Meet our team

Co-Founder, Scientific Advisor - Ron is currently Professor of Pathology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Before moving to Miami eight years ago, he was tenured Professor of Microbiology at Harvard Medical School and served as Director of Harvard’s Primate Research Center. His laboratory is credited with the discovery of the monkey virus called SIV (simian Immunodeficiency virus) that is the close monkey relative of the human AIDS virus; and the discovery of the monkey virus that is a close relative of the human Kaposi sarcoma herpesvirus. His research has contributed importantly to the understanding of viral pathogenesis and to vaccine development efforts. He currently lists more than 340 refereed publications on his CV.

Co-Founder, Scientific Advisor - Mario is a Professor of Medicine, Director of the HIV and Emerging Infectious Diseases Institute (HEIDI), Director of the Miami site of the Global Virus Network, and Co-Director of the Miami Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Prior to moving to the University of Miami, Dr. Stevenson was the David Freelander Chair for AIDS Research at the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the Director of the Center for AIDS research at that Institution. Dr. Stevenson has published over 100 peer-reviewed papers and his research has provided fundamental insight into the mechanisms regulating HIV replication and persistence as well as disease pathogenesis. 

Co-Founder, Chairman - Ray is internationally recognized as one of the most influential persons in the life science sector.  He is the Frances Winship Walters Professor of Pediatrics and Director of the Center for ViroScience and Cure, and the Laboratory of Biochemical Pharmacology at Emory University. Dr. Schinazi holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Bath, England (1976). Dr. Schinazi has authored over 600 peer-reviewed papers and 6 books and holds over 100 issued US patents, which have resulted in 28 New Drug Applications (NDAs). Dr. Schinazi is best known for his pioneering work on HIV, HBV and HCV drugs including FTC (emtricitabine), LdT (telbivudine), and sofosbuvir (Sovaldi). More than 94% of HIV-infected individuals in the US on combination therapy take at least one of the drugs he invented. He invented the first oral drug for HBV infections. He is also the inventor of the use of baricitimid a JAK inhibitor for the treatment of COVID-19 patients. He founded several successful companies including Pharmasset Inc, Idenix Inc, and Triangle Pharmaceuticals. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including: 2018 France’s highest civilian honor, the Légion D’honneur, for saving millions of lives globally; the AASLD Distinguished Achievement Award, and is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). He has also been awarded four honorary doctoral degrees for his innovative life-saving therapeutic and curative work. 

Chief Executive Officer - Vijai is CEO of Marguron, Inc. Previously he was Founder and CEO of Secure Transfusion Solutions, Inc., a company dedicated to increasing the safety and availability of apheresis blood components for use in clinical settings. Prior to STS, he spent nearly two decades as a life sciences institutional investor at private equity firm Arcline Investment Management and hedge fund Origin Capital Management. As a Partner at Arcline, Vijai led supply chain investments in the cell and gene therapy space. Previously, he led corporate finance and investor relations at Onyx Pharmaceuticals, an early gene therapy pioneer. 

Vice President, Finance - Bill is responsible for all financial and administrative functions at Marguron. Previously he served as Vice President of Business Operations at Cocrystal Pharma, Vice President of Finance at RFS Pharma, LLC and Controller at Pharmasset, Inc. With an extensive background in public accounting, Bill has experience in managing the accounting, legal and human resources departments of high growth, early stage biotech companies including fund raising, M&A and licensing transactions.

Legal Counsel, Partner - Sidley Austin LLP. Frank focuses his practice on advising emerging growth companies and investors in the life sciences and technology industries. Working closely with founders, executives, boards of directors, investors and underwriters, Frank counsels clients in a broad range of matters, from formation and spinoff transactions, to financings and public offerings, governance, mergers and acquisitions, strategic collaborations and technology acquisition and licensing matters. Frank has represented company clients, investors and underwriters in over five hundred financings and securities offerings ranging from venture financings to underwritten public offerings, and over one hundred strategic partnering, mergers and acquisitions and commercial transactions.