of Cancer Medicine, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center

Dr. Takahashi graduated Niigata University School of Medicine in 2006 followed by internal medicine residency at Toranomon Hospital, Tokyo. He then moved to United States and completed medicine residency at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York as well as hematology and oncology fellowship at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He is board certified in internal medicine, hematology and medical oncology. Dr. Takahashi currently works as a staff physician at MD Anderson Cancer Center which is a leading institute for cancer treatment and research. He facilitates personalized medicine through genomic analysis of leukemia. His research also focuses on the detection of pre-leukemic clonal hematopoiesis with an ultimate goal to develop a strategy to prevent leukemia.