Our Team

At X-tosis, we’re a cross-functional team of scientists, operators, and advisors advancing therapies that target mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease.

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Erin Henderson

CEO & President

Naz Bashir, Ph.D.

Board Chair

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Yotam Nismblat, M.Sc.

CSO

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Ofer Shina

COO

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Josh Pan, Ph.D.

Chief of Staff & Head of BD

Varda Shoshan-Barmatz, Ph.D.

Inventor & SAB

Andrew Skibo

SAB Chair

John Abernethy, M.D.

SAB

Matt LaVoie, Ph.D.

SAB

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Gilead Raday

SAB

Doris Snow, Ph.D.

SAB

Russell Swerdlow, M.D.

SAB

Erin Henderson

Chief Executive Officer

Erin Henderson is a senior executive with more than 25 years of experience leading biotechnology companies, building strategic partnerships, and guiding organizations through transformative growth. At X-tosis, she directs corporate strategy, investor engagement, and operational execution, advancing the company’s mission to develop therapies that target mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases.

Before joining X-tosis, Erin served as Chief Business Officer at Onconetix, Inc. (formerly Blue Water Biotech, Inc.), where she oversaw business operations, corporate development, and investor relations. She led the company through major strategic milestones, established collaborations with leading institutions such as the University of Oxford, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and guided multiple therapeutic programs from early development through regulatory interactions.

Erin is also the founder and CEO of The Aetos Group, a consultancy that has provided strategic advisory services to corporations, nonprofits, and government organizations. Her earlier career includes leadership roles at the University of West Georgia, where she directed government, corporate, and foundation relations, and earlier professional experience in site selection, economic development, and engineering.

With a degree in Chemical Engineering from Auburn University and extensive board and advisory experience, Erin combines technical expertise with strategic leadership. Her proven ability to align science, operations, and business strategy uniquely positions her to lead X-tosis in advancing transformative therapies.

Chief Scientific Officer

Yotam Nisemblat

Yotam Nisemblat is the Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder of X-tosis, bringing nearly two decades of experience in neuroscience and drug development. He guides the company’s scientific strategy and directs preclinical and translational programs advancing VDAC1 oligomerization inhibitors for neurodegenerative disease. His expertise spans discovery, IND preparation, and clinical planning.

Previously, Yotam led CNS programs at BioLineRx through Phase I/II trials, served as CEO of ProteKt Therapeutics advancing PKR inhibitors, and directed research collaborations at Minovia Therapeutics, including a major partnership with Astellas Pharma. He holds a BSc from the Technion, an MSc in Neurobiology from Tel Aviv University, and an MBA in Finance and Risk Management from Reichman University, combining scientific depth with leadership in translational biotech.

Chief Operating Officer

Ofer Shina

Ofer Shina oversees strategic execution across X-tosis’s biotechnology programs targeting mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases. He directs operations spanning preclinical planning, regulatory and intellectual property strategy, licensing, and partnership development, aligning scientific progress with corporate growth.

Prior to X-tosis, Ofer co-founded and led a machine-learning SaaS company and later held senior product leadership roles in digital media and ad-tech, including VP of Product at Selectmedia and Senior Product Manager at MinuteMedia. He has designed and implemented operational systems that support regulatory alignment, data-driven decision-making, and efficient R&D milestone tracking. His personal connection to the mission—family PSEN1 background—drives his commitment to scientific precision and ethical execution.

Chief Business Officer

Josh Pan PhD

Dr. Josh Pan is Chief Business Officer and Strategic Advisor at X-tosis, integrating his background in neuroscience, corporate strategy, and venture investment to drive the company’s business development and commercialization efforts. He has extensive experience building start-ups, raising capital, and shaping corporate strategy from early-stage science through IPO.

Josh was an early employee at Athira Pharma, where he rose to Vice President of Corporate Development and External Affairs, leading business development, medical affairs, and investor relations during the company’s growth and IPO. He also founded S-Phase Ventures, advising start-ups and funds on strategy and fundraising. Holding a PhD in Neuroscience and an MBA from the University of Washington, and a BS in Chemistry from Oregon State University, he brings a rare blend of scientific and business expertise to X-tosis.

Strategic Advisory Board

Naz Bashir, Ph.D.

Board Chair

Dr. Naz Bashir is an experienced entrepreneur and executive with more than twenty years of leadership in biotechnology, healthcare, and early-stage innovation. He has successfully built and scaled companies across the biotech, chemicals, biofuels, nutraceutical, and digital health sectors, driving value through licensing, partnerships, and investment strategies.

Naz previously served as CEO of AlgaeCytes Limited, where he developed sustainable Omega-3 oil production, and has held senior roles in biopharma, biosensors, and renewable technologies. Earlier in his career, he managed a university seed fund, achieving technology out-licensing, exits, and an IPO. Today, he is Co-Founder of an Omega-3 company, a Director at Evolutia Venture Partners, and serves on advisory boards and committees including Leela Capital and the Vector Innovation Fund.

In addition to his commercial ventures, Naz contributes as a trustee of World Science Aid, supporting science as a tool for global fairness and safety. He holds a PhD in Chemistry and an MBA from the University of Exeter, combining scientific expertise with strategic business leadership to guide X-tosis as Board Chair.

Scientific Advisor, Regulatory

Doris M. Snow, Ph.d.

Dr. Doris M. Snow is a regulatory strategist with over 30 years of experience guiding biologics, vaccines, and advanced therapeutics from preclinical development through approval. She has held senior leadership roles at Resilience, Ology Bioservices, and DynPort Vaccine Company, overseeing global CMC regulatory teams and building end-to-end regulatory frameworks for highly complex products and technologies. As founder of Snow Mountain Solutions, she continues to advise companies on FDA interactions, dossier development, and early-phase GxP compliance, bringing deep expertise in successfully accelerating innovative therapies to patients worldwide.

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Scientific Advisor, Scientific Operation

Gilead Raday

Gilead Raday is a biopharma executive and entrepreneur with extensive experience advancing life-science innovation from discovery through FDA approval. He is COO and Head of R&D at RedHill Biopharma, where he has led global development programs across multiple therapeutic areas, and Co-Founder of RAD Therapeutics, developing peptide-mimetics for oncology. With earlier roles as Interim CEO of Sepal Pharma and Partner in Life Sciences at Charles Street Securities, and academic training in neurobiology (Hebrew University) and bioscience enterprise (University of Cambridge), he combines scientific, clinical, and regulatory expertise with business strategy to accelerate innovative therapies.

Scientific Advisory Board

Prof. Varda Shoshan-Barmatz

Head of the Scientific Advisory Board

Prof. Varda Shoshan-Barmatz – Head of the Scientific Advisory Board
Prof. Varda Shoshan-Barmatz is one of the world’s leading experts in mitochondrial biology and apoptosis, recognized for groundbreaking discoveries that reshaped our understanding of cell life and death. She is a Full Professor at Ben-Gurion University and the founding Director of the National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev (NIBN), which she led for over a decade to bridge basic science and applied biotechnology.

Her pioneering research on the mitochondrial protein VDAC1 established it as a master regulator of metabolism and apoptosis, and a critical therapeutic target in cancer, Alzheimer’s, type 2 diabetes, autoimmune, and metabolic diseases. Prof. Shoshan-Barmatz identified the role of VDAC1 oligomerization in apoptosis and developed first-in-class small molecules, including VBIT-4, that protect against mitochondrial dysfunction, inflammation, and neurodegeneration.

She has translated laboratory breakthroughs into multiple biotech ventures, including ViDAC Pharma, Pepto-Pharm, and Rad-Therapeutics, advancing novel therapies for cancer and other diseases. Her work is protected by more than 20 patent families and supported by over 195 peer-reviewed publications, with an H-index of 70 and more than 15,000 citations.

Prof. Shoshan-Barmatz has been recognized with numerous honors, including the Teva Founders Award for pioneering cancer research, the Ben-Gurion Award for her scientific leadership, and election as a Fellow of the International Union of Physiological Sciences Academy. In 2024, the journal Biomolecules dedicated a special issue to her career, acknowledging her central role in advancing mitochondrial science.

As Head of the X-tosis Scientific Advisory Board, she brings unmatched expertise in mitochondrial dysfunction and a visionary approach to translating discoveries into therapies that aim to stop Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases at their root cause.

Dr. Matthew LaVoie, Ph.D.

Dr. Matthew LaVoie is Professor of Neurology and the Fixel Family Endowed Chair at the University of Florida, where he directs the Center for Translational Research in Neurodegenerative Disease. His research focuses on uncovering the molecular triggers of Parkinson’s and related disorders, with major contributions to understanding LRRK2, parkin, and mitochondrial dysfunction. He has served on the scientific boards of the Parkinson Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation, and continues to advance therapeutic strategies that target the earliest pathways driving neurodegeneration.

Russell H. Swerdlow, M.D

Dr. Russell Swerdlow is the Gene and Marge Sweeney Professor of Neurology at the University of Kansas and Director of the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center. A pioneer of the “mitochondrial cascade hypothesis” of Alzheimer’s disease, his work bridges basic, translational, and clinical research on bioenergetics and aging. He has led multiple NIH-funded trials exploring therapies that target mitochondrial dysfunction and is internationally recognized for advancing the field of “bioenergetic medicine” as a path to treating neurodegeneration.

Andrew Skibo

Dr. Stacey Curtis is Clinical Associate Professor and Assistant Dean for Clinical Education at the University of Florida College of Pharmacy, where she directs experiential learning and postgraduate training. She also serves as Director of Well-Being & Resilience, supporting student development and clinical practice readiness. With experience leading curriculum design, mentoring, and residency programs, she contributes valuable expertise in clinical pharmacy and education that strengthens the translational and clinical impact of X-tosis’s research efforts.

John H. Abernethy, M.D

Dr. John H. Abernethy is a physician and clinical leader with over 20 years of experience in family medicine, addiction medicine, and translational research. Board certified in both family and addiction medicine, he has directed or overseen more than 60 clinical trials across pain management, CNS disorders, vaccines, and opioid use disorder, serving as Principal Investigator, medical director, and sponsor representative. He has held senior roles at Ology Bioservices (now Resilience), where he guided medical countermeasure programs for trauma, wound healing, and neurological disorders, and currently serves as CEO of Serodopa Therapeutics while also contributing as faculty at the University of Central Florida and the University of Florida. With a proven record in advancing NDAs and bridging clinical development with regulatory success, he brings vital expertise in trial design, pharmacovigilance, and translational medicine to X-tosis’s Scientific Advisory Board