CorporateJohn-Wayne-Kennedy

John W. Kennedy

Forty years experience in applied research, botany, biology, physics, nutrition, biochemistry and discoveries associated with health, disease, plant and biological sciences and technologies. Author, International consulting scientist and science consultant. Research and discovery of novel chemistries, processes, and materials to diagnose, treat, cure, and prevent disease. Expertise and research in the biological principals governing the bio-availability of nutrients essential to living organisms.

John Kennedy after 18 years with USDA founded John Wayne Kennedy Consultants and has represented and supported programs of over 90 companies in 19 countries worldwide. Kennedy represented the Government of Mexico on Avocado crop importation into the U.S., the National Agricultural Chemical Association, the US Forest Service, and other agricultural groups on pesticide issues. He introduced GPS aerial application technologies for guidance of aircraft on spray programs to the USDA and was contracted by the State of California to author manuals on GPS and Sat-Loc spray system use. Work with satellite imaging technologies via connections to NASA and private satellite builders, with application for inventory and classification of vegetation, land and aquatic species. Federal Inspector in New York, Chicago and Hoboken, New Jersey in USDA before being promoted to the Assistant Director of the Methods Laboratory, USDA that conducted research concerning treatments for insect and plant diseases. He authored several publications including the “Plant Protection and Quarantine Treatment Manual” on insect and plant treatments for all imported products. Promoted to Hyattsville (now Riverdale) as a Staff Officer in charge of Gypsy Moth, Japanese beetle and working on the Med. Fly, etc. Staff Officer in charge of the eradication of isolated infestations of the gypsy moth around the country including California (San Jose). Author of the original Japanese and Med Fly Environmental Impact Statement with contributions to the Gypsy Moth EIS, Bio-control, and Boll Weevil Eradication Statements. Education: University of Wisconsin – Madison – Natural Sciences (degree Botany) and advanced studies at New York City (Entomology, Plant Pathology, Nematology.) concerning quarantine pests. As Founder of ZGSI – Holds multiple patents pending for on-orbit processing of plant, animal, and human undifferentiated cells on orbit.

 

 

 

Wagner A. Vendrame, Ph.D.

Dr. Vendrame is a Full Professor at the Environmental Horticulture Department, of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS), University of Florida, working at the Tropical Research and Education Center (TREC), in Homestead, Florida. Dr. Vendrame has a 30% teaching and 70% research appointment in the areas of ornamental horticulture and biotechnology. His research program has focused in production and conservation of ornamental plants using tissue culture, molecular biology, and cryopreservation techniques. More recently Dr. Vendrame expanded his research program to include studies on plants with potential for medicinal use and/or biofuel production. Studies are under way to assess Jatropha curcas as a potential alternative energy crop for South Florida. In 2007 Dr. Vendrame partnered with Zero Gravity, Inc., BioServe, and Spacehab, Inc. to develop a project to evaluate the growth of undifferentiated plant cells under microgravity.  An experiment with cell suspensions was sent on board of space shuttle Endeavour in August 2007, remaining for three months at the International Space Station, and returning in November 2007 on board of the Discovery. Additional experiments with jatropha were performed in partnership with Vecenergy, with four flights between 2010 and 2011. Dr. Vendrame obtained his B.S. in Agricultural Sciences and M.Sc. in Plant Physiology and Biochemistry from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, and his Ph.D. in Horticulture from the University of Georgia.

 

 

 

Neal R. Pellis, Ph.D.

Dr. Pellis is currently Director, Division of Space LIfe Sciences at Universities Space Research Association (USRA) in Houston, TX.  Dr. Pellis received his Ph.D. in Mircrobiology from Miami University, Oxford, Ohio and was awarded a postdoctoral fellowship in Microbiology at Stanford University.  He joined NASA-Johnson Space Center in October 1994, having previously been on the Faculty of Northwestern University Medical School, the University of Texas Medical School, and directing the Department of Surgical Oncology research laboratory at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center.  Dr. Pellis has had adjunct appointments at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, the Mabee Laboratory of Biochemical and Genetic Engineering, Rice University, and the College of Technology, Department of Engineering Technology, University of Houston, as well as the University of Texas Medical Branch Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Galveston, TX. At NASA, Dr. Pellis led the Biotechnology Cell Science Program, and had a 16-month assignment to NASA Headquarters at the International Space Station (ISS), Program Scientist. Thereafter he was Associate Director of the Biological Sciences and Applications Office working on exploration cell science and was appointed Senior Scientist in the Space Life Science Directorate at NASA Johnson Space Center, working with the directorate chief on strategic planning, alliances, and parternships necessary to acquire basic and applied science and technology for exploration missions and to manage the risks to crew in space on planetary missions.

 

 

 

Neil C. Talbot, Ph.D.

Since 1991, Dr. Talbot, has been a research animal scientist with the United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service (USDA-ARS), Animal Biosciences and Biotechnology Laboratory, Animal and Natural Resources Institute. He is a world-renowned leader in the field of gene evaluation and in vitro culture of embryonic cells from farm animals. He has a Bachelors of Arts degree in Biology from Gettysburg College, a Masters of Science degree in Viral Immunology and a Ph.D. in Cellular and Molecular Oncology from the University of Maryland, College Park.

 

 

 

John L. Freeman, Ph.D.

Headshot Freeman copyDr. John L. Freeman is currently a Plant Scientist and Science Test Lead at Intrinsyx Technologies Corporation at NASA-Ames in the Space Biosciences Botany Laboratory. He is primarily working on the Seedling Growth flight experiments investigating how gravity and light influence plant growth in space and the cellular signaling mechanisms involved in plant tropisms. These experiments utilize the European Modular Cultivation System in conjunction with Experiment Unique Equipment flight hardware developed by NASA Ames Research Center and these tests will be performed on the International Space Station and on the ground at NASA-Ames. Four seedling growth space flight experiments are scheduled over the next few years supported by NASA in cooperation with the European Space Agency.

 

Dr. Freedman received a Ph.D. from the Purdue University Horticulture Department in Plant Biochemistry with a focus on the unique molecular biology of metal hyperaccumulator plants. His research focus in plant metal stress tolerance, phytoremediation and plant environmental stress physiology has utilized a wide variety of molecular techniques including X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy using the two Synchrotrons at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and Stanford University. Dr. Freeman has previously worked in laboratories at Motorola, Western Technologies Inc., Northern Arizona University, Purdue University, Colorado State University, USDA-ARS SJVASC. Over the last ten years Dr. Freeman has been published 27 times and he has co-directed numerous field and laboratory multidisciplinary research teams. He was most recently a Research Associate at the USDA-ARS and is an Adjunct Assistant Professor at C.S.U. Fresno in the Biology Department.

 

 

 

 

Andrew Koopman

As Manager, New Venture Development of New York University Office of Industrial Liaison (NYUOil), Andrew Koopman works with investors and entrepreneurs to facilitate the formation of new life science companies that focus on the development and commercialization of NYU technologies. In addition to more than a decade in academic technology transfer, he has 16 years of varied experience in the biotechnology industry. He has held scientist, laboratory supervisor, and project manager positions in the course of his employment at two successful biotechnology startup companies, as well as Johnson & Johnson and Hoffman-LaRoche. During this period he was involved in the development of several therapeutic and diagnostic products which are currently on the market. Prior to joining the NYU Office of Industrial Liaison, Mr. Koopman was the Managing Director of Biomedical and Biotechnology Industries at Beroff Associates, a merchant investment banking and strategic advisory group. He has also provided consulting to a number of startup companies, investment groups, and public agencies regarding technology assessment and market analysis. Andrew received a B.S. in Biology from Binghamton University, an M.S. in molecular biology from Seton Hall University with a minor in business administration at the Stillman School of Business.

 

 

 

Robert Corkery, Ph.D.

Dr. Corkery is a pioneer in industrial innovation in the areas of nano- and bio-nanotechnologies with particular focus in the areas of materials nanotechnology, biophysics of cell membranes and the mathematics of cellular structures.  He has a track record of commercializing nanotechnologies including invention of seven granted US patents, with a suite of patents pending including stem cell and organ growth technologies in microgravity. He has recently been published in high-impact international journals such as the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) on numerous topics, including cell growth in hypergravity.  Dr. Corkery is currently a scientist with KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm, Sweden as well as Chief Technology Officer with Joma International AS in Norway. He was formerly a research scientist with The Procter & Gamble Company and was leader of the company’s corporate colloid laboratory. Dr. Corkery received his Bachelor of Science degree in Geology and Geophysics from the Australian National University as well as his Ph.D. in Physical and Materials Science. Dr. Corkery carried out postdoctoral research at the Australian National University as well as at the University of Lund in Sweden.