Christof Westenfelder, MD
Founder and Chief Executive Officer
Dr. Westenfelder is a Professor of Medicine and Physiology at the University of Utah and Chief of the Nephrology Section of the VA Medical Center. Dr. Westenfelder has extensive experience in clinical and basic research in the field of adult stem cell biology, stem cell translational research with an emphasis in the fields of transplantation medicine and renal and critical care. In addition, Dr. Westenfelder is an internationally recognized expert on the biology and clinical uses of erythropoietin and treatment of acute kidney and multi-organ failure. Dr. Westenfelder has successfully founded a number of companies including Nephrogen, SymbioCellTech, LLC and Nephrocelltech, and he holds numerous patents pertinent to SCT’s technology. He has obtained an IND from the FDA for the conduct of a successful Phase I Trial in which the safety and kidney protective activity of allogeneic, bone marrow-derived Multipotent Stromal aka Mesenchymal Stem Cells was demonstrated.
Axel Zander, MD
Co-founder and Vice President
Dr. Zander is emeritus Professor of Medicine and Manager of the Bone Marrow Transplantation Center at the University of Hamburg in Germany. Dr. Zander is an internationally recognized expert in bone marrow transplantation and stem cell research, with particular expertise in novel clinical uses of adult stem cells in regenerative medicine. Dr. Zander has founded and co-founded a number of companies including Nephrogen, SymbioCellTech, LLC and Stem Cell Rescue, and he holds numerous patents related to stem-cell therapy.
Anna Gooch, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
Dr. Gooch has fifteen years experience in Cell Therapy & Regenerative Medicine research and commercialization. Her vast operational experience includes Clinical Operations Manager at Allocure, Inc., a biotech company founded in Salt Lake City, Utah, focused on developing cellular therapies for acute kidney injury (AKI). While at allocure, Dr. Gooch successfully led the scientific team through all preclinical studies and a successful IND application for cultured mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). Dr. Gooch was directly responsible for cellular manufacturing and banking protocols and assisted in chemistry, manufacturing & control (CMC) oversight. Dr. Gooch also supervised and managed all laboratory operations in support of a Phase 1 Clinical trial utilizing MSCs for a novel cellular treatment of acute kidney injury (AKI) in high risk cardiac surgery patients. Dr Gooch received her Ph.D. in Cellular, Viral and Molecular Biology from the University of Utah.
Travis Manning
Chief Operating Officer / Controller
With over 25 years experience in financial leadership, Travis has led company-wide financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting, ensuring alignment with strategic goals. He has managed financial reporting, investor relations, and led fundraising initiatives, including convertible notes and Series A funding. Travis developed key performance metrics (KPIs), reorganized profit and loss systems, and transitioned operations to cloud-based platforms, improving efficiency and operational transparency. He successfully founded, developed, and sold a business consulting practice, while providing financial oversight and market analysis to optimize pricing strategies and drive growth. Holds a business finance degree from the University of Utah.
Leanne Swenson, MD
Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Swenson is a practicing endocrinologist with extensive scientific training in the field of diabetes and its treatment. She will contribute to the design of clinical trials and oversee their conduct.
Eric Goskink, PhD
Strategic Advisor
Dr. Gosink has twenty years’ experience in business and intellectual property development, marketing, and strategic portfolio management with a primary focus on opportunities for early-stage biomedical research that builds upon his prior background in physiology and cellular biology. He has served in advisory capacities for multiple startup companies, held senior licensing and technology transfer roles at major universities, supported development of two business incubators, and launched new commercial programs in bioproduction and next-generation sequencing. Dr. Gosink is an entrepreneurial mentor for the University of California Riverside and serves as a Strategic Advisor for SymbioCellTech.