Science Advisory

Dr. Neil Berinstein
Science Advisory Board

Dr. Berinstein obtained his Medical Doctoral Degree at the University of Manitoba and completed training programs at the University of Toronto in Internal Medicine and Medical Oncology and at Stanford University in the area of Immunotherapy for cancer.  Dr. Berinstein was a founding director of the Advanced Therapeutics Program at the Toronto-Sunnybrook Regional Cancer Centre with a long track record in fundamental research and a significant publication record in the area of normal and malignant B cell biology and cancer immunotherapy.  Dr. Berinstein was Global Program Head of Sanofi Pasteur's cancer vaccine program from 1998-2009.  He is a Full Professor in the Department of Medicine at the University of Toronto.  He currently is Chief Scientific Officer at IRX THerapeutics.  He is a member of the Executive Committee of the Cancer Research Institute Cancer Immunotherapy Consortium.  He has published over 100 research papers and a similar number of research abstracts.


Irene Clement
Senior Regulatory Advisor

Ms. Clement is a founding partner of Clement Strategies Inc., a regulatory and bio-business consulting company.  She is an accomplished Senior Regulatory Professional with 27 years experience in the Biologics industry, 22 in Regulatory Affairs.  She has a proven track record in dealing with regulatory authorities worldwide, including Health Canada, US FDA, European and WHO agencies.  Ms. Clement’s previous positions include Vice President Regulatory Affairs for ID Biomedical (subsequently became GSK), Vice President of Regulatory Affairs at Shire Biologics and Director Regulatory Affairs at Aventis Pasteur Ltd.  Mrs. Clement has been responsible for global license maintenance activities for approximately 30 products in over 70 countries.  She has also obtained numerous license approvals in Canada, the US, EU, Japan, Australia and other countries.


Dr. Scott Halperin
Science Advisory Board

Dr. Halperin’s numerous professional positions include: professor of pediatrics and microbiology and immunology at Dalhousie University; head of infectious diseases at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia; and, director of the Canadian Center for Vaccinology, a joint collaboration of the IWK Health Centre, Capital Health, and Dalhousie University. 

 
As one of the world’s leading authorities on the development of vaccines, his research focuses on the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of pertussis (whooping cough) and other vaccine-preventable diseases such as influenza.  His research in the area of pertussis has sparked improved diagnosis, treatment and prevention of this life-threatening disease and his team is credited with developing one of the pertussis vaccines that is now used around the world.  Dr. Halperin is also principal investigator of the $13.5 million Public Health Agency of Canada/Canadian Institutes of Health Research Influenza Research Network (PCIRN).  This group connects most of the major medical research institutions and universities across Canada, in an effort to ensure the safety and effectiveness of influenza vaccines and vaccination programs and to train the next generation of clinical vaccine researchers.
 
He earned his undergraduate degree in biology from Stanford University and his medical degree from Cornell University.  He conducted his postgraduate residency training in pediatrics at the University of Virginia and his fellowship in pediatric infectious diseases at the University of Virginia and the University of Minnesota.
 

Dr. W. Martin Kast
Science Advisory Board

Dr. Kast holds a number of prestigious positions including the Walter A. Richter Cancer Research Chair, Professor of Molecular Microbiology & Immunology, Obstetrics & Gynecology and Urology, Director Beckman Center for Immune Monitoring and Co-Leader Tumor-Micro-Environment Program at the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA. In 2010 he was named Eminent Scientist of the Year and North American Immunologist of the Year.


Dr. Michel Klein
Science Advisory Board

Dr. Klein currently is Chairman of VaxiBio Inc., a new vaccine biotechnology company recently registered in Canada with a subsidiary in Taiwan. His experience includes Vice President Biotechnology Research – Pasteur Mérieux Connaught Canada, Professor of Immunology – University of Toronto, Corporate Vice President, Science and Technology – Aventis Pasteur Group and Chief Executive Officer, CANVAC – Canadian Network for Vaccines and Immunotherapeutics.


Dr. Walter Storkus
Science Advisory Board

Dr. Storkus currently is a Professor (Tenure) with Departments of Dermatology & Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh.  Past positions include Head of Research – Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery and Professor (Tenure) for Departments of Surgery & Pathology, as well as Departments of Surgery, Dermatology and Immunology at the University of Pittsburgh.  Dr. Storkus has memberships in professional and societies throughout the United States.