The Oregon Bioscience Association is pleased to announce that Dr. Akporiaye has joined its Board of Directors
Dr. Emmanuel Akporiaye has over 35 years of experience as a cancer researcher. His research efforts have focused on understanding the interactions between cancer cells and immune cells that favour tumor growth and spread, and developing novel therapies that are safe, effective, and less toxic while at the same time ensuring that the patient’s quality of life is not compromised. In 2012, Dr. Akporiaye founded, Veana Therapeutics, a clinical stage biotechnology company. As Chief Executive Officer Dr. Akporiaye oversaw and managed the development and production of a novel anti-cancer agent that was advanced to a first-in-human clinical trial at the Providence Cancer Institute and is currently being evaluated in a Phase Ib clinical trial in patients with advanced breast cancer.
Dr. Akporiaye was previously Division Chief of Experimental Biology and Scientific Career Development at Sidra Medical and Research Center, Doha, Qatar. Prior to joining Sidra, Dr. Akporiaye was Chief of The Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Therapeutics at the Robert W. Franz Cancer Research Center in the Earle A. Chiles Research Institute (EACRI) in Portland, Oregon. Prior to joining EACRI, Dr. Akporiaye was Professor and later Department Head of Microbiology and Immunology at The University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona.
Dr. Akporiaye is Professor Emeritus, Department of Immunobiology the University of Arizona and currently holds the positions of Adjunct Member at the EACRI and Adjunct Scientist at Legacy Research Institute.
Dr. Akporiaye is a Fulbright Senior Scholar and has served on several national and regional Scientific Review Committees and Advisory Boards focused on cancer immunology and immunotherapy, including The National Institutes of Health, Susan Komen Race for the Cure Foundation, the DOD Breast Cancer Research Program, The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center Ovarian Cancer SPORE and Legere Pharmaceuticals, Inc. He recently completed a 6-year rotation as a Permanent Member of the NIH Transition to Independence Initial Review Group for the advancement of basic and clinical scientists to independent careers.
Dr. Akporiaye holds a Ph.D. in Microbiology from the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, and completed his post-doctoral training in cancer biology and immunology in the Life Sciences Division at The Los Alamos National Laboratory. He has authored over 70 peer-reviewed scientific publications and is a recognized expert in immune modulation of the tumor microenvironment to improve cancer immunotherapy.