People: Athersys Inc (ATHX.OQ)

Dr. Robert J. Deans, Ph.D., is Executive Vice President - Regenerative Medicine of Athersys Inc., since June 2011. Dr. Deans has led Athersys’ regenerative medicine research and development activities since February 2003, initially as Vice President of Regenerative Medicine, until he was named Senior Vice President of Regenerative Medicine in June 2006, and Executive Vice President in June 2011. Dr. Deans is regarded as an experienced in stem cell therapeutics, with over fifteen years of experience in this field. From 2001 to 2003, Dr. Deans worked for early-stage biotechnology companies. Dr. Deans was formerly the Vice President of Research at Osiris, a biotechnology company, from 1998 to 2001 and Director of Research and Development with the Immunotherapy Division of Baxter International, Inc., a global healthcare company, from 1992 to 1998. Dr. Deans was also previously on faculty at USC Medical School in Los Angeles, between 1981 and 1998, in the departments of Microbiology and Neurology at the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center. Dr. Deans was an undergraduate at MIT, received his Ph.D. at the University of Michigan, and did his post-doctoral work at UCLA in Los Angeles.