Founded by Bill Rader and Spencer Rosero in Rochester, NY, Efferent Labs was created from a clinical observation. Today, the company is preparing to commercialize a revolutionary platform that will change the way preclinical research is done for the better. More data, faster decisions, less cost.
Efferent Labs® offers a live, cellular data acquisition platform that will radically alter the landscape of pre-clinical research in animals.
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Mr. Rader is a serial entrepreneur who sold his first company at age 18. To date he has launched five ventures and orchestrated multiple M&A’s. Mr. Rader founded Efferent Labs, Inc. in 2011 with a passion derived from his personal experience. He created Efferent Labs on the shoulders of a company he founded in 1998 and successfully exited in 2015, Raland Technologies (now Raland Compliance Partners). Mr. Rader grew Raland from a one-man startup to an Inc. 500|5000 company with a global footprint and four divisions. While leading Raland, he established strategic office locations and provided services to clients including Fortune 500 pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device companies throughout the United States, Europe and Asia. His efforts enabled Raland to become one of the most highly respected and sought after providers within the Life Science industry.
Mr. Rader started his career in the engineering sector of the U.S. Navy as a Nuclear Engineering Reactor Controls member of the Submarine Fleet. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, is a member of Harvard Business School, Business Innovations in Global Healthcare class of 2015, and a graduate of the University at Buffalo, School of Management. Mr. Rader is a NYBio Fellow, and a member of many industry organizations including ISPE, PDA, IEEE, MedTech, Tech Council/MDBio, and ISA.
Dr. Rosero serves as the Chief Medical Officer of Efferent Labs, Inc. working with the Scientific Advisors and directing discovery activity.
Dr. Rosero is Professor of Medicine at the University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry. He currently serves as Director of the Clinical Research Center -the Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute (CTSI) and as Clinical Director of the Center for Medical Technology and Innovation at the University of Rochester. He is a practicing cardiologist who developed the CytoComm™ and PlexiSense technology through years of work with patients. As a specialist in heart rhythm disorders, Dr. Rosero treats patients using a wide range of therapeutic options including radiofrequency ablation of abnormal rhythms, implantation of electronic medical devices such as pacemakers, defibrilllators (ICD’s), and cardiac resynchronization therapy devices.
Dr. Rosero is an experienced clinical investigator and has actively participated in several, large multicenter trials studying the role of medical devices in treating patients with heart failure and life threatening arrhythmias. As the site principal investigator for the early evaluation of a novel implantable left atrial pressure monitoring system at the University of Rochester, Dr. Rosero’s team was the first in the nation to implant the St. Jude Heart Pod device. His research interests include living cell embedded biosensors, hereditary arrhythmias and futuristic medical device technologies that support personalization of medical care.
Mr. Colpoys is an experienced executive in the biopharma/medtech industry. Since leaving Genentech in 1995, he has been involved in the startup and structuring of more than a dozen companies as either an active member of senior management or in his role as a consultant via his activities as President of Galileo Consulting, Inc. His 30 years of experience across a broad range of operational activities makes him a valued associate at Efferent Labs. Mr. Colpoys assist’s in the formulation of strategy and communication with potential collaborators and licensees.
Mr. Greco, an entrepreneur and venture advisor and founder of Cupule Ventures, provides venture development and support to early stage Biotech, Life Science, Material Science and Technology companies, concentrated across Upstate New York. Taking a hands-on role, Greco manages executive, financial and operational functions, as his efforts have centered in formation, management, fundraising and growing commercial operations. Instrumental in the launching and growth of 20+ start-ups, primarily of higher technology or advance manufacturing pedigrees, Greco managed the investment efforts of 10+ successful private placements and managed several acquisitions, domestic and international.
Previous to founding Cupule, Greco was a Venture Associate on two funds with Trillium Group, LLC, in Rochester, NY, eclipsing $135M in investments and has deep entrepreneurial roots of his own, starting his first company in 2003. He has an M.B.A. from the Simon School of Business Administration and a B.A. in Economics from the University of Rochester.
Dr. McIlroy began his career at the National Medical Laser Center in London England that is part of the University of London. While there he was responsible for all the laser treatments and maintenance of the clinical and non-clinical laser systems. While working at NMLC he also carried out a PhD in the specialized area of Photodynamic Therapy Dosimetry (PDT. Dr,. McIlroy then moved on to work with the research group in the area of PDT at the Ontario Caner Institute in Toronto. He was then recruited to North Carolina in 2000 as Director of Science, to set up the PDT program at the Leo Jenkins Cancer Center in Greenville North Carolina. While there he was responsible for setting up the infrastructure, the clinical program as well as a scientific program within the department of Physics.
Dr. McIlroy moved to GE Global Research in Albany NY as the head of a new program in Bioinstumentation. Over the course of his tenure at GE Research he held many roles finishing as a global technical leader responsible for all advanced technology across 4 GE Healthcare business units, with 75+ people and a budget responsibility of $40M.
He was then promoted into what became GE Ventures as the Healthcare leader responsible for monetizing the technology and knowhow across GE Healthcare. Later he was promoted to Managing Director for Alliance management for North and South America with the entire GE portfolio of 95,000 articles of IP from all business units.
Overall Dr. McIlroy has over 20 years experience in all aspects of medical device development together with management of clinical trials ranging from preclinical through phase III FDA controlled global trials.
Mr. Dillion acts as the companies Vice President of Finance and Comptroller. He has years of experience in the role of finance officer from Controller and Senior Account to Chief Financial Officer, having served companies from Alltech and Trumpf Medical to Evening Post Publishing. Mr. Dillion is a CPA, and holds a BA in Accounting from Asbury College.
As a seasoned sales executive, Kristian brings over 25 years of sales leadership and turnaround experience to Efferent Labs. His experience includes executive sales and marketing experience roles at several Pharma and medical device companies.
Kathryn McIlroy is a 25-year veteran of the life sciences industry. With experience across a broad range of fundamental and preclinical research platforms Kathryn runs all day-to-day activities of the lab. She also liaisons with our partner companies in her role as Lab Manager.
During her career she has setup and managed a variety of wet lab space with responsibility for equipment, training, and budgets. The companies she has been part of have taken compounds from the bench through GLP evaluation and analysis.
Additionally, she has managed collaborative efforts across multiple disciplines, contract research organizations and vendors to deliver on time and within budget.
A key skillset that she brings to the team at Efferent is project management across the early phase testing and development of programs. Her years of experience within the biology and engineering worlds enable her to seamlessly traverse the different teams to create a cohesive vision and tactical program.
Ms. McIlroy holds a MSc in physiology and pharmacology from McMaster University (Hamilton Canada) and a BSc in Biology from the University of Waterloo (Waterloo, Canada).
Mr. Pennacchia is a sales and marketing expert with over 25 years experience and successful execution in industries ranging from Consumer Products to Medical Devices and Geographic Information Systems. He has been successful with large, small and start-up businesses. While at ITT C&C Cola, he helped launch game changing consumer beverage products in the U.S., such as Perrier and Capri Sun. As Vice President of Sales and Marketing for a medical device subsidiary of Bausch & Lomb, he helped to grow that business from $26M to $120M in 7 years. After being promoted to VP of Consumer Healthcare Group Sales in 1996 for Bausch & Lomb Consumer Healthcare North America, Dante grew market share to the highest ever achieved at that time.
In June of 2001, he was recruited to a start-up company known as Pictometry International, a company with $14,000 in delivered sales. During his tenure as VP of Sales and Marketing and later as CMO he helped Pictometry became one of Rochester’s most successful technology companies, growing sales to over $100 million in 9 years.
Dante is Founder and President of Maxualize™ LLC, a coaching and consulting group focused on assisting start-up companies who want to grow their business. Dante is a Cum Laude graduate of Northeastern University in Boston, where he obtained a BS in Marketing. He was selected to take part in executive marketing courses at Amos Tuck at Dartmouth, Leadership courses at the Center for Creative Leadership at the University of Maryland, and the Global Executive training program at Cornell University. He is a former Diversity Champion at Bausch & Lomb and a sought after speaker on the subject to companies such as the Walt Disney Company.
Dr. Berk is currently Director of the Rochester Neurorestorative Institute. Dr. Berk is also Distinguished Professor of Medicine, Pathology, and Pharmacology & Physiology at the University of Rochester. He received his M.D. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of Rochester. He has served on the faculties of Harvard Medical School, Emory University, and the University of Washington. Dr. Berk was previously CEO of the University of Rochester Medical Center (2006-2015) as well as Chairman of Medicine (1999-2006) and Chief of the Cardiology Unit (1998-2003) at the University of Rochester. In addition, he was Director of the Aab Cardiovascular Research Institute. Dr. Berk is a fellow of the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology, and a member of the Association of American Physicians.
Efrain Rivera is the Senior Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer of Paychex, Inc. Mr. Rivera is a senior financial executive with more than 20 years of experience in finance, accounting and business leadership positions, most recently as Vice President of Finance and Administration for Houghton College since 2009.
Mr. Rivera previously served as Corporate Vice President and Chief Financial Officer for Bausch & Lomb from 2007 to 2009 and, prior to that, as Corporate Vice President and Treasurer from 2004 to 2007. During his twenty years with Bausch & Lomb, Mr. Rivera served in various leadership and financial management roles, including Corporate Vice President and President, Canada and Latin America Division; and Vice President Finance and Controller, Global Vision Care.
A native of Paterson, New Jersey, holds a Doctor of Management degree from Weatherhead School of Management at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Additionally, he earned his Master of Business Administration from the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business at the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York, and a Juris Doctor degree from New York University in New York City.
Kenneth A. Sorensen PhD is a noted biotechnology entrepreneur, investor, financier and research scientist whose many successful ventures make a significant impact on patient care today. Ken is a recipient of a dual BS in Molecular and Organismal Biology from the University of Kansas and a PHD in Developmental Neurobiology from the University of Arizona. Beginning his research career early with a recombinant DNA high school project at Bayer AG, Ken joined the Salk Institute after receiving his PHD doing independent research as a Damon Runyon Cancer Research Fellow and an Amgen Fellow. Ken approaches biotechnology with an emphasis on robust translational research and combines a data-driven analytic approach with talented business development team members to achieve his long-term vision to unlock new areas of biotechnology innovation. A gifted leader, Ken’s high standards in science and business operations serve as an example and impetus to others and to the formation of successful new biotechnology companies. Ken has successfully raised more than $1 billion of capital to support translational research and to enable new biotechnology companies to move from scientific concept to commercialized products.
Ken is a co-founder of Nonpareil Biotechnologies LLC, a company that translates early groundbreaking biotechnology that is impactful on human health. Nonpareil combines the unique contributions of the research scientist, philanthropist and biotech entrepreneur to advance and validate biotechnology.
Previously, Ken founded Array Capital Management LLC in 2000, a life sciences merchant bank with two do novo investment funds: one, a private equity biotechnology fund; and two, a multi-strategy fund focused on global life sciences. Each of these fund’s investment returns significantly outperformed all relevant life sciences indices. From 2010 onward, Array Capital Management shed outside investors and became a solely family investment vehicle continuing merchant banking activities in life sciences.
Prior to founding Array, Ken was the portfolio manager of the Ariane Fund, an investment fund focused on the life sciences (making investments in both private and public companies). Ken was responsible for the turnaround of Ariane by reorganizing the fund and raising all new investment monies while generating double-digit returns each year as portfolio manager. While at Ariane, Ken also founded a new merchant banking group which led and participated in funding numerous biotechnology companies.
In 1996 while at the Salk Institute, Ken was recruited to the US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) by commissioner Bruce A. Lehman to work on the Human Genome policy steering body and to serve as a biotechnology Patent Examiner. Ken’s input regarding the non-patentability of human genes was instrumental in developing constructive patent policy that has preserved incentives to discover and develop new biotechnologies and has fueled research efforts ever since. These rulings on the patentability of human genes were recently upheld by the US Supreme Court. Ken added to his achievements at the USPTO by successfully passing the Federal Bar Exam for patent law as a designated Patent Agent.
Ken lives in New York City with his wife Rachelle and their son and daughter.
