Research & Development Team

Normand Blais

Senior Director Development & Innovation, Biologics

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Paul Mugford

Director, Process Development, Biologics

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Jean-Francois Vincent-Rocan

Director, Complex Chemistry Process Development

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Krista

Krista Affleck

Director, Analytical Development

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Ankur

Ankur Deshpande

Director, Process Development Quality

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Normand Blais – Senior Director Development & Innovation, Biologics

  • 20+ years at GSK, leading R&D activities on multiple vaccine programs
  • Recently held positions in industry include: Senior Director (Function Head), Protein Biochemistry; Director, Antigen Design & Prototype Production; and, Associate Director, Antigen Design and Protein Characterization.
  • Key areas of expertise are:
    • Process development of protein Biologics/Recombinant Antigens
    • Recombinant protein expression (mammalian, insect, yeast, bacterial)
    • Production/design of Viral Vectors, mRNA vaccines, Bacterial outer membrane vesicles
    • Protein Engineering and Structural Biology
    • Defining quality attributes, biophysical characterization of proteins, and analytical strategy
  • Post graduate degrees in Functional Genomics (Université Laval) and Bioinformatics (MIT); M. Sc. Microbiology and Immunology (Laval).
  • 25+ Patent & 5 Scientific Publications

Paul Mugford, Director, Biologics Process Development

  • Ph.D. from McGill University (2006) in Bio-Organic chemistry focused on protein engineering and enzymatic reactions.
  • 17+ years experience in developing industrial biotech processes involving biocatalysis, chromatographic purification, and lipids, along with tech transfer of these process from lab to manufacturing scale.
  • Co-author of 11 publications and patents.
  • Joined BIOVECTRA in 2020.

Jean-Francois Vincent-Rocan - Director, Complex Chemistry Process Development

  • Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of Ottawa
  • Graduate Diploma in Scientific Management and Leadership
  • B.Sc Bio-pharmaceutical Science from University of Ottawa
  • 10+ years’ experience in complex chemistry
  • Joined BIOVECTRA in 2018 and was appointed to Director, Process Development in 2023
  • Facilitated and oversees a collaboration with the Université de Montréal’s Charette Group
  • Author of 14 publications in method and process development

Krista Affleck - Director, Analytical Development

  • Master of Science degree from the University of Prince Edward Island (2002).
  • Hired by BIOVECTRA as a Quality Control Chemist (2002).
  • Joined R&D group as Research Technician in 2003.
  • Joined Analytical Chemistry group in 2008.
  • Promoted to Group Leader on the Analytical Chemistry group in 2012.
  • In 2014, became the Manager, Analytical Support, and Development in the R&D group.
  • In 2018, became the Director, Analytical Development.

Ankur Deshpande – Director, Process Development Quality

  • M.Sc. in Organic Chemistry from The University of New Brunswick (2008)
  • Has 12 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry in analytical services and quality
  • Joined BIOVECTRA in 2010 as a QC Chemist

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  • 20+ years at GSK, leading R&D activities on multiple vaccine programs
  • Recently held positions in industry include: Senior Director (Function Head), Protein Biochemistry; Director, Antigen Design & Prototype Production; and, Associate Director, Antigen Design and Protein Characterization.
  • Key areas of expertise are:
    • Process development of protein Biologics/Recombinant Antigens
    • Recombinant protein expression (mammalian, insect, yeast, bacterial)
    • Production/design of Viral Vectors, mRNA vaccines, Bacterial outer membrane vesicles
    • Protein Engineering and Structural Biology
    • Defining quality attributes, biophysical characterization of proteins, and analytical strategy
  • Post graduate degrees in Functional Genomics (Université Laval) and Bioinformatics (MIT); M. Sc. Microbiology and Immunology (Laval).
  • 25+ Patent & 5 Scientific Publications

Oliver Technow - Chief Executive Officer

  • Industry Master Degree from Frankfurt Chamber of Commerce, Frankfurt Germany.
  • More than 20 years of global pharmaceutical industry experience.
  • Held numerous leadership positions in commercial development, marketing and brand management, and lifecycle management and has extensive product launch and market access expertise in Europe and North America.
  • In 1997, joined Eisai GmbH in Frankfurt, Germany and in 2002, was appointed Director, CNS Business Unit; in 2006, was appointed Vice President, Head of Global Marketing for Eisai Inc. in Woodcliff Lake, NJ;  in 2011, was appointed Vice President, Established Products Business Unit; in 2013, was appointed President & General Manager for Eisai Limited in Mississauga, ON.
  • Appointed President of BIOVECTRA Inc., December 10, 2015.
  • Board Director for BIOTECanada
  • Member of the Steering Council of Innovative Medicines Canada (IMC)
  • In 2017, appointed to the Government of Canada’s Health/Bio-sciences Strategic Economic Table
  • In November 2019, promoted to Chief Executive Officer at BIOVECTRA
  • In June 2020, named new Chair of PEI BioAlliance Board of Directors