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Christian Marínis CEO of Speratum Cancer Therapeutics. Christian has worked in the field of cancertherapeutics for almost a decade, with a specific focus on the use of RNA interference technology. Christian’s work is based on the development of nanotechnology-based delivery of microRNA (miRNA) therapeutics against solid tumors. Christian discovered and patented a therapeutic miRNA treatment that can control a network of biomarkers responsible for aggressive growth and metastasis in pancreatic cancer, and has the potential to completely eliminate tumors both alone and in combination with existing modalities. In addition to his focus on research, he has also been heavily involved in the biotech industry ecosystem. Christian has co-founded three biotechnology related companies, and has worked as a consultant to multiple start-up and governmental organizations worldwide. Christian’s work has contributed to the advancement of projects ranging from medical devices to HIV vaccine development. He made Costa Rica his base of operations two years ago, with the goal in mind of using the unique opportunity presented by his technology to help foster biotechnology development in the country. Christian led the construction of a state-of-the-art pre- clinical research facility (first of its kind in Central America), and coordinated the very first inter-institutional contracts between the National Center for Technology and private enterprise to promote collaboration in research. Christian currently serves on the Scientific Ethics Committee of the Ministry of Science, where he’s helping to craft the governing laws and protocols that will allow for Phase I Clinical Studies to be conducted in the country for the first time in almost a decade. He is also co-investigator in a medical device clinical trial with the NIH soon to be launched in the country, and is also acting spokesperson for the CR Biomed Biotechnology Cluster, an initiative to foster collaboration between academia, industry, and government. Christian has a Ph.D. in Molecular Virology and Microbiology from Baylor College of Medicine, an MS in Biotechnology Entrepreneurship from Case Western Reserve University and an MS in Molecular Biology from the Florida Institute of Technology. Christian is a Fellow of the 12th class of the Central American Leadership Initiative and a member of the Aspen Global Leadership Network.
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