BAppSc(MedLabSc), PhD, FASN

Professor Darren Kelly is the Managing Director, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Certa Therapeutics and Founder and Executive Chair of OccuRx, bringing over 25 years of management and research expertise in the life sciences and biotech sector. Concurrent to his Certa Therapeutics and OccuRx roles, Professor Kelly is the Director of Biomedical Research in the Department of Medicine, University of Melbourne, where his research expertise lies in progressing pre-clinical novel interventions and developing experimental models of cardiovascular disease.

Professor Kelly  has published over 200 manuscripts in the field of translational research and novel interventions many of which have had a direct impact on human disease. In 2009, Professor Kelly was a recipient of the prestigious TJ Neale award for outstanding contribution to nephrology. In 2015 he joined the Medical Research Commercialisation Fund as Venture Partner and is a Non executive Director on a number of Boards.

Professor Kelly has proven history in translational research. He was previously Founder, CEO and Director of Fibrotech Therapeutics, a company that developed orally active anti-fibrotic inhibitors to treat underlying pathological fibrosis in kidney and heart failure, which was ultimately acquired by Shire Plc for a record 75 million USD upfront including milestone payments up to 600 million USD.

He has a PhD in Translational Medicine from the University of Melbourne. He is a current member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors, AusBiotech, BioMelbourne Network and a Fellow of the American Society of Nephrology.

MA, BM, BCh, DM, MRCP, FRCOphth, FRANZCO, FARVO, FAAPPO, ALCM

Professor Keith Martin is Managing Director of the Centre for Eye Research Australia (CERA) and Ringland Anderson Professor and Head of Ophthalmology at the University of Melbourne.

He is also Honorary Senior Research Fellow at the University of Cambridge, Honorary Professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Sydney and a Senior Visiting Medical Officer for the Glaucoma Unit at Royal Victorian Eye and Ear Hospital. Clinically, Professor Martin specialises in the medical and surgical management of complex glaucoma. He is immediate Past President of the World Glaucoma Association (WGA), the largest glaucoma organisation in the world, and remains a Governor of WGA. He is President of the Australia and New Zealand Glaucoma Society.

Professor Martin  is working to develop new treatments for eye disease using stem cells, gene therapy and other techniques as a Principal Investigator at CERA.

He is co-founder of Quethera, a Cambridge-based gene therapy company which has developed a gene therapy for glaucoma that is currently progressing towards human clinical trials. He is also co-founder of Ikarovec, a second gene therapy spin out company from his lab developing gene therapies for common retinal diseases, and a Director of Enlighten Imaging, a CERA spin-out company.

BSc, BCom, MBA, GAICD, CAHRI, PRIMed

Nick founded health & medical research consulting firm Chrysalis which has grown rapidly across Australia since 2016. Nick has extensive experience across health, academia, capital markets and industry, advising boards, CEOs and executives to develop and execute strategies for growth, manage complex innovation and change projects, manage high risk matters and to complete value adding deals, including having raised over $100 million in venture, philanthropic, grant and corporate funding.

Passionate about making a difference and creating positive transformational change, Nick is an active entrepreneur, investor and company builder, working closely with a small number of portfolio companies to support strategy development, execution and technology commercialisation. Nick also sits on several portfolio company boards including as Co-Founder and Executive Chair of MedTech Eudaemon Technologies and Chairman of medical device quality assurance equipment and services business Enersol. Nick was formerly COO at Telethon Kids Institute where he led a significant organisational transformation, substantially growing revenue and is ex KPMG in the UK, Europe and Australia.

Associate Professor Tina Soulis has over 28 years of working in the healthcare (pharmaceuticals and devices), biotechnology, academic research, clinical research and management sectors in senior roles including: CEO of a Contract Research Organisation, Director of a successful ASX200 company, VP of Clinical Strategy and Development with an innovative biotechnology company and now, founder and director of her own full-service capability clinical CRO.

A dynamic and strategic leader, Associate Professor Soulis has an extensive network of stakeholders all over the world and experience in many therapeutic areas across all phases on development.

She holds academic appointments with the University of Melbourne (teaching and supporting undergraduate pharmacology, Masters in Leadership in Science and Master in Commercialisation in Science students).

Passionate about mentoring future industry leaders and advocating for the Australian R&D community, Associate Professor Soulis serves on several therapeutic executive advisory boards, as Australian resident director to a portfolio of overseas entities and advisors many US-based biotechnology companies.

She is a regular invited speaker locally and globally on a broad range of topics on clinical trials, research, innovation and industry collaboration.

Recently, Associate Professor Soulis launched Alithia Life Sciences, where her motivation and mission is to work with her clients to deliver efficient accomplishment of their project, add value to their programs and to ultimately enable improvement of human health and wellbeing.

Associate Professor Soulis is also VP of Clinical Strategy and Development for Kinoxis Therapeutics Pty Ltd, an innovative NIH/NIDA backed biotechnology company developing novel therapies for unmet neurological conditions.

Associate Professor Soulis is one of the few Australian clinical development leaders who has successfully taken products from lab to regulatory approval.

Our leadership team includes deep expertise in trial governance, design and delivery, as well as the use of ethical digital technologies to boost trial recruitment and retention.