About Us
Leadership
O2M team is the world leader in the field of oxygen imaging and its application to biomedical fields and has extensive and complementary expertise in medicine, biology, bioengineering, physics, instrumentation, software, business development, fund raising, and outreach activities.
Mrignayani Kotecha, PhD
PRESIDENT and CEO
Dr. Mrignayani Kotecha is a founding member and CEO of Chicago-based biotech company O2M Technologies. In this role, Dr. Kotecha provides guidance and leadership in prototyping and manufacturing, spin-probes synthesis, fundraising, and outreach. She also leads the “Oxygen Measurement Core” facility that carries out research projects involving oxygen imaging in cancer and regenerative medicine fields in partnership with leading academic, government, and industry members. Dr. Kotecha has 25+ years of experience in magnetic resonance technologies. She is the lead editor of the 2017 Wiley book “Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Tissue Engineering”.
Boris Epel, PhD
CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER
Dr. Boris Epel is an inventor of the core oxygen imaging technology and a founding member of the company. Dr. Epel brings his 25+ years of experience in EPR imaging technology that includes hardware, software, instrumentation, and methodology to advance the technical development of products in the company. His experience and insight into the magnetic resonance experiments have enabled the present new developments in pulsed EPR oxygen imaging, particularly in the realm of electron spin echo imaging. He is the developer of propriety software for EPR spectroscopic and image acquisition, SpecMan4EPR. He is also a professor of the Department of Radiation and Cellular Oncology at the University of Chicago. His recent published shows the first-ever proof of oxygen guided radiation therapy in a mammal cancer model.
Howard J. Halpern, MD, PhD
BOARD MEMBER
Dr. Howard J. Halpern is an inventor of the core oxygen imaging technology and a founding member of the company. He is a professor of the Department of Radiation and Cell Oncology at the University of Chicago. He is a pioneer of EPR oximetry with over 35+ years of experience in the field of oximetry. He is also a practicing oncologist. He has particular expertise in tumor physiology and in vivo oxygen measurements. He also brings insight into cancer physiology and the clinical application of oxygen measurements from his role as a practicing physician.
Advisory Team
O2M’s advisory team members bring complementary and additional expertise to the team.
Pradeep Chintagunta, PhD
Dr. Pradeep Chintagunta is Joseph T and Bernice S Lewis distinguished service professor of marketing at the University of Chicago Booth School. He has specific experience in the marketing practices of small businesses in emerging economies. He advises the O2M team on marketing and fund-raising strategies.
Dr. Harold Swartz MD, PhD, MSPH
Dr. Harold Swartz MD, PhD, MSPH, is a professor of radiology at Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine. He has specific experience with clincial translation of EPR spectroscopic oxygen measurements. He advises the team on regulatory affairs.
Periannan Kuppusamy, PhD
Dr. Kuppusamy is an internationally recognized scholar and accomplished scientist in the field of electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy and imaging. He is the inventor of a novel class of oxygen sensors, called OxyChip, for direct and repeated measurements of oxygen concentration (pO2) in tissues.
Viresh Rawal, PhD
Dr. Viresh Rawal is a professor of chemistry at the University of Chicago. His research group aims at discovering new ways to make complex molecules and developing broadly effective methods for chemical synthesis, with a focus on enantioselective methods. Dr. Rawal is advising O2M on trityl OX071 and related molecule synthesis.
Matthew Rosen, PhD
Dr. Matt Rosen is an assistant professor at the Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Harvard Medical School. His specific expertise is in low field MRI and application of machine learning, dynamic nuclear polarization, and artificial intelligence to improve the signal-to-noise ratio in low field MRI.
Research Collaborators
A diverse network of researchers use our technology, increasing their efficiency towards a cure
Marty Pagel, PhD
Dr. Marty Pagel is a Professor in the Departments of Cancer Systems Imaging and Imaging Physics at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. Dr. Pagel’s research focuses on EPR imaging, CEST MRI, PET/MRI, photoacoustic imaging, for studies of tumor hypoxia, acidosis, vascular perfusion and enzyme activity.
Carl Simon, PhD
Dr. Simon is a biologist in the Biomaterials Group at the National Institute of Standards & Technology. He leads projects on characterization of tissue engineered medical products, cell-material interactions and tissue engineering scaffolds.
Corinne Hoesli, PhD
Dr. Corinne Hoesli is the head of the Stem Cell Bioprocessing Laboratory at McGill University. Her research aims are devoping bioprocesses to produce and transplant therapeutic cells to treat diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.
Mathew Mathew, PhD
Dr. Mathew is a Professor in the Department of Biomedical Science at UIC School of Medicine, leading the Disability Research Lab. He investigates artificial joint simulations, biomechanics and tribocorrosion aspects of implant biomaterials in dentistry and orthopedics.
Joshua Biller, PhD
Dr. Biller is a Principal Chemist at TDA Research, Inc. in Golden, CO. He is currently leading an NCI SBIR Phase I project to develop an in-vivo EPR imaging agent for clinical use.