Robert Ben | Co-Founder and Director, PanThera CryoSolutions Inc
BioLife Solutions

Professor Ben earned his PhD in Synthetic Organic Chemistry from the University of Ottawa in 1994. After completing postdoctoral research and a research position at the National Research Council of Canada, he began his academic career at SUNY Binghamton in 1998 as an Assistant Professor. In 2003, he joined the University of Ottawa as a Canada Research Chair in Medicinal Chemistry and was promoted to Full Professor in 2015. His research is interdisciplinary, focusing on the design and synthesis of cryoprotective agents that inhibit ice recrystallization. These agents improve the cryopreservation of cells and tissues, which is vital for regenerative medicine and cellular therapies. His work combines organic synthesis, bioorganic chemistry, carbohydrates, peptides, and cryobiology. In 2017, Professor Ben co-founded PanTHERA CryoSolutions Inc., a Canadian company dedicated to translating his ice recrystallization inhibitor technology from academic research into clinical and commercial applications. The company now manufactures GMP-compliant small molecule inhibitors (IRIs) and has successfully launched its first formulated product.