SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD

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Scientific Advisory Board

Altucell’s scientific advisory board is comprised of experts in cell engineering, encapsulation, genomics, biomedical engineering, biologics and clinical trials. Their collective experience guides and focuses our scientific and clinical development strategies.  

Dr. Riccardo Calafiore, the world’s preeminent expert on microencapsulation technologies and techniques, Chairs our Scientific Advisory Board.

Dr. Riccardo Calafiore, MD Endocrinologist and Chief Science Officer, Altucell

Professor Calafiore is a physician specializing in diabetes and internal medicine, and is the director of the Laboratory for Endocrine Cell Transplant and Bio-hybrid organs at the University of Perugia, Italy, since 1987. Professor Calafiore has significantly advanced encapsulation procedures, and applied them to diabetes. Dr. Calafiore is pursuing transplantation of microencapsulated Sertoli cells into patients with Type1 Diabetes. This procedure is set up to bypass the other major obstacle of human islet transplantation: the scarcity of human donors. 

Jin-Xiong She, PhD was recruited in 2002 to be the Georgia Research Alliance Eminent Scholar in Genomic Medicine at the Medical College of Georgia. He is also the founding Director of the Center for Biotechnology and Genomic Medicine and Professor, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology as well as the director of two core research facilities for Augusta University and the Georgia Research Alliance: Genomics, and Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry.  Dr. She is principal investigator of the globally recognized T.E.D.D.Y. study, Georgia and Florida sites.  In his academic career, he has authored more than 260-peer reviewed papers, secured over $100 million in research grants, invited to speak globally. He mentored 12 doctoral students, 47 post-docs and 12 faculties. He has founded or co-founded six companies, the latest of which is Jinfiniti Diagnostics, Inc. His academic recognitions include winner of the 1982 Chinese National competition for studying abroad where his studies took him to France and then the University of Florida. He became a naturalized USA citizen in 2000 and is the father of 4 children. 

Emmanuel C. Opara, PhD is a Professor at Wake Forest’s School of Medicine, School of Biomedical Engineering & Sciences, Institute for Regenerative Medicine. He received his PhD from the University of London, England and did his Post-Doc at the Mayo Clinic. He was previously the Director, Diabetes Research Collaborations between the Pritzker Institute of Biomedical Engineering and the University of Chicago’s School of Medicine, and a Research Professor at Duke University’s Department of Surgery. He has earned numerous Academic Honors and Awards, and is the primary inventor or co-inventor of 15 US Patents.

Michael J. DiGiovanna, D.O., CPI, Senior Medical Director of R&D, Altucell 

Dr. DiGiovanna is a Certified Physician Investigator in clinical research and has been the Principal Investigator in over 350 clinical trials. He has been the Chairman of the Family Practice Departments at several institutions, sat on the board of directors for the NY State Osteopathic Medical Society and was the Osteopathic representative to the NY State Medicare Carriers Advisory Committee for many years. He is the author of many publications, including “An Osteopathic Approach to Diagnosis and Treatment.”