Daniel Alkon, M.D.

President & Chief Scientific Officer

Dr. Alkon has served as President and Chief Scientific Officer of Synaptogenix since September 2016 and the Founding Chief Scientific Officer since 2012 . A leader in the field, Dr. Alkon comes to Synaptogenix after 30 years directing programs on the molecular basis of associative memory at the National Neurologic Institute of NIH, and another 15 years as the Founding Scientific Director of the Blanchette Rockefeller. Neuroscience Institute where he and his team developed neurorestorative therapeutics for degenerative disorders of the central nervous system. He also served as the Toyota Chair of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Professor of Neurology at West Virginia University and Research Professor of Biophysics at Johns Hopkins University before joining Synaptogenix.

An internationally recognized pioneer in research on brain-based neural networks, the molecular basis of memory, and degenerative brain disorders, he has authored hundreds of scientific articles as well as several books, including Memory Traces in the Brain by Cambridge University Press, and the popular book Memory’s Voice by Harper Collins.

Dr. Alkon received his B.A. from the University of Pennsylvania, and his M.D. at Cornell University, after which he interned at the Mt Sinai Hospital in New York.

Alan Tuchman, M.D.

Chief Executive Officer

Alan Tuchman, MD, MBA (FAAN) has been with Synaptogenix since 2018, starting as Chief Medical Officer and becoming CEO in 2020.  He is a Clinical Professor of Neurology at New York Medical College and the author of over 30 scientific papers and book chapters.  He is currently in the private practice of Neurology in Manhattan. He served as Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer of Oncolytics Biotech Inc. from 2012-2017 and consults to a number of biotechnology and investment firms. He was as a partner of Xmark Opportunity Partners from 2002 – 2007 and as Executive Chairman of Neurophysics, Inc. from 2003 – 2008. He was the President of the Epilepsy Society of Southern New York from 1992 -1996 as well as Vice Dean for Clinical Affairs at New York Medical College from 1995-1997.

Dr. Tuchman received his MD degree from the University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, and completed his Neurology Residency at the Mt Sinai School of Medicine. Dr. Tuchman received his MBA from Columbia University.

Michael Ciraolo

General Counsel and Chief Operating Officer

Dr. Ciraolo was most recently at Ovid Therapeutics, where he served as senior vice president, chief intellectual property counsel.  Prior to joining Ovid, he was an executive director at Forest Laboratories where he held positions of increasing levels of responsibility.   He has been involved with the development of numerous pharmaceutical products and transactional matters, including mergers, acquisitions and licensing opportunities. Dr. Ciraolo began his legal career as an associate at Baker Botts LLP in New York City, received a Ph.D. in chemistry from Stony Brook University and a J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law.

Ivan Gergel, M.D.

Director

Dr. Gergel currently serves on the boards of Realm Therapeutics, Inc. and Neuraptive Therapeutics. He is also a Managing Partner and Chief Medical Officer of New Rhein Healthcare Investors LLC. Previously, Dr. Gergel served as Senior Vice President, Drug Development & Chief Medical Officer of Nektar Therapeutics. During his time at Nektar, Dr. Gergel supervised clinical research, medical affairs, regulatory affairs and drug safety and surveillance. Prior to this role, Dr. Gergel served as Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President, Research & Development of Endo Health Solutions, Inc. where he managed a number of programs including clinical, research, regulatory, project management and medical affairs. His responsibilities were particularly directed towards the late-stage development programs and product approvals. Prior to joining Endo, Dr. Gergel held a number of positions at the Forest Research Institute of Forest Laboratories, Inc. including both Senior Vice President of Scientific Affairs and President. During his tenure at Forest, he successfully led development programs resulting in the approval of numerous NCEs for a range of CNS disorders and other medical conditions, including Namenda® for Alzheimer’s disease. Prior to those roles, Dr. Gergel was a senior leader at SmithKline Beecham.

Dr. Gergel received his M.D. from The Royal Free Medical School of The University of London and an MBA from the Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania.

Jonathan Schechter

Director

Since 2008, Mr. Schechter has been a Director of Investment Banking at Chardan Capital Markets, LLC where he has helped numerous microcap companies with restructuring of their balance sheets, financing needs and M&A opportunities. From 2005 until 2007, Jonathan acted as the General Counsel for a hedge fund that specialized in PIPE transactions and structured products.  He also served on the Board of Directors of DropCar, Inc. Prior to these roles, Jonathan worked as a corporate associate for Bryan Cave LLP specializing in representing investors and investment banks in PIPE transactions.  He also represented and advised numerous public companies in all aspects of corporate law.

Mr. Schechter graduated from Duke University in 1995, cum laude, with an AB in political science and graduated from Fordham Law School with a JD. He is licensed to practice law in the State of New York.

Joshua Silverman

Board Chairman

Mr. Silverman joined the Company as a Director and Chairman of the Board in August 2016. He is currently the Co–founder and Managing Member of Parkfield Funding LLC, and is a former Principal and Managing Partner of Iroquois Capital Management.

Prior to forming Iroquois, Mr. Silverman served as Co–Chief Investment Officer of Vertical Ventures, LLC, a merchant bank, as well as a Director of Joele Frank, a boutique consulting firm specializing in mergers and acquisitions. Previously, Mr. Silverman served as Assistant Press Secretary to The President of The United States.

Mr. Silverman received his B.A. from Lehigh University in 1992. In the past five years, Mr. Silverman has served on the boards of directors of MGT Capital Investments Inc., National Holdings Corporation, Alanco Technologies Inc., Protagenic Therapeutics, Inc. and WPCS International Incorporated

Ivan Gergel, M.D.

Director

Dr. Gergel currently serves on the boards of Realm Therapeutics, Inc. and Neuraptive Therapeutics. He is also a Managing Partner and Chief Medical Officer of New Rhein Healthcare Investors LLC. Previously, Dr. Gergel served as Senior Vice President, Drug Development & Chief Medical Officer of Nektar Therapeutics. During his time at Nektar, Dr. Gergel supervised clinical research, medical affairs, regulatory affairs and drug safety and surveillance. Prior to this role, Dr. Gergel served as Chief Scientific Officer and Executive Vice President, Research & Development of Endo Health Solutions, Inc. where he managed a number of programs including clinical, research, regulatory, project management and medical affairs. His responsibilities were particularly directed towards the late-stage development programs and product approvals. Prior to joining Endo, Dr. Gergel held a number of positions at the Forest Research Institute of Forest Laboratories, Inc. including both Senior Vice President of Scientific Affairs and President. During his tenure at Forest, he successfully led development programs resulting in the approval of numerous NCEs for a range of CNS disorders and other medical conditions, including Namenda® for Alzheimer’s disease. Prior to those roles, Dr. Gergel was a senior leader at SmithKline Beecham.

Dr. Gergel received his M.D. from The Royal Free Medical School of The University of London and an MBA from the Wharton School of The University of Pennsylvania.

Paul Coleman, PhD

Paul Coleman PhD, has been an Associate at the University of Arizona (UA) McKnight Brain Institute since 2010 and a Research Professor at the UA Biodesign Institute since 2015.  In 2007, Dr. Coleman was appointed Professor Emeritus at the University of Rochester Medical Center.  Since 1988, Dr. Coleman has served as Editor-in-Chief for the journal Neurobiology of Aging and is currently Editor Emeritus and an Advisory Editor.  Dr. Coleman received an AB in Psychology (magna cum laude) from Tufts University and a PhD in Physiology and Psychology from the University of Rochester.  Following his PhD, Dr. Coleman was supported by the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke as a Special Fellow at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine.

Dr. Coleman has been a pioneering investigator of the pathologic basis of AD.  His work has provided insight into how synaptic network loss and dysfunction are correlated with cognitive decline.  His early work examined dynamic processes of synaptic plasticity. At Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, he developed a method for profiling gene expression in single cells in vitro which he subsequently applied to the postmortem human brain using both mRNA and in situ hybridization methods. Dr. Coleman published one of the first studies profiling gene expression of single neurons in the Alzheimer versus normal human brain.  Dr.  Coleman is the recipient of numerous awards including the LEAD Award: Leadership and Excellence in Alzheimer’s disease from NIH/NIA in 1990 to 1999 (one of 12 ever given), an Honorary Professorship from the Jilin Medical College in Jilin China in 1988 and a Pioneer Award: from the National Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders Association (1999 – 2004).

Martin R. Farlow

(Chairperson) MD.

Martin R. Farlow, Professor Emeritus in the Department of Neurology at Indiana University and co-director of the Alzheimer’s Disease Center at Indiana University, will serve as chair of the SAB.  Dr. Farlow received his medical degree from Indiana University School of Medicine.  Following graduation, he completed an internship in Internal Medicine and a residency in Neurology.

Dr. Farlow’s research focuses on clinical trials of investigational drugs for the treatment of AD and related dementias and has been the lead investigator for several major studies including tacrine, donepezil and rivastigmine.  Dr. Farlow has authored numerous peer reviewed scientific publications and lectured on the topics of aging, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease at more than 300 meetings, conferences, and hospitals/medical schools throughout the world.  He is a reviewer for numerous scientific journals and on the editorial boards of MedLink and Current Alzheimer Research.  Dr. Farlow is a member of many professional associations including the American Academy of Neurology and the American Neurological Association. He is also a founding member of both the American Society of Experimental Neurotherapeutics and the International Society for CNS Clinical Trials and Methodology.

Daniel F. Hanley Jr. MD

Daniel F. Hanley Jr. MD, has been a Professor of Neurology, Neurosurgery and Anesthesia and Critical Medicine at Johns Hopkins Medicine since 1996.  He is a graduate of Williams College and received his medical degree from Cornell University Medical College.  Dr. Hanley has board certification in internal medicine, neurology and psychiatry.

Dr. Hanley is a leading expert on brain injury and has received more than 20 basic research grants, predominantly from the National Institute of Health.  He received the Alexander Humboldt Research Prize for his accomplishments in brain injury research, where he has extensive clinical trials experience.  Dr. Hanley also received the 2018 Distinguished Investigator Award from the American College of Critical Care Medicine.  He is the Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors of the National Stroke Association and the Jeffrey and Harriett Legum Professor of Acute Care Neurology and Director of Brain Injury Outcomes Program.  Serving on the board of Directors of the National Stroke Association, Dr. Hanley leads the Johns Hopkins – Tufts Trial Innovation Center an NIH supported center dedicated to improving the efficiency and quality of clinical trials.  He has published more than 300 articles in peer-reviewed journals.  Dr. Hanley is a member of the American Academy of Neurology, American Neurological Association, Neurocritical Care Society and the Society of Critical Care Medicine.  He served as associate editor for Stroke, Critical Care Medicine, and on the board of International Journal of Stroke.  He also serves as a reviewer for multiple peer-reviewed journals.

Marwan Sabbagh. MD

Marwan Sabbagh, MD, is the new director of the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health and he has dedicated his entire career to finding a cure for Alzheimer’s and other age-related neurodegenerative diseases.  Dr. Sabbagh earned his undergraduate degree from the University of California-Berkeley and his medical degree from the University of Arizona in Tucson.  Dr. Sabbagh received his residency training in neurology at Baylor College of Medicine and completed his fellowship training in geriatric neurology and dementia under renowned AD experts, Leon Thal, M.D., and Robert Katzman, M.D., at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine. Dr. Sabbagh is a board-certified neurologist and geriatric neurologist.

Dr. Sabbagh is a leading investigator for many prominent national Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment trials, including Alzheimer immunotherapy studies.  He is on the editorial board of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease and Associated Disorders, Current Alzheimer’s Research, American Journal of Alzheimer’s and Dementia and BMC Neurology. He has authored and co-authored more than 300 medical and scientific articles on Alzheimer’s research.  Dr. Sabbagh authored The Alzheimer’s Answer—the book’s forward was written by Justice Sandra Day O’Connor—and The Alzheimer’s Prevention Cookbook: 100 Recipes to Boost Brain Health.  Dr. Sabbagh edited Palliative Care for Advanced Alzheimer’s and Dementia: Guidelines and Standards for Evidence Based Care, and Geriatric Neurology.  Dr. Sabbagh is also Editor-in-Chief of the Neurology and Therapy Journal, an international, open access, peer-reviewed, rapid publication journal dedicated to the publication of high-quality preclinical, clinical (all phases), observational, real-world, and health outcomes research around the discovery, development, and use of neurological and psychiatric therapies, including devices.

Lee Jen Wei, PhD

Lee Jen Wei, PhD, is a tenured Professor of Biostatistics at Harvard University since 1991.  He was the co-director of the Bioinformatics Core at the Harvard School of Public Health.  Dr. Wei obtained his B.S in mathematics from Fu-Jen University (Taiwan) and his PhD in statistics from the University of Wisconsin–Madison.

In 1986, Dr. Wei was elected as a Fellow of the American Statistical Association.  Professor Wei was named “Statistician of the Year” in 2007 by the Boston Chapter of the American Statistical Association.   The American Statistical Association gave him the Wilks Memorial Award in 2009 “for statistical methods used in clinical trials,” which is one of the most prestigious awards among all the international statistical societies.  Professor Wei has developed and published a number of novel quantitative methods for analyzing data from experimental and observational studies.  Specifically, Dr. Wei has published many papers on monitoring drug and device safety and related topics.  The resulting procedures have been utilized for various drug and device regulatory evaluations involving safety issues. His extensive experience in quantitative science for making inferences about the drug and device safety is readily applicable to the general industry product safety issues.  Professor Wei’s scholarly writings include over 130 articles in peer-reviewed academic journals.  He is responsible for developing numerous novel statistical methods for practitioners.  Many of these methods have been included in the most commonly used statistical packages.  He has additionally served on the editorial boards of a number of statistical journals and is an elected Fellow of the American Statistical Association and Institute of Mathematical Statistics.

Robert Weinstein

Chief Financial Officer

Mr. Weinstein joined the Company in June 2013 as its acting Chief Financial Officer. He has extensive accounting and finance experience, spanning more than 30 years, as a public accountant, investment banker, healthcare private equity fund principal and chief financial officer.

Mr. Weinstein served as an independent consultant for several healthcare companies in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. Prior to joining Neurotrope, he was CFO at Green Energy Management Services Holdings, Inc., a publicly-traded energy consulting company, as well as CFO at Xcorporeal, Inc., a publicly-traded, development-stage medical device company which was sold  to Fresenius Medical USA, the largest provider of dialysis equipment and services worldwide.

Mr. Weinstein received his MBA degree in finance and international business from the University of Chicago Graduate School of Business, is a Certified Public Accountant (inactive), and received his BS degree in accounting from the State University of New York at Albany.

Elaine Grenier

Executive Director, Clinical Ops

Ms. Grenier has more than 25 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry, with management responsibility for clinical trials in oncology, cardiovascular, central nervous system and genetic disease indications.  Ms. Grenier participated in globalization of clinical development processes for a prominent pharmaceutical company to achieve uniform research standards across all global subsidiaries, with sensitivity to cultural and organizational differences.  Ms. Grenier has provided management and leadership of multiple functional areas for integrated, comprehensive project oversight for US and international research programs.

Ms. Grenier attended the University of Maryland.

David Crockford

VP, Regulatory Affairs

Mr. Crockford has more than 30 years of professional experience in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries.  Mr. Crockford led the development and obtained marketing approval of 18 drug products, 17 immunodiagnostic tests, and an intraoperative medical device. He co-founded and presided over one of the first publicly-held companies in the field of genetic engineering, pioneering the development and commercial application of monoclonal antibodies. Mr. Crockford has organized, presented and led discussions in many face-to-face meetings and teleconferences with a variety of Divisions and Centers (CBER, CDER and CDRH) at FDA. He provided the regulatory strategy and direction and led the clinical development of a regenerative peptide for the treatment of patients with certain ailments including neurodegenerative diseases.

Mr. Crockford is the author of a number of articles and sole inventor/co-inventor of approximately twenty patents and applications disclosing compositions, methods of drug use and delivery. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in biology from Boston University’s College of Arts and Sciences and completed seminars in clinical chemistry, sponsored by Princeton University/Princeton Hospital, and reproductive medicine at Wayne State’s Mott Center for Human Growth and Development and UCLA Medical School.

Charles S. Ryan, J.D., Ph.D.

Chief Executive Officer

Appointed CEO of Neurotrope BioScience in February 2018, Dr. Ryan is an experienced executive with over 20 years of experience in drug development. Prior to joining Neurotrope, he served as CEO of Orthobond, a private company focused on creating proprietary surface modifications to enhance the function of medical devices or pharmaceuticals.  Prior still, Dr. Ryan was VP and General Counsel at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a preeminent non-profit institution focused in neuroscience, bioinformatics, cancer, genomics and plant biology. From 2004 until the acquisition by Actavis plc in 2014, Dr. Ryan was SVP Chief Intellectual Property Counsel for Forest Laboratories, a specialty pharmaceutical company in New York. At Forest Laboratories, Dr. Ryan led hundreds of due diligence teams, managed all aspects of patent and trademark litigations, developed cross-functional teams to establish a global strategy for hundreds of products. Two of the company’s most significant drugs were Lexapro (for major depressive disorders) and Namenda (for moderate to severe Alzheimer’s Disease). He began his career in biotechnology with The Collaborative Group, Ltd., a bioscience company providing development, research and manufacturing services to the pharmaceutical and skin care industries.

Dr. Ryan earned his Ph.D. from Stony Brook University, his J.D. from Western New England University, and his B.A. from The College of Wooster.

George Perry, Ph.D.

Board Director

Dr. Perry is dean of the College of Sciences, professor of biology, and holds the Semmes Foundation Distinguished University Chair in Neurobiology at The University of Texas at San Antonio. He is recognized in the field of Alzheimer disease research, where he has studied every aspect of the disease, including amyloidosis, oxidative stress, cytoskeleton, metal homeostasis, cell cycle reentry, and mitochondria. For almost 20 years, Dr. Perry has been a strong advocate for greater diversity in ideas to move the field forward.

He is distinguished as the top Alzheimer’s disease researcher by Expertscape with over 1,000 publications, one of the top 100 most-cited scientists in neuroscience and behavior, and one of the top 25 scientists in free radical research. He is editor for numerous journals and is editor-in-chief for the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, the most cited and prolific journal in Alzheimer research. He is a fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Texas Academy of Science, the Microscopy Society of America, and past-president of the American Association of Neuropathologists.

Dr. Perry obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in zoology with high honors from University of California, Santa Barbara. After graduation, he headed to Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Hopkins Marine Station and Woods Hole, and obtained his Ph.D. in marine biology. He then received a postdoctoral fellowship in the Department of Cell Biology at Baylor College of Medicine. In 1982, Dr. Perry joined the faculty of Case Western Reserve University, rising to Professor and Interim Chair of Pathology, and currently holds an adjunct appointment.

Bruce Bernstein

Board Director

Mr. Bernstein has over thirty years of experience in the securities industry, primarily as senior portfolio manager for two alternative finance funds as well as in trading and structuring of arbitrage strategies. Mr. Bernstein has served as President of Rockmore Capital, LLC since 2006, the manager of a direct investment and lending fund with peak assets under management of $140 million. Previously, he served as Co-President of Omicron Capital, LP, an investment firm based in New York, which he joined in 2001. Omicron Capital focused on direct investing and lending to public small cap companies and had peak assets under management of $260 million. Mr. Bernstein started his career at Kidder Peabody, where he rose to the level of Assistant Treasurer. Mr. Bernstein holds a B.B.A. from City University of New York (Baruch).

Andrew Perlman

Board Director

Mr. Perlman has served as the Chief Executive Officer of FORM Holdings Corp. (“FORM”) since March 2012, as its President from April 2010 to July 2012 and as a member of its board of directors since September 2009.  He held prior roles as general manager and SVP of Content and Community.  Prior to FORM, worked at Classic Media, Inc, as well as the Rights Group, LLC, a mobile content, marketing and mobile fan club company, where he oversaw mobile marketing campaigns for major international brands such as Visa and Pepsi, and such artists as Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake.

Mr. Perlman holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from the School of Business and Public Management at The George Washington University.

Shana Phares

Board Director

Ms. Phares serves as President and Chief Executive Officer at CRE. Ms. Phares has a long history of supporting the health of the people of West Virginia, having served as Deputy Secretary of the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources from 2003 to 2005, and again starting in September 2009. In that capacity, Phares supervised the Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities and the Bureau for Public Health. During the period between her appointments as Deputy Secretary, Phares served as acting state pharmaceutical advocate in the Governor’s office, helping to increase access to medications and reduce drug costs for Mountaineers in need.

James Gottlieb

Board Director

Mr. Gottlieb has extensive senior level experience in a broad range of positions in Washington, D.C., in the U.S. House and Senate, and in the private and non-profit sectors. During his time in Washington, Mr. Gottlieb directed significant congressional policy and oversight matters regarding the Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) and health-related aspects of the Veterans Administration, the largest civilian health provider in the nation.

Mr. Gottlieb is currently a partner with Capital Counsel LLC, where he leads the commerce team. His clients include a broad range of matters including healthcare, aviation, telecommunications, e-commerce, oversight and investigations and mergers & acquisitions. Prior to joining Capital Counsel LLC and based upon his in-depth experience in legislation, oversight and investigations (including with the FDA) and political roles on Capitol Hill, and foundation management, consulting and strategic advisory roles outside of government, Mr. Gottlieb formed Gottlieb Strategic Consulting, a government affairs firm.  He served as a Board of Directors member of BRNI and serves as Treasurer of Friends of Jay Rockefeller.

Mr. Gottlieb received a B.A. in Business Administration from Michigan State University, a Master of Education from New York University and a law degree from New York Law School.

Charles S. Ryan, J.D., Ph.D.

Board Director

Appointed CEO of Neurotrope BioScience in February 2018, Dr. Ryan is an experienced executive with over 20 years of experience in drug development. Prior to joining Neurotrope, he served as CEO of Orthobond, a private company focused on creating proprietary surface modifications to enhance the function of medical devices or pharmaceuticals.  Prior still, Dr. Ryan was VP and General Counsel at Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory, a preeminent non-profit institution focused in neuroscience, bioinformatics, cancer, genomics and plant biology. From 2004 until the acquisition by Actavis plc in 2014, Dr. Ryan was SVP Chief Intellectual Property Counsel for Forest Laboratories, a specialty pharmaceutical company in New York. At Forest Laboratories, Dr. Ryan led hundreds of due diligence teams, managed all aspects of patent and trademark litigations, developed cross-functional teams to establish a global strategy for hundreds of products. Two of the company’s most significant drugs were Lexapro (for major depressive disorders) and Namenda (for moderate to severe Alzheimer’s Disease). He began his career in biotechnology with The Collaborative Group, Ltd., a bioscience company providing development, research and manufacturing services to the pharmaceutical and skin care industries.

Dr. Ryan earned his Ph.D. from Stony Brook University, his J.D. from Western New England University, and his B.A. from The College of Wooster.

William Singer

Vice Chairman

Mr. Singer serves as President of the Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institute (BRNI), where he serves on its Board of Directors and is Chairman of its commercialization committee. For the past three years, he has guided BRNI in the development of its intellectual property for commercial purposes.

In 1980, he became a partner in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP and was a partner for 25 years. He is an of-counsel attorney in the Chicago office of Kirkland & Ellis LLP, and concentrates his practice on corporate, real estate, and legislative matters. He has been listed in Crain’s Who’s Who in Chicago Business 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, and 2004 editions.

Mr. Singer is a graduate of Brandeis University (BA, 1962) and Columbia University Law School (JD, 1965). Upon graduation from law school, he served as law clerk to the Honorable Hubert Will, U.S. District Court Judge for the Northern District of Illinois.