Dr. Shimasaki is a serial entrepreneur, scientist and businessperson with over 35 years of practical experience in the biotechnology industry. He started his career at Genentech and since then has co-founded nine companies in which he participated in taking five companies public in the U.S. and Canadian stock exchanges. His expertise is in translating basic research discoveries into medically needed products by establishing and building business enterprises in the therapeutic, diagnostic, and medical device arena.

He has held a variety of positions including CEO, Chief Operating Officer, VP of Operations, Executive VP of Research and Director of Project Planning. He has raised multiple rounds of capital, both private and public and has been involved in most every facet of a biotech start-up. He is intimately familiar with the scientific and technical challenges of product development, and he has led international clinical testing and regulatory approval processes for multiple products through the FDA. He has raised multiple rounds of capital for these companies and directed the marketing strategy and launch of several products for molecular testing and personalized medicine.

Dr. Shimasaki has hands-on experience through the breadth of company development stages. He has led multiple products through the FDA approval process and is a co-inventor on multiple patents. His scientific background included epitope mapping for an HIV vaccine, SNP-based genetic breast cancer risk prediction biomarkers, a rapid influenza diagnostic, and therapeutic and biologics for infectious diseases and neuropsychiatric disorders.

He received his BS in Biochemistry from the University of California at Davis, his PhD in Molecular Biology from the University of Tulsa, and his MBA from Northwestern University, Kellogg School of Business. He is an Adjunct Professor and Senior Entrepreneur-in-Residence at the University of Oklahoma, Price School of Business. He has authored and edited three books “The Business of Bioscience: What Goes Into Making a Biotechnology Product”, “Biotechnology Entrepreneurship: Starting, Managing and Leading Biotech Companies”, and a 2nd edition, “Biotechnology Entrepreneurship: Leading, Managing and Commercializing Innovative Products.”  His passion is to translate scientific and medical discoveries into acutely needed life-saving products through the establishment of unique biotechnology companies, so that more patients can live longer, healthier lives.

His subject matter expertise includes: neuroimmunology, virology, protein biochemistry, neuropsychiatric and behavioral illness, CNS disorders, vaccines, diagnostics, precision medicine, biologics and therapeutic development. His entrepreneurial business expertise includes aligning technology with a true market need, strategic planning, CEO mentoring and leadership development, investor presentations and pitches, cross-discipline team integration, defining team member characteristics and core values, Go-to-Market strategy, implementing barriers to entry.