About Us
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Founder and President
Haiyan Fu
Haiyan Fu is the founder and the President of NeuroGT, Inc. She has over 2 decades of experience in AAV-based gene therapy research and development treating neuropathic lysosomal storage diseases. Her pioneering research has led to four IND approvals for systemic gene replacement therapy using trans-blood-brain-barrier neurotropic AAV9 vectors. With extensive experience in neurodegenerative disease models, translational medicine, and therapeutic development, Dr. Fu has dedicated her career to advancing life-saving gene therapies to treat children with devastating Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) disorders. She was trained in medicine, and also holds a MS in medical microbiology and a PhD in virology.
CEO
Rich Giersch
Rich Giersch is a dynamic life science CEO with a proven track record in technology commercialization, venture development, and innovation leadership. As founder and former CEO of a neurodiagnostic company, he secured significant funding, negotiated key technology licenses, and led regulatory preparation, positioning the company to complete two clinical trials. Previously, Rich spearheaded initiatives that drove research commercialization, expanded innovation programs, and launched accelerator networks supporting life science startups. His leadership extended to overseeing multi-million-dollar research initiatives focused on regenerative medicine and biotechnology advancements. Most recently, Rich spent five years leading Seattle, WA based Life Science Washington Institute to advance life science commercialization in the state of Washington. A recognized industry leader, he has served on multiple advisory boards and review panels, shaping the future of biotech innovation through strategic guidance and investment in groundbreaking medical technologies.
Chief Scientific Officer
Douglas McCarty
Douglas McCarty joined the company as the Chief Scientific Officer. He is a leading scientist in AAV gene therapy development, with over 35 years of research experience in AAV biology, vector engineering, vector production, preclinical research, and translational gene therapy. He is the inventor of the self-complementary AAV vector. His work has been instrumental in the development of AAV9-based gene delivery for rare genetic and neurodegenerative diseases, and led multiple IND-enabling studies. He has played a key role in the development of gene therapies designed to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB), addressing the challenges of targeted gene delivery and long-term therapeutic efficacy. Dr. McCarty has held key positions in academia and biotech, driving the advancement of transformative gene therapies. He received a PhD in Molecular Biology from University of Florida
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Founder and President
Haiyan Fu
Haiyan Fu is the founder and the President of NeuroGT, Inc. She has over 2 decades of experience in AAV-based gene therapy research and development treating neuropathic lysosomal storage diseases. Her pioneering research has led to four IND approvals for systemic gene replacement therapy using trans-blood-brain-barrier neurotropic AAV9 vectors. With extensive experience in neurodegenerative disease models, translational medicine, and therapeutic development, Dr. Fu has dedicated her career to advancing life-saving gene therapies to treat children with devastating Mucopolysaccharidoses (MPS) disorders. She was trained in medicine, and also holds a MS in medical microbiology and a PhD in virology.
Co-founder
Xiaomei Li Reckford
Xiaomei Li Reckford is the co-founder of the company. She has over 25 years experience in the pharmaceutical, biotech and CRO industries. She advises biotech, pharmaceutical, medical device, and diagnostic start-up companies to achieve regulatory and commercial goals in the United States and Asia. She served as Quintiles CEO of the Greater China region (PR China, Hong Kong, Taiwan) and Vice President for China Development and Global sales and Customer management. Prior to joining Quintiles, she was head of Asia Operations for PharmaResearch Corp, a North Carolina-based contract research organization. She was the founder of a regulatory consulting firm, Exelar China Ltd. She received a PhD in Pharmacology from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
Director of Community Engagement, CPN
Jennifer Siedman
Jennifer is the Director of Community Engagement for Courageous Parents Network (CPN), a web/mobile platform whose mission is to empower, support and orient parents and providers caring for children with life-limiting illness. A bereaved mom, she serves as president of Ben’s Dream: Sanfilippo Research Foundation and has worked with researchers and patient advocacy groups worldwide to fund and advance gene therapies to the clinical trial stage. In addition to co-authoring Supporting Families Considering Participation in a Clinical Trial, she has been recognized with a Boston Celtics Heroes Among Us award, Global Genes RARE Champion of Hope and Sanofi Torch Award. She received her MEd from Lesley University.
Board member
Ben Lundin
Ben is an investor, advisor, and entrepreneur, assisting several venture capital and private
equity firms with their investments in technology and healthcare. Previously, Ben was Chief
Strategy Officer at Advantia Health, one of the nation’s largest and fastest-growing providers of
women’s health services. Before Advantia, Ben was co-founder & CEO of Pacify Health, a care
management and telemedicine platform that he led through several venture rounds,
nationwide expansion, and a sale to Advantia in early 2019. Early in his career, Ben spent 5
years at McKinsey & Company, where he served large health systems and payers on strategic
and operational projects. Ben has also lectured and taught at several business schools,
including Georgetown University and UNC Chapel Hill. Ben received his BA from UNC Chapel
Hill, where he was a Morehead Scholar, and his MBA from Oxford University, where he was a
Rhodes Scholar.
Board member
Leslie Alexandre
Leslie Alexandre has earned a stellar reputation as a board director and organizational leader based on her robust experience, exceptionally broad perspective and impressive contributions across the health care and life science sectors, including having secured more than a billion dollars of public and private investment to advance North Carolina’s biotechnology economy while serving and President and CEO of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center. Most recently, Dr. Alexandre served as President, CEO and Board Director at Life Science Washington where she transformed and revitalized the 501(c)(6) industry association with new branding, staff development and infrastructure; launched and directed a 501(c)(3) subsidiary to provide concentrated support for entrepreneurs and their young companies; and successfully positioned Seattle as a top 10 national life science ecosystem. Dr. Alexandre previously served in executive roles at Georgia Regents University Cancer Center, the National Cancer Institute, Oncormed (AMEX:ONM), and EDS (NYSE:EDS). Throughout her career she has advanced strategic objectives, governance priorities and performance of companies, government agencies, institutes of higher education and NGOs through her contributions to more than 20 boards (fiduciary and advisory).