People

Michael Artinger, PhD – Chief Executive Officer and Board Member

The focus of Dr. Artinger’s career has been transforming innovation into commercial opportunity. He has worked closely with universities and inventors across the nation to recognize the potential of their discoveries and has deep expertise across multiple operational roles and domains.

Dr. Artinger has over 23 years of operational experience in the life science industry and as been involved in the preclinical and clinical development of therapeutics and vaccines across multiple therapeutic areas. He has held appointments as Visiting Scientist in Medicine at both Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and conducted his Postdoctoral research at the Cardiovascular Research Center at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School.

Dr. Artinger earned his Doctorate degree in Biology focusing on Developmental and Cell Biology, as well as his Baccalaureate degree in Applied Ecology from the University of California at Irvine.

Ulli Bayer, PhD – Chief Scientific Officer and Board Member

In addition to his role with Neurexis, Dr. Bayer is a Professor in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Colorado – Anschutz Medical Campus.

Dr. Bayer is the inventor of the tatCN19o peptide. His research interests include: Elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying learning, memory and cognition; Applying fundamental neuroscience findings to better understand neurological disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease, Down syndrome, schizophrenia and addiction; Pursuing advances in neuroprotection after acute injuries such as stroke and global cerebral ischemia.

He earned his PhD in Molecular Biology from the Heinrich Pette Institute, Hamburg University and conducted his Postdoctoral Fellowship in Neuroscience, Biochemistry and Cell Biology at Stanford University School of Medicine.

Robyn Goforth, PhD – Vice President of Research and Development

Dr. Goforth has over 15 years of experience in functional protein design and protein production. She has published over a dozen scientific papers in the fields of biochemistry and bioengineering. She has also been principal investigator and co-principal investigator on over $10MM in National Institute of Health, Department of Energy, and Small Business Innovation Research grants. 

She has extensive experience in drug development across multiple indications for both peptide and protein therapeutics. Her expertise is focused on the transition of potential high-value therapeutics from academic labs to privately funded small businesses. Dr. Goforth has more than a decade of experience leading R&D efforts that have been necessary to develop manufacturing platforms, complete FDA required pre-clinical studies, and raise the extensive investment required to fund drug development programs to the clinic.

Olivia Asfaha, PhD – Senior Director of Operations

Dr. Asfaha is a neuroscientist and biochemist with 10+ years of experience investigating kinase signaling pathways underlying memory. She has published 15 peer-reviewed scientific papers and acquired several NIH funding awards as principal investigator (National Research Service Awards and Small Business Innovation Research).

Dr. Asfaha received her PhD in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of California, Davis and went on to study CaMKII-dependent neuronal mechanisms as a Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus. Now, she coordinates preclinical development of tatCN19o for treatment of ischemic injury in the brain.