Med BioGene Inc is pleased to announce that Michael R. Hayden, MD, PhD, FRCPC, has joined the company’s Board of Directors.

Dr Hayden is a Professor of Medical Genetics at the University of British Columbia (UBC), as well as the Director of the Center for Molecular Medicine and Therapeutics (CMMT) in Vancouver. The CMMT is a gene research center operating under UBC’s Faculty of Medicine with approximately 170 research scientists, including faculty, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows. Dr. Hayden has also served as the Scientific Director of the Canadian Genetic Diseases Network since its inception in 1990.

Dr Hayden focuses his research primarily on genetic diseases and predictive medicine and has authored over 600 peer-reviewed publications and invited submissions.

Dr Hayden was a founder, director and Chief Medical Advisor of Aspreva Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a NASDAQ and Toronto Stock Exchange-listed company, which was acquired in 2007 by Galenica Group for US $915 million. He is also a director and Chief Scientific Officer of Xenon Pharmaceuticals Inc., a privately-held biotechnology company.

Dr Hayden is the recipient of numerous prestigious awards and honors. He was awarded the Order of British Columbia in 2009; Canada’s Health Researcher of the Year: Canadian Institutes of Health Research Michael Smith Prize in Biomedical and Clinical Research in 2008; the Prix Galien Canada (Research) award in 2007; the Award of Excellence of the Genetics Society of Canada and the Ottawa Life Sciences Award of Merit in 2001; the BC Biotechnology Alliance Award for Vision and Leadership in 2000; and the Distinguished Scientist Award of the Canadian Society of Clinical Investigation in 1998. Furthermore, he was elected to the Royal Society of Canada in 1995, to the Board of the American Society of Human Genetics in 1994 and to the American Society of Clinical Investigation in 1992.

“Dr Hayden is one of the world’s preeminent experts in genetics and personalized medicine with a proven track-record of leadership and vision, both in the laboratory and commercially. He will bring to Med BioGene valuable experience and entrepreneurial vigor and we are very pleased to welcome him to our team,” commented Erinn Broshko, Chief Executive Officer of MBI.

“I am delighted to be working with Med BioGene to advance personalized medicine and improve treatment options for patients diagnosed with non-small-cell lung cancer. Genomic-based technology in this area has shown the potential to make an impact on patient care by providing a greater understanding of each patient’s cancer and it is important to advance research from the laboratory to commercial reality for the benefit of all patients,” stated Dr. Hayden.

Dr Hayden holds an MD and PhD from the University of Cape Town, completed a post-doctoral fellowship and further training at Harvard Medical School and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada.

Source: Med BioGene Inc