The Biotechnology Board
At the confluence of Bioengineering Biomedicine and business of Biotechnology- Pittsburgh.
A city at the confluence of three rivers Monongahela, Allegheny and Ohio, shines brightly as a hub for global partnerships in Biotechnology.
Pioneers in medicine like Jonas Salk who developed polio vaccine as a local trailblazer, and others like him, have made our region a leader in Biomedicine. Together with a robust Bioengineering and Business enterprise, we are poised to reach greater heights in Biotechnology.
The Biotechnology Board brings together the leaders and the students to create an ecosystem that can be sustainable for the foreseeable future.
The Founders of The Biotechnology Board
Susan Catalano, President
Susan Catalano, President
Susan Catalano, President
Dr. Catalano is a biopharmaceutical industry executive with 25 years of experience in strategic and operational scientific leadership of neurobiology, oncology and gene therapy drug discovery and development companies. She currently advises life science entrepreneurs, and consults as a seasoned executive and subject matter expert. She se
Dr. Catalano is a biopharmaceutical industry executive with 25 years of experience in strategic and operational scientific leadership of neurobiology, oncology and gene therapy drug discovery and development companies. She currently advises life science entrepreneurs, and consults as a seasoned executive and subject matter expert. She served as the Chief Scientific Officer & Advisor at Capsida and CODA Biotherapeutics, and co-founded Cognition Therapeutics where she was the Chief Science Officer and a member of the Board of Directors. Under Dr. Catalano’s leadership, the company scaled from an idea through a full Phase 2 clinical program to an initial public offering in October 2021 (NASDAQ: CGTX).
In her early career, she held scientific leadership positions at Acumen Pharmaceuticals, Rigel Pharmaceuticals, and Roche. She is a recipient of the Pittsburgh Venture Capital Association Outstanding Entrepreneur Award, the Carnegie Science Center Entrepreneur Award, and the Ernst & Young Entrepreneurial Winning Women Award.
She has authored numerous publications and patents and served as principal investigator of several NIH preclinical and clinical awards. At the national level, Dr. Catalano actively participates on three NIH External Advisory Boards and two Editorial Boards for peer reviewed scientific journals. Susan received her B.A. from Barnard College/Columbia University and a Ph.D. in neurobiology from U.C. Irvine, with postdoctoral training at U.C. Berkeley and Caltech.
Kanak Iyer, Vice President
Susan Catalano, President
Susan Catalano, President
Kanak Iyer, Ph.D
President and CEO, Kanakadhara Financial Enterprise , Registered Investment Advisors
Providing individual and business financial advice regarding estate planning, retirement planning,
college education , charitable giving and others.
Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, as an academic, Dr.Iyer, did Postdoc
Kanak Iyer, Ph.D
President and CEO, Kanakadhara Financial Enterprise , Registered Investment Advisors
Providing individual and business financial advice regarding estate planning, retirement planning,
college education , charitable giving and others.
Prior to becoming an entrepreneur, as an academic, Dr.Iyer, did Postdoctoral research in
Neuroendocrinology at the National Institutes of Health, and has published in leading journals. Also has a
Masters in Public Health in genetic epidemiology from Johns Hopkins University, to take advantage of
completed mapping of the human genome and help in disease prevention. Her journey health to wealth
is profiled
at magazine.jhsph.edu/..
Dr.Iyer actively promotes Asian-American interest through her following roles
--- Commissioner with PA Governor’s Commission on AsianAmericans.
----Founder and President of AsianAmerican Chamber of Commerce, Pittsburgh
--- Member of the Advisory Council of the Office of Mayor, City of Pittsburgh, providing the Mayor
with a road map to make Pittsburgh welcoming to all and take it to the next level as a Global City
