The management team at Vigilant Diagnostics has decades of experience in the medical technology and diagnostics industries, and in managing startup and emerging growth companies. Together, they share a vision to improve healthcare through faster and more accurate diagnoses globally, whether in infectious diseases or other applications, and reducing healthcare costs.
John C. Bischof, Ph.D. – Board Member & Cofounder
Dr. Bischof has been the principal investigator of Vigilant Diagnostics since he cofounded the firm in 2014. He is the Distinguished McKnight Professor of Mechanical and Biomedical Engineering at the University of Minnesota, and is also the Medtronic-Bakken Endowed Chair for Engineering in Medicine, Mechanical Engineering. In 2018, he was appointed Director of the University’s Institute for Engineering in Medicine, which is dedicated to advancing healthcare by strengthening research collaborations between engineering and medicine in both academia and industry. Dr. Bischof works in the area of thermal bioengineering with a focus on biopreservation, thermal therapy, and nanomedicine. In addition to his University appointments, he is also Director of the NSF Engineering Research Center Advanced Technologies for Preservation of Biological Systems (ATP-Bio), which launched in 2020. His work includes authoring more than 250 papers, which have been cited more than 15,000 times.
Mark Stockhowe – CEO
Mark W. Stockhowe is a healthcare and technology executive who has spent three decades closing the gap between strategic vision and operational execution. As a Senior Director in Optum's Advisory Services group — UnitedHealth Group's 1,200-consultant healthcare consulting practice — he managed $10M+ enterprise programs, including the on-time launch of a major insurance exchange platform. He also helped grow a strategic client account from $6M to $20M over three years. Earlier in his career, he served as President of an early-stage software company, taking it from pre-revenue through successful commercial launch. Mark holds an MBA from Bethel University. At Vigilant, he is focused on commercializing the company's high-sensitivity point-of-care diagnostics platform, enabling researchers and clinicians to make better, more timely decisions.
Tomo Sato, Ph.D. – Chief Technical Officer
After Dr. Sato earned a Ph.D. in Biophysics from Harvard University, he joined an early-stage biomedical firm as Senior Research Scientist and Platform Engineer, where he was key in developing core IP for the company. Following that, he returned to academia as a postdoctoral fellow in Biology and Bioengineering at Caltech. He then joined an engineering consulting firm in Minnesota, where he performed engineering, science, and technology development work for Vigilant Diagnostics, before joining the company as its Chief Technical Officer. His research work has included basic science and pre-clinical work, with both animals and humans.
James Sackrison – Chief Science Officer
Jim is a clinical chemistry pioneer and key opinion leader in the in-vitro diagnostics space, including 15 years at Beckman Coulter (a Danaher Company), a leading global diagnostics firm, and more recently as an independent consultant. At Beckman Coulter, he served as Principal Scientist and was a five-time winner of the company’s Excellence in Innovation Award. Jim has had more than 50 diagnostic assays approved through the FDA, and has been highly successful at transforming multiple technical opportunities into cost-effective business solutions. He enjoys bringing together diverse stakeholders to build sustainable solutions for new and challenging issues.
Dan Chen, Ph.D. – Board Chairman
Dan is a former Division President at 3M. His 30+ years of professional experience includes roles in business management, strategy, M&A, and product commercialization. He is the sole or co-inventor on eleven filed or issued patents, including the largest unit-volume disposable respirator design on the market globally. He has also led two major $2B+ acquisitions, and investments with four startup companies. Dan is also on the board of Frontline Road Safety Group, owned by The Sterling Group, and Sustainable Resources Center, a nonprofit based in Minneapolis. He earned a B.S from Stanford University, a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin, and an Executive MBA from INSEAD in France. He is also a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Minnesota.
Paul Gramstad, CPA (inactive) - Chief Financial Officer
Paul is an executive with extensive financial and operations experience with several emerging startup companies, including BioLyph to name one. He is a creative thinker who has enjoyed success in a wide range of industries such as medical technology, nanomaterials, software, ecommerce, and energy. Paul is adept at managing day-to-day accounting and administrative operations, and providing strategic financial leadership. He is well known as a problem-solver and team player, working well with all levels of an organization in order to achieve company goals.
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