Our Team
Michael Tangrea, Ph.D.
Chief Executive Officer
Michael Tangrea, Ph.D. is currently an Endowed Professor in the Biology Department at Loyola University Maryland. He is an internationally recognized innovator in molecular pathology and tissue microdissection. Dr. Tangrea spent over 12 years at the National Cancer Institute in the Lab of Pathology and Surgery Branch. He then led a translational research lab at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, where he started Maryland’s first business incubator in a community hospital. Dr. Tangrea graduated with his bachelors degree from Loyola University Maryland majoring in Biology with a Fine Arts minor and received his PhD from the University of Maryland in Molecular and Cellular Biology. With over twenty years’ experience in cancer research and technology develop, Dr. Tangrea brings a wealth of knowledge to inLUCEO Biosciences, Inc. as the company’s first CEO.
David Krizman, Ph.D.
Chief Scientific Officer and Director of Operations
Dr. David Krizman is an entrepreneurial biomedical scientist with a history of inventing, developing, and commercializing innovative genomic, proteomic, and histopathology technologies. During his tenures at the US National Human Genome Research Institute and National Cancer Institute, Dr. Krizman developed novel genomic technologies for identifying gene sequences, evaluating gene expression in cancer tissue, and was instrumental in establishing the Cancer Genome Anatomy Project (CGAP). He co-founded Expression Pathology Inc. and was instrumental in establishing a CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited companion diagnostic laboratory for proteomic analysis of cancer patient tissue. Dr. Krizman has also provided expertise to the Biological Technology Office of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of the US Department of Defense. He brings his broad and vast experiences to inLUCEO in its quest to revolutionize patient tissue analytics and re-envision the clinical anatomic pathology landscape.
Michael Emmert-Buck, M.D., Ph.D.
Chief Medical Officer
Dr. Michael Emmert-Buck is a physician-scientist with over 20 years as principal investigator and Director of the Pathogenetic Unit at the National Cancer Institute (NIH). He has published >200 research manuscripts and book chapters, is one of the original inventors/developers of Laser Capture Microdissection and is a recognized leader in the tissue microdissection field. During his time at the NCI, he invented multiple processes and applications in the tissue microdissection field, was a member of the NCI LCM commercialization team, and served as Director of the NIH LCM Core Laboratory. Dr. Emmert-Buck also has extensive entrepreneurial experience through his inventing, or co-inventing, multiple novel technologies used as the founding IP for multiple startup companies. He is a co-founder of inLUCEO Biosciences Inc. and is the co-inventor of its foundational Micropurification technology. Dr. Emmert-Buck’s current focus is to galvanize inLUCEO’s commercialization of Micropurification technology to revolutionize and reshape the patient tissue analysis field for research and clinical anatomic pathology applications.
Marlene Darfler
Chief Product Officer
Marlene Darfler is a biotechnology professional with extensive experience in molecular/cellular biology product development, technology transfer, and commercialization in the life science research products and diagnostics markets as a former senior research scientist at Life Technologies, Inc. She co-founded Expression Pathology Inc., where she co-invented technologies for proteomic profiling of formalin fixed tissue and tissue laser microdissection. She was instrumental in establishing the manufacturing capabilities and marketing of these technologies. Ms. Darfler was instrumental in establishing the CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited diagnostic laboratory at OncoPlex Diagnostics focused on testing tumor cell proteins using mass spectrometry analysis. At OncoPlex Diagnostics she supervised clinical laboratory operations and was instrumental in transitioning laboratory operations after its acquisition to NantOmics. Ms. Darfler brings this valuable career experience to inLUCEO efforts in transforming precision medicine analytics of patient tissue.
Kathleen Bengali
Senior Scientist
Kathleen Bengali has been involved in many aspects of cancer research, drug development, and proteomics during her career. She has managed laboratories in both academics and the biotechnology industry. She is well versed in techniques of cell culture, IHC, tissue analysis, genomics, proteomics, and laser capture microdissection and was instrumental in establishing the CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited diagnostic laboratory at OncoPlex Diagnostics. Ms. Bengali was also instrumental in transitioning laboratory capabilities and protocols to NantOmics after its acquisition of OncoPlex Diagnostics. Ms. Bengali brings her vast expertise to inLUCEO in its quest to transform Precision Medicine analytics of patient tissue.
Sarah Laun, Ph.D.
Scientific Advisor
Dr. Sarah Laun has extensive experience in molecular and cellular biology research with a focus on cancer research. She specializes in development, adaptation, and optimization of assays and diagnostics. Sarah has been involved in academia, translational research, biotechnology startups, and has been instrumental in developing MicroPur™ Technology. Dr. Laun will bring her experiences to further advise development of MicroPur™ Technology and expand its applications while exploring new scientific endeavors for inLUCEO.