Russ Hullet
CHAIRMAN/CEO
Russ has over 35 years of experience in real estate development, having developed and invested in commercial retail/office, residential, apartment buildings, vacation rentals and vacant land. Many of these projects involved extensive renovations for which he was the general contractor or project supervisor.
He also has more than 25 years of experience conducting in-depth due diligence and investing in venture capital, private equity and startups, including in the biotech industry.
After thorough due diligence in Summit Biolab’s disruptive new direct-to-PCR technologies, Russ became the lead investor for the capital that Summit raised to launch its operations and laboratory at the Fitzsimons/CU Anschutz Medical Campus, where the company generated over $14,000,000 in revenue in its first 16 months of operations, earning gross margins of more than 70%. Summit’s remarkable success led Russ to the formation of Transformative Biotech, LLC, and the eventual acquisition of Summit Biolab’s direct-to-PCR intellectual property.
Whether it’s a real estate project or life science business investment, Russ works with a strategic eye for the most promising projects regardless of location or sector. He then proceeds with meticulous due diligence, learning every facet of the opportunity before proceeding with an investment. For projects in which he has an ongoing management role, Russ insists on a high levels of quality, integrity and performance, so that tenants, customers or colleagues will be drawn to participate. He has board (including Treasurer) level experience with private and nonprofit organizations.
Russ is currently working diligently on his ping pong skills, playing with his father-in-law and friends. He’s taken up a new sport of riding an electric hydrofoil, and plays finger-style guitar. Until the pandemic began, he and his wife hosted Living Room Live house concerts (and will again!) with nationally touring singer songwriters.
Barbara Handelin, PhD
Board Member
Dr. Handelin is cofounder of a nonprofit think tank, The 90 – 10 Institute. The name arises from a disturbing statistic: we only have medicines to address 10% of human diseases. The Institute’s mission is to seed a new public benefit biotech/pharmaceutical industry. They are rethinking how the industry can produce far more products that deliver maximum health at costs that are accessible to all patients and fit in a sustainable healthcare economy.
Previously, she was the cofounder and CEO of Audacity Therapeutics, a public benefit (B Corp) pharmaceutical company and BioPontis Alliance for Rare Diseases, a nonprofit organization dedicated to bringing new therapies forward for rare genetic diseases. She is a veteran entrepreneur and molecular medical geneticist who has pioneered the responsible application of genetics and molecular innovation to medicine over a 35 year career.
In 1987 Dr. Handelin established one of the first commercial DNA testing laboratories at Integrated Genetics (later Genzyme Genetics). After co-founding a gene therapy company in 1995 (Genovo), Dr. Handelin began her own consulting services to venture capital investors, start ups, biomedical universities, biotechnology, diagnostics, genomics, pharmacogenomics and bioinformatics companies. She also founded a biosimulation company, Kenna Technologies, where she has served as CEO until its acquisition by DNA Print Genomics in October 2005. In 2010 she co-founded BioPontis Alliance, a novel Fund designed to bridge the gap between academic science and the product pipelines of the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industries. Dr. Handelin served 3 years on the board of RedPath Integrated Pathology, Inc. and on advisory boards of several genomics companies (e.g. EXACT Sciences). She served 10 years as a board member of the IRB education nonprofit organization Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research (PRIM&R), as well as on a variety of federal committees and advisory panels on ethics in genetic testing, including the Secretary’s Advisory Panel on Genetics, Health and Society. Dr. Handelin took her Ph.D. at the Oregon Health Sciences University with thesis work completed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and has authored journal publications in human genetics, bioethics for industry and genetics education. Dr. Handelin holds a Non-Profit Management Certificate from the University of Delaware.
Shelle Pourmanafzadehardabili
Business Development
Shelle is a dynamic business leader and seasoned consultant known for steering companies toward their objectives through astute strategic planning and innovative execution. Shelle’s roles have covered diverse areas including business development, ISO certification, M&A, brand strategy and corporate communications.
From 2022 – 2022, Shelle worked with Summit Biolabs to help launch their direct-to-PCR technologies from the initial certification of their CLIA lab through the growth and management of their high-volume testing lab and R&D facility. She is excited to continue the work to deploy these technologies with Transformative Biotech.
