Experience and Leadership that Goes Beyond Cancer

The management team has deep experience in oncology as well as the safe and effective delivery of nitric oxide–based therapy. Chief Executive Officer Selena Chaisson, MD, brings unparalleled management experience from the finance sector, including 15 years as Director of Healthcare Investments at Bailard, Inc. In addition, they will leverage the expertise at Beyond Air which has already proven the ability to safely harness the power of nitric oxide to treat respiratory disease.

At the patient level, our goal is to provide cancer patients and their families with the confidence that their disease will not recur or metastasize. On a global scale, we are poised to potentially reduce a leading cause of death—cancer.1,2

We are redefining the cancer treatment experience by relieving the tremendous burden that cancer places on individuals, families, communities, and health systems.

Illustration of Nitric Oxide Molecules

Proven Business Record and Clinical Experience in Oncology and Nitric Oxide

Leadership

Selena Chaisson, MD

Selena Chaisson, MDChief Executive Officer & Director

Before joining Beyond Cancer as Chief Executive Officer, Selena Chaisson was the Director of Healthcare Investments at Bailard, where she focused on highly specialized, emerging healthcare opportunities for 16 years. Prior to Bailard, she held senior executive roles at RCM Capital Management and Tiger Management. RCM Capital Management was acquired and then merged with Allianz Global Investors U.S. in 2013.

Selena received a BS in Microbiology in 1987 from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, LA, where she graduated summa cum laude. She earned her MBA and MD from Stanford University in 1992 and 1993, respectively.

Jedidiah Monson, MD

Jedidiah Monson, MDChief Medical Officer

Jedd Monson, a founding partner of cCARE in 2008, oversaw its growth into the largest private practice oncology group in the state of California with a focus on research and excellence in clinical care. In April 2022, cCARE merged with Integrated Oncology Network (ION) resulting in a nationwide oncology and healthcare management group, with a presence in 57 oncology centers across 14 states. He has previously held staff positions at the City of Hope National Medical Center, Valley Radiotherapy Associates, and 21st Century Oncology.

In addition, Jedd Monson is a member of the American College of Radiology and the American Society of Therapeutic Radiology & Oncology. Jedd Monson earned his MD from Stanford University School of Medicine and completed his radiation oncology residency at the Joint Center for Radiation Therapy at Harvard Medical School. During his residency, he received an MPH from the Harvard School of Public Health.

Gavin Choy, PharmD

Gavin Choy, PharmDChief Operating Officer

Gavin Choy joined Beyond Cancer in 2023 as Chief Operating Officer from GT Biopharma, Inc. where he was Chief Clinical Development Officer. He brings over 20+ years of pharmaceutical and biotechnology operating experience. He has successfully managed multiple first-in-human studies in the U.S. and Australia/New Zealand, and late-stage registrational clinical studies globally.

Gavin Choy received his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Southern California and completed residency training at the University of Southern California and at the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, Sepulveda Medical Center. He also holds a Master of Business Administration focused on Health Care from the University of California, Irvine, Paul Merage School of Business.

Board of Directors

Steve Lisi

Steve LisiChairman of the Board

Since 2017, Steve has served as CEO and Chairman of the Board of Beyond Air (XAIR). He brings to Beyond Cancer 18 years of experience as a healthcare investor and 9 years as a healthcare executive with positions of Chief Executive Officer and SVP, Head of Strategy and Business Development.

Selena Chaisson, MD

Selena Chaisson, MDChief Executive Officer & Director

Selena brings to Beyond Cancer her experience of 16 years as Head of Healthcare Investments at Bailard managing the Emerging Life Science strategy and more than 25 years as a healthcare investor overall. She earned her MBA and MD from Stanford University.

Amir Avniel

Amir AvnielExecutive Director

As Chief Operating Officer and Cofounder of Beyond Air (XAIR), Amir brings more than 20 years of executive-level experience in finance, business development, and operations—including mergers and acquisitions—to Beyond Cancer.

Robert F. Carey

Robert F. CareyDirector

Bob has been a board member at Beyond Air (XAIR) since February of 2019. His 30+ years of healthcare industry experience include positions such as Cofounder, President, and Chief Operations Officer of ACELYRIN; Executive Vice President and Chief Business Officer at Horizon; and Managing Director and Head of Healthcare Investment Banking at JMP Securities.

David Dvorak

David DvorakDirector

David brings over 30 years of healthcare executive experience leading global medical device companies. He served at Zimmer Biomet Holdings as President and CEO and led the acquisition and integration of Biomet in 2014. His prior experience includes executive officer with STERIS Corporation, the Board of Directors of St. Jude Medical, Inc., the Advanced Medical Technology Association, and the Orthopaedic Research and Education Foundation.

Greg Berk, MD

Greg Berk, MDDirector

Greg is an independent oncologist focused drug development consultant. He has 30+ years of experience and has served as President of R&D and CMO of GT Biopharma, CMO of Celularity, executive roles at Verastem, Sideris Pharmaceuticals, BIND Therapeutics, Abraxis BioScience, Intellikine, and served on the integration leadership team during the Celgene acquisition of Abraxis in 2010.

Scientific Advisory Board

Frederick M. Dirbas, MD

Frederick M. Dirbas, MDAssociate Professor of Surgery, Division of Surgical Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine

Dr. Dirbas is an internationally acclaimed surgeon and pioneer in the field of breast cancer who has been practicing medicine for over thirty years. Dr. Dirbas’ research seeks to advance breast cancer therapy by refining existing diagnostic and treatment options, and by introducing new methods that reduce side effects and enhance quality of life for patients. Dr. Dirbas was appointed as Head of the Beyond Cancer, Ltd. Scientific Advisory Board in January of 2023.

Dr. Dirbas earned his MD from Columbia University of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. Dirbas completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Health and a General Surgery fellowship at the Stanford University Department of Surgery. Dr. Dirbas is board certified with the American Board of Surgery.

Mark D. Pegram, MD

Mark D. Pegram, MDSuzy Yuan-Huey Hung Endowed Professor of Medical Oncology at the Stanford University School of Medicine, Associate Dean for Clinical Research Quality at the Stanford University School of Medicine, and Medical Director of the Stanford Clinical Translational Research Unit

Dr. Pegram’s breast cancer research is focused on the study of the cancer-associated gene that encodes HER2 and on the development of novel agents in the treatment of patients with HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer. He has authored more than 125 publications in medical oncology, hematology, and biosimilars across different cancer types.

Dr. Pegram earned his medical degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He went on to complete an internship and residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. He concluded his post-doctoral training with a fellowship at the UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine in Los Angeles, CA.

Sunil J. Panchal, MD

Sunil J. Panchal, MDMinimally Invasive Spine and Interventional Pain Specialist

Dr. Panchal is a minimally invasive spine and interventional pain specialist actively involved in the development of novel analgesics, neurostimulation devices, and surgical techniques as well as clinical research protocol designs. He currently serves as the CEO of the National Institute of Spine and Pain and has served as an invited editorial reviewer for Clinical Researcher, Anesthesia and Analgesia, Pain, Pain Medicine, and the Clinical Journal of Pain. Dr. Panchal joined the Beyond Cancer Scientific Advisory Board in December 2021.

Dr. Panchal received his medical degree from Albany Medical College of Union University in Albany, New York and completed a residency in anesthesiology at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois. Following his residency, Dr. Panchal completed a fellowship in pain management at the University of Illinois in Chicago and a Business of Medicine Graduate Program at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.

References: 1. Cancer. World Health Organization. March 3, 2021. Accessed September 14, 2021. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/cancer; 2. Cancer. World Health Organization. Accessed September 14, 2021. https://www.who.int/health-topics/cancer

A Cancer Treatment with a Powerful Systemic Response

Our Approach