Olav Bergheim
Founder and Executive Chairman
Olav Bergheim has over 30 years’ experience in creating and managing life science companies. He is a founder of YAP Therapeutics, Inc., in addition to several other life science companies including 3F Therapeutics (acq. by Medtronic), Adagio Medical, Anaxiom Corporation, Glaukos Corporation (GKOS), Prelude Corporation, Metronom Health, Sonendo (SONX), Vessix Vascular, Inc. (acq. by Boston Scientific) and Volcano Corporation (VOLC, acq. by Philips). Mr. Bergheim has served as Director or Chairman of numerous life science companies in addition to his various roles as founder, executive and investor. He is also the founder of Fjord Ventures, a life science venture accelerator located in Laguna Hills, California, where YAPtx was founded in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Heart Institute. Prior to starting Fjord Ventures, Mr. Bergheim spent 10 years at Domain Associates as a company creator and general partner. Prior to Domain, Mr. Bergheims pent 18 years with Baxter Healthcare at US and international locations, where he held various executive leadership and operating roles. Mr. Bergheim was a Corporate VP of Baxter as well as President of Baxter Germany, President of Baxter’s Cardiovascular Group (now Edwards Life Sciences) and General Manager of the Nordic area.
Tyler Kibbee
Chief Operating Officer
Tyler brings significant leadership experience developing innovative and disruptive medical technologies through his collaborations with global thought leaders. Prior to his role at YAPtx, Tyler led PreludeDx from concept to commercial launch and was responsible for building the commercial executive team before his departure to YAPtx. His contributions include setting corporate strategy, driving product development, managing strategic transactions and licensing, executing clinical trials and cultivating relationships with thought leaders. Tyler has been intimately involved in the formation of multiple start-up companies in the cardiovascular, ophthalmic, diabetes and oncology fields through his positions at Fjord Ventures, a California based technology accelerator and venture group. Tyler holds a B.S. from Vanderbilt University in Biomedical Engineering and minor in Financial Economics. Tyler trained as an intern at MD Anderson Cancer Center in the Department of Research. He also holds an M.B.S. in Business and Bioprocessing from Keck Graduate Institute of Applied Lifesciences, a Claremont College.
James Martin, MD, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
Dr. Martin is a physician-scientist internationally recognized for his contributions to fundamental understanding of signaling pathways and genetic determinates of cardiac and organ development, disease, and regenerative biology. Dr. Martin is known for his expertise in mammalian Hippo pathway modulation and organ renewal and is responsible for guiding R&D efforts at YAPtx. The development of YAPtx’s lead asset, YAP101, was developed in a close collaboration between the company and his laboratories. Through this collaboration, proof-of-concept mouse studies totaling over 300 mice and nearly 40 pigs were successfully completed leading to publications in both Nature and Science and Translational Medicine. Dr. Martin holds numerous patents, has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed papers in top journals, and is a frequent speaker at international conferences. He was recently inducted into the National Academy of Inventors and was awarded with the Debakey Award for Excellence in Scientific Research. In addition to his role at YAPtx, he oversees his research labs at Baylor College of Medicine and The Cardiomyocyte Renewal lab at Texas Heart Institute. Dr. Martin is a tenured Professor in the department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics as well as the Vivian L. Smith Chair in Regenerative Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. At BCM, he heads the Center for Organ Repair and Renewal and is a member of the Cardiovascular Research Institute. At Texas Heart Institute, Dr. Martin heads the Cardiomyocyte Renewal Laboratory. Dr. Martin has grants from the NIH, DOD, Leducq Foundation and AHA. Dr. Martin received his MD at University of Texas Medical School and completed surgical fellowships at MD Anderson Cancer Center and University of Texas Health Science Center. He also holds a PhD in molecular biology from University of Texas Health Science Center and a BS from Fordham University.
John Leach, PhD
R&D Director
At YAPtx, Dr. Leach leads the research and development of novel regenerative genetic medicines for cardiovascular and pulmonary indications. He is an internationally recognized scientist who has made significant contributions to understanding signaling pathways and genetic determinates of cardiac and pulmonary development, disease, and regeneration. His work on Hippo signaling with Dr. Martin resulted in the development of the YAPtx technology platform for tissue regeneration and organ repair, which YAPtx licensed from Texas Heart Institute and Baylor College of Medicine. For the first time, this work demonstrated controlled cardiomyocyte regeneration and myocardial repair in mammals. Dr. Leach has been widely published, coauthoring more than 20 peer-reviewed articles in leading journals, and is an inventor of numerous patents. He conducted postdoctoral training at the University of Pennsylvania under Dr. Edward Morrisey, where he made significant discoveries related to the roles of Hippo and Yap signaling in pulmonary disease. Dr. Leach received his Ph.D. in Molecular Physiology at Baylor College of Medicine in the lab of Dr. James Martin and graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a BS in Biological Chemistry.
Andrew Wade
Chief Financial Officer
Andy brings nearly 20 years of broad corporate finance and accounting experience, including nearly 15 years within the medical device industry. Most recently, Andy was Senior Director Finance and Corporate Controller at Lombard Medical, a publicly-traded medical device company. In addition, Andy has held management positions with a number of life science firms, including Fjord Ventures, Alsius Corporation and Cardiac Science. Andy began his career with KPMG and holds a B.A. in Business Economics with an emphasis in Accounting from the University of California at Santa Barbara.
Executive Leadership
Leadership
Founders
Olav Bergheim
Founder and Executive Chairman
Olav Bergheim has over 30 years’ experience in creating and managing life science companies. He is a founder of YAP Therapeutics, Inc., in addition to several other life science companies including 3F Therapeutics (acq. by Medtronic), Adagio Medical, Anaxiom Corporation, Glaukos Corporation (GKOS), Prelude Corporation, Metronom Health, Sonendo (SONX), Vessix Vascular, Inc. (acq. by Boston Scientific) and Volcano Corporation (VOLC, acq. by Philips). Mr. Bergheim has served as Director or Chairman of numerous life science companies in addition to his various roles as founder, executive and investor. He is also the founder of Fjord Ventures, a life science venture accelerator located in Laguna Hills, California, where YAPtx was founded in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Heart Institute. Prior to starting Fjord Ventures, Mr. Bergheim spent 10 years at Domain Associates as a company creator and general partner. Prior to Domain, Mr. Bergheims pent 18 years with Baxter Healthcare at US and international locations, where he held various executive leadership and operating roles. Mr. Bergheim was a Corporate VP of Baxter as well as President of Baxter Germany, President of Baxter’s Cardiovascular Group (now Edwards Life Sciences) and General Manager of the Nordic area.
James Martin, MD, PhD
Chief Scientific Officer
Dr. Martin is a physician-scientist internationally recognized for his contributions to fundamental understanding of signaling pathways and genetic determinates of cardiac and organ development, disease, and regenerative biology. Dr. Martin is known for his expertise in mammalian Hippo pathway modulation and organ renewal and is responsible for guiding R&D efforts at YAPtx. The development of YAPtx’s lead asset, YAP101, was developed in a close collaboration between the company and his laboratories. Through this collaboration, proof-of-concept mouse studies totaling over 300 mice and nearly 40 pigs were successfully completed leading to publications in both Nature and Science and Translational Medicine. Dr. Martin holds numerous patents, has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed papers in top journals, and is a frequent speaker at international conferences. He was recently inducted into the National Academy of Inventors and was awarded with the Debakey Award for Excellence in Scientific Research. In addition to his role at YAPtx, he oversees his research labs at Baylor College of Medicine and The Cardiomyocyte Renewal lab at Texas Heart Institute. Dr. Martin is a tenured Professor in the department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics as well as the Vivian L. Smith Chair in Regenerative Medicine at Baylor College of Medicine. At BCM, he heads the Center for Organ Repair and Renewal and is a member of the Cardiovascular Research Institute. At Texas Heart Institute, Dr. Martin heads the Cardiomyocyte Renewal Laboratory. Dr. Martin has grants from the NIH, DOD, Leducq Foundation and AHA. Dr. Martin received his MD at University of Texas Medical School and completed surgical fellowships at MD Anderson Cancer Center and University of Texas Health Science Center. He also holds a PhD in molecular biology from University of Texas Health Science Center and a BS from Fordham University.
James T. Willerson, MD
Founder
The late Dr. Willerson, was a renowned cardiovascular scientist and clinician. During his career, he served many clinical and executive roles including President Emeritus and President of Texas Heart Institute, President of UT Health Science Center, Chairman of the Department of Internal Medicine at UT Medical School, Chief of Medical Services at Memorial Hermann Hospital, Adjunct Professor of Medicine at BCM and at UT M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Willerson was also widely known for his role in forming and advising many companies in the medical device, pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors. Dr. Willerson received his MD and trained in cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine. He was a clinical Fellow in Cardiology at the Harvard Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and a Clinical Associate at the NIH in Bethesda as well as Chairman of the Cardiovascular and Renal Study Section of the NIH. Awards & Honors: presidency of the Paul Dudley White Society alumni association at Massachusetts General Hospital; AHA's James Herrick Award and AHA's highest honor, the Gold Heart Award; Ray C. Fish Award of THI, member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences; distinguished scientist at American College of Cardiology and AHA; Distinguished Scientist at American College of Cardiology and AHA; namesake of UT’s Willerson Center for Cardiovascular Modeling and Simulation.