Ray Takigiku, Ph.D.
President and CEO
Previously was Director of Discovery Core Technologies, Analytical and Bioanalytical
for Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals, and also Interim co-Director of the Genome
Research Institute (now Metabolic Diseases Institute) of the College of Medicine,
University of Cincinnati. Dr. Takigiku has extensive experience in leading and leveraging
multifunctional teams for developing and implementing new technologies to discover,
develop and provide technical support for pipeline and marketed drugs. He was part
of the leadership team behind the blockbuster drug Actonel®. At P&G, Dr. Takigiku
worked with global business units inside and outside of healthcare, testing and
developing new models of innovation.
In addition to being a Director at Bexion, Dr. Takigiku serves on a number of Boards,
including Health Source of Ohio. Dr. Takigiku received his undergraduate degrees
from the University of Colorado, and Ph.D. from Indiana University.
Ellen Monson, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President
Previously was Director of Intellectual Property Office, University of Cincinnati
where she oversaw patenting and licensing of the university’s intellectual assets. Industry experience includes a position
as a Senior Research Scientist at Eli Lilly and Co in biological product development.
Dr. Monson received her Ph.D. (1994) in Biology from the University of California,
San Diego and completed her Post-doctoral work at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research
Center and Princeton University.
Kevin Xu, M.D., Ph.D., M.B.A.
Vice President, Global Operations
Previously was Senior Research Scientist at Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals. Practiced
in clinical medicine, surgery, biomedical and drug research, Dr. Xu co-founded Bexion
with Dr. Ray Takigiku and Dr. Xiaoyang Qi.
Dr. Xu received his medical training from the Medical College of Peking University,
China, and his Ph.D. (Tumor Biology) from the Mayo Graduate School of the Mayo Clinic,
Minnesota. He has an M.B.A. from Xavier University, Ohio.
Margaret van Gilse, M.B.A.
Vice President, Business Development
Previously was Vice President, Business Development for PrimeDP, a global drug development
consulting company, where she supported life science projects and product registrations,
and managed local and regional government and business relations. Ms. van Gilse
has over 25 years of business development, strategic planning and fund raising experience
with entrepreneurial companies in multiple healthcare segments.
Ms. van Gilse serves as a board member for the Kentucky BioAlliance, Gateway Community
and Technical College Foundation and the Northern Kentucky University Health Care
Informatics boards. She received her undergraduate degree in Biology from Thomas
More College and her MBA from Xavier University.
Tom Wei, Ph.D.
Director
Previously was the Associate Director of the Research and Development and Quality
Control labs at Coldstream Laboratories. His experience includes the development
and validation of analytical methods for drug substances and products under cGMP
and ICH guidelines.
Dr. Wei received his Ph.D. (1999) in Plant & Soil Sciences (Natural Product Chemistry)
from the University of Kentucky with post-doctoral work in biological activities,
including anticancer and antileukemic activities of plant natural products.