Babak E. Azad, Ph.D.

Founder, CEO

Babak brings more than 28 years of experience in Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical industries to CellCure. He is a molecular cellular biologist, team leader entrepreneur with extensive experience of R&D in genomics, proteomics, drug discovery and pharmaceutical development & commercialization. He attended High School in Memphis, Tennessee; completed his undergraduate degree in Biology at Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida; and obtained Masters and Ph.D. degrees in Molecular and Cellular Biology at University of California, Santa Barbara. He then started his professional career by completing postdoctoral studies at The Scripps Research Institute (Johnson & Johnson Laboratories at Scripps) in La Jolla, CA. He later joined Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research Institute as a research scientist. Babak’s research at J&J involved design, development and performance of high throughput drug screening assays based on the molecular biology of Cancer, Apoptosis, Inflammation, Antibiotic Resistance, and Signal Transduction. In 1995, he joined SRA Technologies Inc. at Rockville Maryland, where he became Group Leader and Director of Research & Development. At SRA, Dr. Esmaeli-Azad focused his research on the application of Structural and Functional Genomics to the area of disease diagnosis, therapy, and patient management. In 1998, he joined BioArray Technologies Inc. as senior scientist, director of R&D where his research focused in functional genomics and proteomics utilizing microarray based miniaturized technologies. Babak’s research focused in the area of genomics and proteomics resulting in the development of several proprietary innovative omics display technologies. In 1997, Dr. Esmaeli-Azad founded DNAmicroarray, Inc. (www.dnamicroarray.com), the first company to commercialize DNA microarray related products and services to the research community via the world wide web. For 16 years (1997-2014), as the CEO of DNAmicroarray, Inc., Babak managed day to day operation and organic growth of this profitable biotechnology company which currently employs an international staff of Ph.D., MS., and BS. scientists in United States, and Latin America. Dr. Esmaeli-Azad is the inventor/ co-inventor of several patent pending technologies that are currently under development at the company. These enabling technologies address unmet needs in the areas of Genomics, Proteomics, Human Stem Cell Growth, Differentiation and Transplantation, Theranostics, Pharmacogenomics, and Agricultural Biotechnology. In 2014, he completed acquisition of genomics and proteomics divisions of DNAmicroarray Inc. by a private investment group and assumed the chairman of the board position at the company. In 2013, he was one of the founding members of CiBots, Inc., a California startup, and was a key figure in invention, design and development of mobile health technologies and telemedicine applications for Next Generation Patient Doctor communication. Babak was the team leader for Team SMART McCoy (lead entity CiBots, Inc.), ranked Top 20 among 300 teams in the international QUALCOMM TRICORDER X PRIZE competition (http://www.qualcommtricorderxprize.org). Dr. Esmaeli-Azad is the inventor of CellCuReX’s chemically induced pluripotent stem cells (CiPSC), and related issued patents and IP portfolio. CellCuReX is the exclusive assignee/ licensee of novel stem and somatic cells small molecule “only” reprogramming, disease modeling, drug screening and development methodologies which use “the artificial microenvironment niche” in-vitro, modeled after the in-vivo microenvironment (US9045737, US9725700, US9988607, and US10584316).  This technology is currently in development at the company for phenotypic drug screening with reprogramed human cells, tissues, and organoids; development of biomimetic nanoparticles for decoy receptor mitigation of overdosed illicit drugs of abuse; and for in-vivo rejuvenation and biological aging reversal using partial reprograming small molecule drug cocktails.