Dr. Adnan H. Siddiqui, is Chief Executive Officer & Chief Medical Officer of the Jacobs Institute (JI). His goal is to improve the JI’s current offerings and translate technologies being developed in the Institute’s i2R, or idea to Reality Center, into therapeutic and commercial successes.

Dr. Siddiqui is also vice-chairman and professor of neurosurgery at the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB) Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences. He is the director of neuroendovascular research and stroke service at Kaleida Health’s Gates Vascular Institute (GVI), and director of the UB Canon Stroke & Vascular Research Center (CSVRC). He is also a practicing surgeon with the University at Buffalo Neurosurgery (UBNS) which is part of of UBMD Physicians’ Group, a clinical practice where he sees and treats patients.

He completed fellowship training in interventional neuroradiology, cerebrovascular surgery, and neurocritical care from Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. He completed his neurosurgical residency at Upstate Medical University and received his PhD in neuroscience from the University of Rochester and medical degree from Aga Khan University in Pakistan. He is a fellow of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS), American College of Surgeons (ACS), and American Heart Association (AHA), and member of the Society of Neurological Surgeons (Senior Society) and Academy of Neurological Surgeons (the Academy).

Dr. Siddiqui has over 450 peer reviewed publications, more than 50 chapters, almost 70,000 citations and an H index of 72. He is particularly proud of representing Buffalo and the US at most major cerebrovascular conferences around the world with over 200 international presentations to date. He has designed, conducted, and lead multiple major national and international clinical trials and currently serves as national and international principal investigator (PI) for multiple major funded multi-site trials. These efforts have significantly contributed to the success of the department, which was ranked 7th in academic impact in North America by the Journal of Neurosurgery.

He also serves as director of the Canon Stroke and Vascular Research Center (CSVRC) at UB. This multi-disciplinary center, with multiple concurrent major National Institute of Health (NIH) grants, houses neurosurgeons, neuroscientists, physicists and biomedical engineers working collaboratively on cutting edge research focused on neurovascular biology and pathology including stroke and aneurysms, imaging, simulation, and hemodynamics. He is the Fellowship Director for Buffalo’s prestigious Neuroendovascular Program. In addition, he serves as the director of the Neurosurgical Stroke Service at the GVI, one of the busiest Comprehensive Stroke Services in New York State and the US.

Dr. Siddiqui has continuously served on multiple scientific and educational committees of AANS, Congress of Neurological Surgeons (CNS) and Society of NeuroInterventional Surgery (SNIS). He is the chairman of the Joint Section of Cerebrovascular Surgery of the AANS and CNS and secretary for the SNIS. It has been a major focus for him to achieve consensus between the various organizations involved in fellowship training and credentialing for Neuroendovascular Surgery. He was a founding member of the Neuroendovascular Surgery Advisory Committee (NESAC) for Society of Neurological Surgery’s Committee for Advanced Sub-Specialty Training (CAST) and currently is a member of the American Board of Neurological Surgery’s (ABNS) Central Nervous System Endovascular Surgery Advisory Committee (CESAC). This has been an extremely important role, which is profoundly affecting the training and education pathways of neuroendovascular specialists.

He serves as a neurosurgeon director on the executive committee of the SNIS Patient Safety Organization which runs the NVQI-QOD Quality Outcomes Registry. He was nominated as a co-chair for the Devices for Acute Ischemic Stroke Intervention (DAISI) a Coordinated Registry network run collaboratively by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and NIH with partnership with physician societies and industry. He is committed to this singular opportunity to unify the multi-specialty neuroendovascular surgery field to develop robust prospective quality outcomes databases to shepherd the next generation of evidence-based practice. Recently, he has assumed the role of co-chair of the Neurological Devices Working group for the Medical Device Industry Consortium (MDIC), a not-for-profit group consisting of FDA, CMS, and industry partners dedicated to resuming Early Feasibility Studies (EFS) also known as First in Human studies in the US.

Dr. Siddiqui has special interest and expertise in the performance of complementary microsurgical, radiosurgical, and endovascular techniques for the comprehensive management of cerebrovascular conditions. This spectrum of disease includes aneurysms and arteriovenous malformations, as well as dural, cavernous, and spinal fistulae. He has special interests in endovascular management of acute ischemic stroke, as well as endovascular and microsurgical management of extracranial and intracranial vascular occlusive disease. Other clinical interests include endovascular management of intractable epistaxis, facial vascular malformations, head, neck, and brain tumor embolization, and microsurgical resection of skull base tumors. He is profoundly indebted to his mentors Nick Hopkins, Robert Rosenwasser, Charles Hodge, and Shirley Joseph in shaping his career as a dual-trained cerebrovascular surgeon, clinician scientist and entrepreneur.

All these efforts as a microsurgeon, endovascular surgeon, scientist, and trialist, have allowed Dr. Siddiqui to gain unique insights into a critical and rapidly evolving specialty. At the same time, these endeavors have required significant collaborations resulting in strong and trusting relationships with fellow neurosurgeons, neurologists, neuroradiologists, scientists, engineers, regulatory officers, and industry.

Dr. Siddiqui is married and has three children. He is a proud Buffalonian who is challenged and invigorated by taking care of neurosurgical patients and their families. He is most gratified by his pedagogical responsibilities, which allow him the opportunity to teach medical students, residents, and fellows. He is grateful for the opportunity to work at UB’s Department of Neurosurgery, CSVRC, GVI, and JI facilities, with some of the world’s best technologies and greatest vascular specialists, researchers, and biomedical engineers who are collaborating to advance the care of vascular diseases.

Conflicts & Disclosures

Current Research Grants:

Co-investigator for NIH – 1R01EB030092-01, Project Title: High Speed Angiography at 1000 frames per second; Mentor for Brain Aneurysm Foundation Carol W. Harvey Chair of Research, Sharon Epperson Chair of Research, Project Title: A Whole Blood RNA Diagnostic for Unruptured Brain Aneurysm: Risk Assessment Prototype Development and Testing

Financial Interest/Investor/Stock Options/Ownership:

Adona Medical, Inc., Amnis Therapeutics, Bend IT Technologies, Ltd., BlinkTBI, Inc, Buffalo Technology Partners, Inc., Cardinal Consultants, LLC, Cerebrotech Medical Systems, Inc, Cerevatech Medical, Inc., Cognition Medical, CVAID Ltd., Endostream Medical, Ltd, Imperative Care, Inc., Instylla, Inc., International Medical Distribution Partners, Launch NY, Inc., NeuroRadial Technologies, Inc., Neurotechnology Investors, Neurovascular Diagnostics, Inc., PerFlow Medical, Ltd., Q’Apel Medical, Inc.,  QAS.ai, Inc., Radical Catheter Technologies, Inc., Rebound Therapeutics Corp. (Purchased 2019 by Integra Lifesciences, Corp), Rist Neurovascular, Inc. (Purchased 2020 by Medtronic), Sense Diagnostics, Inc., Serenity Medical, Inc., Silk Road Medical, Spinnaker Medical, Inc., StimMed, LLC, Synchron, Inc., Three Rivers Medical, Inc., Truvic Medical, Inc., Vastrax, LLC, VICIS, Inc., Viseon, Inc.

Consultant/Advisory Board:

Amnis Therapeutics, Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Boston Scientific, Canon Medical Systems USA, Inc., Cardinal Health 200, LLC, Cerebrotech Medical Systems, Inc., Cerenovus, Cerevatech Medical, Inc., Cordis, Corindus, Inc., Endostream Medical, Ltd, Imperative Care, Integra, IRRAS AB, Medtronic, MicroVention, Minnetronix Neuro, Inc., Penumbra, Q’Apel Medical, Inc., Rapid Medical, Rebound Therapeutics Corp., Serenity Medical, Inc., Silk Road Medical, StimMed, LLC, Stryker Neurovascular, Three Rivers Medical, Inc., VasSol, Viz.ai, Inc., W.L. Gore & Associates

National PI/Steering Committees:

Cerenovus EXCELLENT and ARISE II Trial; Medtronic SWIFT PRIME, VANTAGE, EMBOLISE and SWIFT DIRECT Trials; MicroVention FRED Trial & CONFIDENCE Study; MUSC POSITIVE Trial;  Penumbra 3D Separator Trial, COMPASS Trial, INVEST Trial, MIVI neuroscience EVAQ Trial; Rapid Medical SUCCESS Trial.

Carlos Peña, PhD, MS, is Chief Regulatory Officer and Chief Quality Officer, leading the newly-established Office of Regulatory Services at the Jacobs Institute.  Carlos served 20+ years as a public servant in federal government. Prior to the JI, Carlos served as the Director of the Office of Neurological and Physical Medicine Devices, at the Center for Devices and Radiological Health (CDRH), at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), based in the Washington, DC area. He was responsible for providing leadership in the development of safe and effective neurological and physical medicine devices to support FDA’s mission. Carlos provided oversight over several cross-functional teams and was the lead contact for the agency’s strategic plans and implementation efforts for neuro devices.

Before his FDA Director role, Carlos served as Assistant Director of Emerging Technologies in the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy (OSTP) in the Executive Office of President Obama for two years (2012-2014). Prior to the White House, Carlos began his career ascension at the FDA, starting out as a Lead Reviewer, Team Leader, and Acting Branch Chief for CDRH, before moving into the role of Science Policy Analyst and, finally, the Director of Emerging Technology Programs in the FDA Commissioner’s Office.

Carlos holds a PhD in Neuroscience from Case Western Reserve University and a Masters degree in Comparative Physiology from the University of Connecticut. He holds an Emergency Medical Technician license in West Virginia and currently volunteers for Emergency Medical Services.

He has relocated to Buffalo in the Allentown area and looks forward to all that Buffalo has to offer.

Rick Ducharme is Vice President of Engineering. His focus is on industry product development and overseeing the first projects for the Institute’s Idea to Reality Center, or i2R, to develop endovascular medical devices.

Rick has over ten years of experience in developing and commercializing technologies. He has proven expertise as a project manager with a talent for creative, innovative solutions. Rick led multinational interdisciplinary teams at corporations such as Cook Medical and Novasentis. To date, he has 35 patents for medical and consumer-electronic products. Rick holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees in biological and biomedical engineering from Cornell University.

Rick is a diversified product development leader with over 15 years’ experience bringing disruptive medical devices from concept to the marketplace. The devices Rick has developed range from low volume specialty medical devices to high volume consumer electronic products that relied heavily on interdisciplinary collaboration. While at Cook Medical, he invented and managed all aspects of the development (product design, a new production facility, GLP studies, regulatory testing, and first in human studies) for a novel device called Hemospray to treat emergent bleeding. It was awarded the top innovation of the year by the world congress, grosses over $25MM annually, and is and is the most effective treatment option available for many types of emergent bleeds. This development was a revolutionary pivot from existing technologies as Hemospray is a granular hemostat that is simple to apply instead of a mechanical clamp of the target location which is often hard to identify during large bleeds.

After developing numerous devices for Cook Medical, Rick was the VP of Operations and Engineering for Novasentis, a Silicon Valley Start-up. In addition to over $20MM in venture funding and he was the principal investigator for numerous federal grants totaling in excess of $3.5MM for the development of smart materials and integration into medical devices (electrophysiology catheters and portable braille displays). This work was translated into privately funded work in partnership with HumanWare and collaboration with medical device companies such as Boston Scientific and Cook Medical. Furthermore, he worked to integrate our component into companies’ products such as Apple, Google, Samsung, Microsoft, Facebook, Lenovo, FoxCon, Huawai and TCL. The product was also awarded a Consumer Electronic Show (CES) Innovations Design and Engineering Award. This company was sold, and Rick joined the Jacobs Institute to focus on developing novel medical devices.

Since joining the Jacobs Institute in 2016 as the first product development engineer, we have hired over 20 engineers, instituted an ISO13485 quality management system and GLP animal facility and been involved in varying levels of product development for every neurovascular medical device approved for use in the US the past 4 years. We have been product development partners for both start-ups and large cap companies including bringing our own device from concept to first-in-human with almost all testing performed within our facility (outsourced specialized nickel leach and particulate testing).

Rick believes that this unique set of resources and collaborators will become a disruptive product development model that accelerates new technologies to the marketplace by ensuring the right product is developed in an accelerated fashion.

Pamela Marcucci is Vice President of Programs at the Jacobs Institute. In her previous role as director of global policy studies and initiatives at Higher Education Strategy Associates (HESA), Pam worked on a number of research and technical assistance projects for the Lumina Foundation, Finance in Motion, and the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario, managed HESA Associates in 25 countries and co-authored two editions of HESA’s Year in Review Global Changes in Tuition Fee Policies and Student Assistance. As a private consultant, she worked with the World Bank, AFC Consulting International, the London School of Economics, and Chemonics International, on higher education finance projects funded by KfW, the European Union, and the Agency for International Development.

In earlier positions at the University at Buffalo and at the Italian Association for Women in Development, Pam designed projects and wrote funding proposals to national and international foundations, government agencies and United Nations’ agencies, and managed projects around the world.

An internationally recognized expert in student financial aid and comparative higher education research, she has authored numerous articles and technical papers and most recently co-authored a book with D. Bruce Johnstone, “Financing Higher Education Worldwide: Who Pays? Who Should Pay?” published by the Johns Hopkins University Press.

Pam has a bachelor’s degree from Trinity College and a Master’s of Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh. Pam lived and worked in New York City; Cairo, Egypt; and Rome, Italy, before returning to her native Buffalo in the early 2000s. She sits on the board of the Mariah M. Love Convalescent Fund and on the STEM Advisory Committee at Sacred Heart Academy. She has recently become involved as an ambassador for the Girls Education Collaborative.

Pam has two older boys, and enjoys cycling. She also has a dog named Sammy and a cat named Kat.

Timothy M. Korn, CPA, is the Vice President of Finance for the Jacobs Institute (JI).  In his role, Tim oversees and manages all financial activities of the JI, including directing preparations of all financial reports, optimizing the value of organizational offerings, creating forecasts predicting future growth initiatives, generating business models for new ventures, and managing financial risk assessments of both current and future projects.

Prior to the Jacobs Institute, Tim worked as a CFO at a private university in Buffalo, NY leading the institution’s Financial Affairs division by deploying innovative technologies and streamlining accounting processes to better align talent with existing resources. Some of his successes include spearheading an academic program portfolio review, managing the financial impact of COVID-19 and coordinating applications for federal financial relief programs, leading a $59 million public debt refinancing and first-time bond rating issuance, and assisting in a $27 million capital construction project by securing funding in the form of state grants, federal and state tax credit programs, and private corporate donations.

Tim also has 13 years of public accounting experience guiding firms in expanding into new sectors, conducting various trainings in accounting and auditing (both internally and externally), and assisting not-for-profits (particularly health and human services), employee benefits plans, country clubs, milk cooperatives, manufacturing, and family-owned entities. He has led and supervised diverse teams of various sizes, served as a consultant to companies in different industries, and has presented to various companies and at conferences.

Born and raised in Western New York, Tim enjoys spending time with his 2 young children (Julianna and Nicholas), is an avid bowler, and enjoys spending time in his home kitchen as a vegan chef.

Dr. Jason Davies is research director at the Jacobs Institute. He is also an Assistant Professor of Neurosurgery and Biomedical Informatics at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Buffalo, where he joined the department in 2016. He completed residency training in the Department of Neurological Surgery at University of California, San Francisco. He completed a fellowship in endovascular neurosurgery with UB Neurosurgery and specializes in cerebrovascular and skull base neurosurgery. He has extensive experience treating aneurysms, arteriovenous malformations, cavernous malformations, and arteriovenous fistulae, stroke, carotid stenosis, cerebral bypass, and other vascular disease using both open and endovascular approaches.

Dr. Davies graduated from Stanford University, where he obtained a BS in Chemistry with a minor in Biological Sciences.  He has a significant research background in molecular and cell biology, studying neuronal exocytosis proteins. After graduation, he continued his work on exocytic proteins, shifting to a molecular and computational biophysics perspective. Jason was accepted into the MD/PhD program at Stanford, where he continued his thesis work. He wrote several papers elucidating the atomic structural details of exocytic proteins and developed new computational methods for studying dynamic protein structures at high resolution in real time. During the course of his residency, he spent a one-year post-doctoral fellowship developing computational methods in natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to find ways to mine electronic medical records data.

His active research interests focus on using bioinformatics tools to advance personalized medicine. He is working to develop bioinformatics tools to improve the quantity and quality of data available for medical research, and to lower barriers to entry for all clinicians to contribute to medical knowledge. Furthermore, he is working to create more advanced machine learning and data analytic methods to better understand the insights contained within these rich data resources. These tools in combination will help us to better understand nuances of disease, as well as which patients stand to benefit.

He has co-founded and grown several early stage medical device and medical informatics companies.  He has experience developing intellectual property, conducting early phase clinical device trials, and raising capital.

Dr. Davies is married with three energetic boys.  He loves cycling and skiing with his family.

Dr. Jeffrey Mullin is an Assistant Professor at the State University of New York at Buffalo whose clinical focus centers around spinal deformity and biomechanics as well as treatment of disorders of the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine. His research interests include spinal biomechanics, quality improvement/outcomes, and neurosurgical medical education. In addition to specialized spine surgery, Dr. Mullin also practices general cranial neurosurgery.

He completed a fellowship in complex deformity spine at the University of Virginia. Prior to that he had completed his general neurosurgical residency at Cleveland Clinic. He received his medical degree from Georgetown University School of Medicine in 2010. He also received his MBA from the University of Notre Dame in 2006 and completed an enfolded fellowship in epilepsy surgery at Cleveland Clinic from 2014-2016.

Dr. Mullin has authored several peer-reviewed publications and book chapters and has presented at numerous national neurosurgical meetings. He is an active member of AANS, CNS, and CSNS.

Courtney oversees the coordination and execution of logistics, communications, and accommodations for three, annual medical conferences in Jackson Hole, W.Y., hosted by JI Meeting Services.  She is also the friendly ambassador to both customers and visitors at the Jacobs Institute. She oversees the daily administrative functions and bookkeeping, and coordinating our beautiful meeting space.

Prior to the Jacobs Institute, Courtney served as a catering manager at the Hyatt Regency. She planned and oversaw events ranging from educational seminars, to weddings and galas for as many as 800 people. Courtney has extensive experience in hospitality where she served as a front office supervisor.

Courtney received her Bachelor’s degree from SUNY Buffalo State. She currently resides in Allentown with her husband and rescued mastiff Spartacus. She is a coordinator with the Trinity Tupper Community Garden. Courtney is also a “big” through the Big Brother Big Sister Program in Buffalo.

Paul Dressel is Director of Creative Services and Marketing. He received his bachelor’s degree in medical illustration from the Rochester Institute of Technology. He recently joined the Jacobs Institute after 30+ years with University at Buffalo Neurosurgery as its director of medical illustration. Paul has extensive experience in medical illustration, photography & video production, graphic design, publishing, and marketing. His work has appeared in numerous peer-reviewed neuroscience journals and textbooks, helping to elevate the neurosurgery department’s national top 10 ranking.

He has extensive knowledge of the latest multi-media presentation technologies and built a state-of-the-art broadcast studio within the Gates Vascular Institute specifically for transmitting live surgeries and teleconferencing to academic and medical institutions around the world.

Paul designs and produces various marketing pieces for the Jacobs Institute as well as coordinate their strategic marketing and social media efforts. He also oversees the recording and production of surgical videos to enrich the educational content of training and educational programs for industry partners.

He is married with two grown children.

Tom is Director of Training and is responsible for the successful execution of the JI’s clinical training programs. Tom worked for Philips Healthcare for 14 years in various capacities, including National Clinical Specialist. In that role he was responsible for developing and executing training plans for Clinical Education Specialists. He worked closely with sales, marketing, and engineering to ensure his team was prepared for new product launches. Tom travelled extensively throughout North America and abroad to gain customer feedback during medical device development.

Tom is a certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist and worked at Buffalo General Medical Center and a private cardiology office in Williamsville, New York, prior to his time at Philips. Tom is a CompTia CTT+ certified technical trainer and received his B.S. in Nuclear Medicine Technology from the University at Buffalo.

Tom lives in Grand Island, NY, with his wife Kim and two children, their dog Murphy, and two cats. He enjoys playing soccer and participating in his kids’ activities.

Christine joins the JI accounting team after 3 years at a local university within their student accounts office. Previously, she worked as a middle school math teacher at local schools for five years, before working within the technology department at Hamburg Middle School. She brings a wealth of experience working with students, their parents, other faculty and staff, as well as participating in many community-based events and fundraisers. Christine was born and raised in Hamburg, NY and currently lives in Hamburg with her dog, Brody. She enjoys spending time with family and friends living in the Western New York area. She also enjoys traveling and trying new foods. One of her favorite trips was traveling to Norway and Sweden with her sister to visit her cousin and enjoy the beautiful scenery and culture. She is very detail-orientated and organized – always willing to help a co-worker with a project or resolving issues. In her spare time she enjoys hiking and being outdoors (when the weather is decent).

Andrea Addison is the Senior Accountant for the Jacobs Institute (JI).  In her role, Andrea plays an integral part in performing accounting processes and reconciliations along with assisting in maintaining financial records within the JI systems.  She also helps to ensure JI’s compliance with all financial requirements, and timely processing of financial obligations.

Prior to her role at the JI, Andrea spent 20 years working in the student accounts area of higher education at a local university.  There she was responsible for billing and collection of $70 million in revenue each year along with collection on several federal and institutional loan programs.  She was also responsible for implementing new policies, procedures and systems to streamline and improve the billing and collections processes to ensure that receivables were collected timely, while enhancing the student experience.

Andrea was born and raised in Buffalo and received her bachelor’s degree in Finance from Canisius College.

Andrea currently lives in the Town of Tonawanda with her husband Derek, two sons Lucas and Benjamin, and a menagerie of pets.

Kelly is our Training Manager and ensures smooth execution of JI training and clinical programs for industry and physicians. Kelly joins the JI after more than eleven years at UNYTS. As a Quality Coordinator there, she had significant laboratory experience in quality management, training personnel, establishing protocols and standard operating procedures, and updating standards to ensure health and safety compliance with federal and state regulatory agencies. Additionally, when she served as Component Technician she conducted quality controls for blood product processing and distribution. As a Donation Specialist, Kelly coordinated with hospitals and transplant teams, learned about renal perfusion, managed the medical supplies required for the donor operations, and maintained sterile techniques and procedures. Prior to UNYTS, Kelly spent a year in Orlando, Florida, as a Laboratory Aide at Endolab where she gathered, examined, and prepared pathology reports on specimens. Kelly graduated from University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in biology. Kelly has volunteered since 2008 at the SPCA Wildlife Department. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast who enjoys volleyball, hiking, cycling, and running.

Karen is Senior Project Manager and biomedical engineer at the JI, responsible for facilitation of physician training and rapid product development using patient-specific vascular anatomic simulators and models created, using 3D printing technology and patient CT images.

Prior to graduating with a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from the University of Rochester, Karen worked at JI as an intern with CUBRC. As an intern, Karen developed a strategy to purchase vascular device manufacturing and modification equipment for the JI’s i2R, or Idea to Reality Center, focused on advancing vascular medical device development. Karen also has prior research experience with gait and wheelchair transfer biomechanical motion analysis in addition to laparoscopic morcellation device technology.

Karen is a master’s candidate pursuing a degree in biomedical engineering, and specializing in 3D printing.

She was as a competitive swimmer throughout college and now enjoys seeking out new fitness challenges including long-distance cycling and running. Karen completed a half Ironman.

Adam is Engineering Manager at the JI. He creates product designs and testing systems for vascular medical devices. He identifies unmet clinical needs and fast-track them through the product lifecycle in the JI’s i2R, or idea to Reality Center, which accelerates the development of vascular medical devices.

Adam was previously a Product Development Engineer at Integer Holdings Corporation. There he handled project management for new product development and designed advanced power sources for implantable medical devices. Prior to joining Integer, Adam served as Design Engineer in weapon deployment systems for Cobham Mission Systems in Orchard Park. He was responsible for project management and design of electromechanical and pneumatic actuation systems for military aircraft.

Adam received both his bachelor’s in mechanical engineering and his master’s of business administration from SUNY at Buffalo. He is a certified associate in project management.

He spends his free time with his wife and two young boys. His favorite seasonal activities are snowboarding in the winter, and hiking the rest of the year.

Kari Anastasia is Senior Project Manager and focuses on leading product development activities within the Institute’s Idea to Reality Center. Building from her experience as an R&D Engineer performing all aspects of product development for vascular, neurovascular devices, and permanent implants, she brings a strategic perspective on identifying potential challenges, and solutions, to accelerate product development timelines. Kari was significant contributor to the implementation of the Institute’s ISO 13485 quality management system that is uniquely designed to be robust and upwards compatible with both start-ups and strategic partners. Through this system, she has brought devices all the way through Early Feasibility Clinical studies, all at the Institute.

Kari received her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering and master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University at Buffalo (UB), and sits on the Industry Advisory Council for UB’s Biomedical Engineering department. Kari is also an alumni of the prestigious WNY Prosperity Fellowship Program, that invests in entrepreneurial-minded rising stars with the goal to foster economic development and growth in the Western New York area. She volunteers with the Friends of the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter and is a member of the Buffalo Triathlon Club and Hertel Business Association.

Kari lives in Buffalo with her husband, Jake, her son, Owen and their rescue dog, Remy and in her free time enjoys skiing, biking and relaxing with family.

Dan is Senior Research & Development Engineer responsible for leading medical device development and engineering projects at the JI’s i2R, or idea to Reality Center. Dan started his engineering career at a medical device contract design and development firm after earning a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Yale University. He led multiple projects developing cardiac assist and catheter-delivered devices. Dan later earned a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before joining his wife in Buffalo. Outside of work, Dan enjoys working with wood and metal, walking through the woods, and sitting down with a good book.

Laura Gunderson is Quality Manager at JI. In this role, she will ensure that the JI’s processes, services, and product designs meet client, industry, and regulatory requirements. These certifications provide quality assurance to JI’s clients, while fostering medical device innovation. Laura’s role directly supports the JI’s i2R, Idea to Reality Center, which accelerates the development of new technology to treat vascular diseases.

Prior to the JI, she served as Quality Engineer for Curbell Medical Products for four years. She also worked for Astrazeneca/Publicis Touchpoint Solutions as a Customer Service Associate and Baxter Healthcare as a Product Surveillance Analyst.  Laura received her Bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University at Buffalo.

In addition to being an active member in various company sponsored community events, Laura has volunteered for the American Association of University Women: Tech Savvy Program, which promotes opportunities for young women in STEM fields.

Laura and her husband live in West Falls.  She enjoys spending time on the water, hiking with the family Golden Retriever, and training for her next long distance event.

Michael Spengler is a Quality Engineer at the JI. His responsibilities include supporting Quality Management System initiatives, ensuring that the JI’s processes, services, and product designs meet client, industry, and regulatory requirements.

He has former experience working as both a Quality Control Lab Tech and a Quality Control Applications Specialist at Athenex, Inc. Michael graduated from the University at Buffalo with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering in 2018. For his Capstone Engineering Project, he designed a neurorehabilitation glove to help restore hand movement in patients who are experiencing a neurological disease, such as muscular atrophy or stroke.

Being born and raised in Western New York, he is both a Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres fan. Michael’s favorite place is his outdoor cabin, where he enjoys hiking and spending time in nature. He also loves to golf.

Alex Grenning is a Senior Project Manager at the Jacobs Institute. In this role, Alex focuses on programs driving growth of the JI’s 3D printed anatomical model operation, while also supporting the pipeline of i2R device development projects.

Prior to his role at the JI, Alex was an Engineering Manager at Nissha Medical Technologies (NMT), where he was responsible for leading a team of engineers and technicians in the design, development, and manufacture of external wearable medical devices. In addition to the execution of numerous device development projects, Alex led a comprehensive Design History File (DHF) remediation program on a FDA Class III (PMA) external defibrillation accessory. Furthermore, Alex was integral to the implementation of NMT’s Design Control processes for medical device development in accordance with ISO 13485.

As a Buffalo native, Alex received his bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University at Buffalo, and his Master of Business Administration from Canisius College.

Alex volunteers with the University at Buffalo’s Blackstone LaunchPad expert-in-residence program where he mentors students, alumni, and entrepreneurs to support their startup needs.

Alex spends his free time with his girlfriend and their Bengal cat, Theo. He also enjoys golfing, cycling, and traveling whenever possible.

Jill (Senko) Bogard is an R&D engineer.  In this role, she will contribute to JI’s growing engineering services, with a focus on 3D vascular model design and development and related areas.

She graduated from University at Buffalo with a master’s degree in biomedical engineering. Her thesis centered on the development of patient-based 3D printed cardiac mitral valve phantoms, involving 3D printing of the delicate structures of the mitral valve leaflets and chordae tendineae anatomically in a left ventricular chamber. She has developed many 3D printed replicas of vascular and cardiac models, focusing on realistic anatomy. Jillian received her bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Wentworth Institute of Technology in Boston, Massachusetts.

The Lancaster, New York, native has held several roles with the JI over the years, first as a summer intern, followed by a co-op, and most recently as an engineering intern.

She enjoys kayaking, hiking, and skiing. Jillian and her husband, Justin, were married in the fall of 2020.

Dan Lawrence is a Senior Project Manager at the Jacobs Institute. Dan focuses on the improvement of the JI’s PMO systems/structure to support the continuously growing new business and active project pipelines. Dan also supports the vetting of new opportunities and proposal creation processes.

Prior to his role at the JI, Dan spent over 10 years at Nissha Medical Technologies (NMT) holding several different positions, most recently serving as the Manager of Program Management. In that role, Dan lead a team of PM’s/Senior PM’s and was responsible for the execution and conversion of projects within NMT’s global Medical Device Design and Development pipeline. In addition to the day-to-day management of the team/project pipeline, Dan was responsible establishing the reporting standards for the PM team, mentoring/guiding PM resources at global NMT sites, and gating/quoting of new business opportunities.

Dan was born and bred in Buffalo and received his Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University at Buffalo as well as his Master of Business Administration degree from Canisius College.

Dan currently lives in the suburbs of Buffalo with his wife Brittany, their newborn son Xander, and dog Nellie. He enjoys family time, hiking, playing softball/volleyball, and anything Buffalo sports related (Go Bills!).

Eric is Senior R&D Technician. In this role, he is involved in designing and building innovative prototype devices for cutting edge endovascular procedures. He previously worked as a test technician and assembler in the aerospace industry. Eric set up production units, performed initial tests and calibration of production assemblies, while ensuring that the products met quality standards and target deadlines.

Eric graduated from Ithaca College with degrees in music education and jazz studies.  He taught for many years in private and public schools, primarily in under served communities of South Los Angeles. Eric is a busy professional saxophonist and musician for local and international projects. In his spare time, he also enjoys gardening and musical instrument repair.

Ariana is an R&D Engineer. Ariana served as a research assistant at the University at Buffalo’s (UB’s) Canon Stroke & Vascular Research Center, where she created patient-specific cardiovascular and neurovascular 3D printed bench top models to test high resolution CT and control compliancy of materials. She also worked as a supervisor to the student machine shop, helping engineering students execute their college and club projects. She is the Vice President of the Society of Automotive Engineers, event manager of UB’s Love Your Melon Fund, and member of the Biomedical Engineering Society at UB.

Michael Avery is a Senior 3D Printing Technician at the JI. He is responsible for maintaining and troubleshooting our 3D printers.

Michael has served as an IT Service Desk Agent, Digital Dental Lab Technician, a Soil and Liquid Lab Technician. Michael graduated from SUNY Fredonia with a degree in Graphic Design and Illustration and has done freelance work.

He grew up in Pennellville, near Syracuse. Outside of work, Michael enjoys technology and gadgets, art and photography, camping, and spending time playing games with friends.

Jessica Martensen is Senior Project Manager at the JI. In this role she will ensure the effective execution of projects by developing and managing project plans, schedules, budgets, and cross-functional teams. Jessica began her career at Baxter as a Quality Engineer advancing to Engineer II, in the Technical Services division working on process improvements. Prior to joining the JI, Jessica was working as a Senior Engineer in Technical Services working on New Product Development. In that role, she supported the development of a global platform of Class II infusion pumps, while leading a cross-functional team through design for serviceability (DFS) assessments, training engineers and technicians, and managing the relationship with the contract manufacturer. She also served as a Research Assistant in the Canon Stroke and Vascular Research Center at University at Buffalo (UB). Jessica has had Lean/Six Sigma training and Green Belt training in DMAIC problem solving.

Jessica received her undergraduate degree and master’s degree in biomedical engineering from UB.

Jessica lives in Clarence with her husband, and in her free time she enjoys golfing, snowboarding, kayaking, biking, learning to play instruments, learning languages, and cooking. Currently, she and her husband are working on perfecting their homemade pizza making skills.

Steve is a Senior R&D Technician involved in designing and building innovative prototype devices for cutting edge endovascular procedures. He has over 15 years of experience in electro-mechanical design, assembly, diagnostics, and repair in a range of industries from printing and food processing to solar energy. Prior to joining the JI, he worked as a technician for Panasonic on cell production for solar panels. He also attended Erie Community College, completing courses in nursing, anatomy, and physiology. His expertise in electronics, mechanics, and technology systems–combined with his education–allow him to bring a unique and adaptable skill set to the JI.

Steve spends time outdoors bicycling, kayaking, camping, and hiking.  He is a fitness enthusiast who enjoys commuting to work on his electric monocycle. He is a proud dad and grandpa. Steve loves exploring Buffalo with his wife, children, and granddaughters, learning more about the city he loves and calls home.

Michael is a senior R&D engineer at the Jacobs Institute. His primary role is the development of new products as part of the i2R, Idea to Reality Center.

For over 10 years, Michael has successfully brought multiple medical devices from concept to production during his time at Buffalo Filter and ConMed. His various roles have included the ideation, design, rapid prototyping, testing, product qualification and manufacturability of products ranging from small handheld instruments to large capital equipment for the OR. He graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology with a degree in Industrial Design and Mechanical Engineering.

In his free time, Michael enjoys gaming, woodworking, snowboarding and building igloos.

Michael Szymczak is a Senior R&D Engineer at the Jacobs Institute.

Prior to his role at JI, Michael spent five years at Moog as Product Engineer for satellite propulsion subsystems, supporting the building of Xeon Regulators and Service Valves for satellites. Previously, he was also an engineer at NeuroproteXeon, a medical start-up investigating xeon gas as a neuroprotectant, at AVOX systems designing Oxygen masks and systems for various aircraft, and as civilian engineer for the US Navy at NSWC Indian Head, producing energetic components for ejection seats.

Michael was born in North Dakota while his father was in the US Air Force and has lived throughout the mid-west before returning to New York where his family is originally from. He received his bachelor’s degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University at Buffalo.

Michael currently lives in Batavia, NY with his wife Andrea and their pet bird, Hedwig. He enjoys spending time with his family, gardening, playing video games and watching sports.

Nathan is an R&D Engineer. His contributions promote the advancement of medical device design and development in the vascular sector here at the JI.

Prior to joining the JI, Nathan gained technical experience working in the biomedical equipment technician field; performing medical device maintenance, repair and electrical safety inspections. He has also spent time working in quality engineering as well as in industry; optimizing manufacturing processes, prototyping AED electrode pads and even conducting electrical testing for PMA FDA Class III medical equipment. Nathan earned his B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering from Buffalo State College with Dean’s Honors.

In his free time, he likes working on home improvement projects and is a European automotive enthusiast. Nathan and his fiancée enjoy visiting dog parks on the weekends to play frisbee with their Boston Terrier, Eve.

Joshua Davison is a Senior R&D Engineer at the Jacobs Institute (JI). His responsibilities include product and process development of novel endovascular medical devices.

Joshua earned his B.S. in biomedical engineering and M.S. in mechanical engineering from the University at Buffalo. Prior to working at the JI, Joshua worked in both manufacturing and quality engineering roles at several medical device companies in Western New York. He has worked extensively in the manufacture of large volume parenteral infusion pumps and implantable-grade capacitors.

Outside of work, Joshua enjoys spending time with his wife Emily, working on his yard, or watching sports.

Tyler Roneker is an R&D Engineer at the Jacobs Institute. He earned his B.S. in Biomedical Engineering and is currently pursuing his M.S. in Product Development at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT). Prior to joining the JI, he held positions within various medical device industries such as Spinal & Orthopedics, Surgical Stapling, Combination Products, In-Vitro Diagnostics, and Surgical Devices.

Outside of the JI, Tyler volunteers as Philanthropy Advisor to RIT’s Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity focused on helping members discover and develop opportunities to continue making a positive impact within the Rochester Community. He also enjoys spending time with friends & family, hiking, enjoying a good book, or (with his bartending background) figuring out the next best cocktail recipes!

Tim Rodemeyer is an Engineering Technician at the JI.

He graduated from Buffalo State College in May 2000 with a bachelor’s in Industrial Engineering. Tim has over 20 years experience working at Greatbatch. His work entailed engineering and technician work. Tim is originally from Buffalo, NY and is a proud Bills and Sabres Mafia member. In his spare time, Tim enjoys listening to music, watching Monty Python, camping, and spending time with family.

Claire Hildreth is an Associate R&D Engineer at the Jacobs Institute, where she designs and develops anatomical models for medical devices. Claire began as an intern at the Jacobs Institute, where she designed and implemented a particulate counting device that tests the efficiency of embolic filter nets under flow. In coordination with the University at Buffalo (UB) Canon Stroke & Vascular Research Center, she developed a robotic catheter navigation system focused on remotely controlled stroke procedures. Claire also worked as an undergraduate researcher at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, where she investigated how endothelial cells react to their mechanical environment through flow modeling systems.

Claire graduated magna cum laude with her bachelor’s degree in Biomedical Engineering from the University at Buffalo.

In her free time, she enjoys creating her latest artwork, spending quality time with loved ones, outdoor sports, and learning something new (currently, it’s conversational French).

Yousef is an Associate R&D Engineer. Yousef graduated with honors in Biomedical Engineering from The University of Guelph where he also served as a biomechanical research assistant. He worked on carpal tunnel syndrome research, assisting in motion capture data acquisition, 3D modelling and, data analysis. Yousef also worked as a Health & Safety Engineering Student at MARS Inc. subsidiary, Royal Canin as part of his co-op stream at the university. He gained experience in a lean manufacturing environment where he completed improvement projects in the environmental, quality and production departments. Yousef gained additional experience as a Product Specialist where he integrated state of the art technology into the latest product version of Smart Cover, an AI patient monitoring platform. His most passionate projects have been a bodybuilding posture detector and Cross Care, an AI pedestrian detection system.

Yousef recently moved from Toronto to join the JI and discover everything Buffalo has to offer!

Charlotte Weber is  Regulatory Project Manager at the Jacobs Institute. Her role is to support the Chief Regulatory Officer in the Office of Regulatory Services managing the day-to-day scheduling of ORS activities, organizing regulatory submissions for the FDA, and tracking regulatory projects and activities.

In her previous roles, Charlotte served as Manager of Projects and Operations at Kaleida Health where she was responsible for developing and managing logistical plans for the new Oishei Children’s Hospital. Additionally, she served as strategic partner of Project Management responsible for integrating the principles of project and program management, budget development, business analytics, information technology and construction services to oversee major capital construction projects and programs for 465 commercial properties nationwide.

Charlotte also served as a Maintenance Supervisor for General Motors overseeing the proper function and operations of industrial systems and equipment while managing 50 skilled trades men and women.

Charlotte has an Associate’s degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from Niagara County Community College, a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from SUNY Empire State and a Master’s Degree in Project Management from DeVry/Keller Graduate School of Management. Charlotte is also a Certified Business Analyst and a Certified Six-Sigma Green belt in Process Improvement.

Charlotte has one son, enjoys playing the piano, spinning classes, cross country skiing, and enjoyed playing women’s semi pro basketball and refereeing women’s basketball.

Mike is a Senior Data Analyst at the Jacobs Institute. Prior to joining the Jacobs Institute, Mike spent five years at a local behavioral health company working as a business intelligence analyst.  He helped improve patient care by streamlining data processes and making it easier for clinicians to access important client information.  He received his Master of Public Health degree from the University at Buffalo and his bachelor’s degree in applied math from SUNY Oswego.

Mike enjoys working as a data analyst because it allows him to work with and solve and eclectic mix of data sets and problems.  This mindset is reflected in his choice of hobbies, where you can find him practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu to playing tabletop RPGs and board games to salsa dancing to playing with his two cats, Abeona and Dionysus.

Katie Simon is the Development Coordinator at the Jacobs Institute. In this role, she supports the mission and vision of the JI through philanthropy activities, such as community cultivation and grant initiatives. Katie was previously the communications and development intern at the JI for over a year where she supported grant initiatives and content creation.

She has a bachelor’s degree from Canisius College and a Master’s in Communication Arts & Sciences from the Pennsylvania State University. At Penn State, she was a public speaking instructor for undergraduate students. Katie is published as second author in the Health Communication journal for her collaboration on a study, titled “Interpreting Cancer Survivors’ Perceptions of the Survivor Label Through Social Identity and Communication Accommodation Theories.”

In her free time, Katie enjoys spending time with family and friends, running, reading, and exploring new places in Buffalo.

Jim is an accomplished broadcast technician who brings 15 years of live television experience. He developed his strong work ethic in the news photography departments of WKBW-TV and WGRZ-TV where he earned two Emmy Award nominations, two NYS Broadcasters Awards, and several Associated Press and National Press Photographers Association quarterly TV clip contest honors. Jim’s most recent work experience includes working as a Broadcast Technician for the Buffalo Sabres.

Jim earned his degree in Communication and Media Arts from SUNY Erie.

Here at the JI, Jim will be responsible for managing the audiovisual (A/V) infrastructure which includes maintaining all video recording equipment inventory, transporting and set-up of cameras, lighting, and audio equipment for clinical procedures and JI-related events, recording and archiving video, and file transfer. This also includes working with all levels of JI management to assist with live clinical broadcasts, recording of surgical procedures, video conferencing of engineering and promotional events and maintenance of all audiovisual (A/V) equipment.

Casey Smith is the IT Administrator for the Jacobs Institute. Casey oversees all servers, desktops, laptops, tablets, network resources and other IT items at the JI. While working to provide great tech support and knowledge, he always enjoys taking on more intense tasks to challenge himself.

Casey brings his previous experience as the Technology Supervisor at D’Youville University where he oversaw the purchasing, preparation and deployment of all staff-issued technology and all computer labs, totaling over 500 devices.

He attended Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan where he studied Graphic Design and Communications, he also bowled at the collegiate level for three years. Casey’s passion for design and the arts transitioned into a love for IT and working to understand and develop better resources by using technology. Casey spends his free time trying new restaurants with his wife, their 3 cats, or bowling in competitive leagues or tournaments.

Heather Campbell is the Education Coordinator at the Jacobs Institute. Heather is responsible for organizing JI’s educational outreach programs including the college and high school summer internships and the Brain Boot Camps, which teach students about vascular disease and careers in STEM.

Prior to the Jacobs institute, Heather worked as the Professional Science Master’s Program Coordinator at SUNY Buffalo State for the Data Science and Applied Math graduate programs where she helped with recruiting, social media marketing, career development, alumni relations, career placement, and event planning.

Heather has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Concordia College in Moorhead Minnesota and a master’s degree in cancer immunology from the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center Graduate Division of the University at Buffalo.

Heather was born and raised in Minnesota and moved to Buffalo for graduate school. She is passionate about sustainability and supporting women in STEM. In her free time, she likes to bake, do craft projects, and spend time with her two cats (Georgie and Darwin).