Regenerative Therapy

Avi Treves PhD 

Main Expertise:

•  Cell therapies and technologies
• Cancer immunotherapy
• Translational research in stem cells and regenerative medicine

Currently the Deputy Director of the Cancer Research Center at the Sheba Medical Center, Israel. Operating the Ella Institute for Treatment and Research of Melanoma, the Family Cord Blood Bank and Bio Regenerate Inc, a start up company developing adult stem cells technologies and storage services.

 Leading research and development programs for medical applications of adult stem cells from various sources such as peripheral blood, bone marrow and cord blood. Program goals are to treat degenerative diseases such as cardiovascular ischemia, diabetic leg and retinal diseases.

 Co-investigator in the adoptive immunotherapy program of melanoma, – a cell based therapy program in its clinical phase. Operating a GTP laboratory for cell therapies.  Development and production of cell based products in good tissue culture practice (GTP) facility.

 Expert in translational research, regulation and developing cell based technologies, products and their clinical applications. Adviser and scientific board member for biotech companies. Co-author of more than 95 scientific publications and 10 patents.

 Previously, the founder and CEO of Gamida Cell Ltd.; CEO of Hadasit Ltd., the tech transfer company of the Hadassah Medical Center; Head of the R&D Division of the Hadassah Medical Center and adviser for biotech companies.

PhD from the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel; Post doc at Stanford University Medical School, CA USA.

 Contact: avi.treves@gmail.com                                   October 2010

 Avi Treves PhD         Publications

September 2010

Scientific contributors 

Ora Burger PhD

Dr.  Burger works in Medgenics Medical Ltd as the Manager of product development and clinical affairs. Her responsibilities include coordination between all parts of the clinical study: the PI, the study coordinator, the study monitor and the physicians in the referral centers all over the country.

Previously Dr. Burger worked in Diagnostic Technologies LTD (DTL) as the director of clinical trials in Israel and in part time as the QC manager. She worked in DTL also at 2001-2003 as the director of product development, when DTL’s main product, an ELISA based kit for early diagnose pregnancy complications, was in its very first development stages.  

During 2003-2007 Dr. Burger was the head of R&D in Pluristem Therapeutics, specialized in the development of a cell therapy based drug for curing blood cancer and limb ischemia diseases. This drug is composed of human placenta derived supportive cells (Mesenchymal Stromal/stem Cells), which were grown as a 3D-culture in a bioreactor.

October 2010

Abner Mhashilkar, Ph.D

  Abner Mhashilkar, Ph.D., is an independent consultant and entrepreneur working towards R&D and BD facilitation in the Regenerative medicine and adult Stem cell arenas.

 Dr. Mhashilkar’s focused directives have been to synergize efforts and activities between groups in US, Israel, India and China. He was the former employee at Toucan Capital Corporation, a Venture Capital Fund based in Bethesda, Maryland.

Dr. Mhashilkar was born in Bombay and received his Masters in Science from Bombay University in Medical Microbiology and worked at JJ Hospitals as a full time Mycologist.

He received his second Masters of Science in Biochemistry from Weizmann Institute of Sciences in Rehovot, Israel, under the expert mentorship of Prof. Nathan Sharon.

 Dr. Mhashilkar received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, under the supervision of Prof T.Vishwanatha.

 Dr. Mhashilkar has 20 years of Biotech/Biomedical R&D/BD experience encompassing areas of Stem cell technologies and therapeutics, Oncology, Tumor suppressor genes and gene therapy, Immunotherapy and Antibody engineering, HIV Virology and Biochemistry.

 Dr. Mhashilkar currently resides in Rockville, Maryland, with his wife and 16 year old son.

Keren Shternhall-Ron, Ph.D

Dr. Keren Shternhall-Ron has more than 8 years of experience in the field of Stem Cells and Regenerative Medicine. Her specific expertise is in cell replacement therapy for Diabetes.

Dr. Shternhall-Ron served as Head of Pre-Clinical Experiments at the Regenerative Medicine Stem Cell and Tissue Engineering Center at Sheba Medical Center at Prof Sarah Ferber Laboratory. She gained wide experience in Biochemical and Molecular Biology techniques.

Currently Dr. Shternall-Ron served as scientific writer and lecturer.

Dr. Shternhall-Ron completed her Ph.D. in Molecular cell Biology and Gene Therapy at Bar-Ilan University. She also holds a B.Sc. in Biology and MSc in Biotechnology and Biochemistry from Bar-Ilan University. In addition, Dr. Shternhall-Ron holds MBA degree in Business Management and Marketing.