Dr. Zhongde Wang (President and Chief Scientific Officer) – Dr. Wang received his Ph.D. degree in molecular and cellular biology from University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 2000 and did his postdoctoral training at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In addition to his employment at Auratus, Dr. Wang holds an academic position as a USTAR Associate Professor at Utah State University. At Auratus and Utah State University, his research team employs modern genome engineering tools (such as CRISPR/Cas9, TALEN, Cre-loxP, FLP-Frt, PhiC31 and piggyBac transposons) and assisted reproduction technologies (such as somatic cell nuclear transfer or cloning) to create genetically engineered animal models of human diseases.
The Wang laboratory is the first to succeed in developing genetic engineering technologies for the golden Syrian hamster (Mesocricetus auratus) and produce the first genetically engineered hamsters. His laboratory is also actively engaged in research activities to develop genetically engineered goats and sheep as large animal models of cardiovascular diseases, lung cancer, and cystic fibrosis.
Dr. Wang is an avid entrepreneur with deep interests in taking technology innovations and scientific discoveries made in the laboratory to the marketplace. He co-founded BizComputing, LLC in 2005 and served as the President and CEO from 2005 to 2011. From 2012-2013, he served as the CSO of a biotech company, BioDak LLC, specialized in using genetically engineered cattle to produce serum products for laboratory research and medical applications.
Dr. Hua Wu (co-founder) – Dr. Wu has extensive experience in leading and managing research projects in the biotechnology industry. Dr. Wu is currently the Vice President of Vaccine and Antibody Development at SAB Biotherapeutics, USA. She directs the development of vaccines and immunization schemes to produce highly potent fully human therapeutic antibodies from transchromosomal (Tc) bovine. Dr. Wu is also in charge of the functional studies of human therapeutic antibodies elicited from Tc bovine and the evaluation of such antibodies in human clinical trials. Dr. Wu has been leading numerous projects at SAB Biotherapeutics for the generation and development of Tc bovine-derived fully human antibodies against cancer and infectious diseases such as Zika, MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV, Ebola, Alphavirus, Influenza virus, Hanta virus, mycoplasma, Anthrax, MRSA, and Botulinum toxin.
Dr. Wu conducted her postdoctoral research in the Department of Cell Biology at Harvard Medical School. She received her Ph.D. in molecular and cellular biology from University of Massachusetts at Amherst, and her M.S. in biochemistry and her B.S. in molecular biology at Jilin University in China.