Siemens taps Harvard prof to replace interim health care CEO | Personnel Moves

May 16, 2011 By MassDevice staff

Here are the latest personnel changes from medical device, diagnostics and life science companies around the nation. For more recent hirings and firings, check out MassDevice’s compilation of the latest personnel moves.

Siemens taps Harvard prof to replace interim health care CEO
Siemens AG’s (NYSE:SI) healthcare division tapped neuro-radiologist Dr. Gregory Sorenson to replace Randy Hall as CEO of Siemens Healthcare in the U.S. and Canada. Hall has acted as interim CEO since April 2010, when former CEO Michael Reitermann moved to a new role in the company’s diagnostics division. Sorenson, 49, is the co-director of the A.A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging at Mass. General Hospital. The appointment is effective June 1.
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Comparative effectiveness institute names first director
The controversial Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute named healthcare researcher Joe Selby as its first executive director. Selby is a health services researcher who has authored more than 200 peer-reviewed articles. He oversees a staff of more than 550 as director of division research at Kaiser Permanente. As a family physician, clinical epidemiologist, and health services researcher, Selby said he’d like to use his position at the institute to "make a difference in the lives of patients."

Selby will identify opportunities and issues, and implement programs under the authority of PCORI’s board of governors. A key component of the Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act, the institute is an independent non-profit organization focused on comparative effectiveness research, which examines health outcomes and effectiveness of various medical treatments. The effort has met with much criticism from those who argue that comparative effectiveness research negatively affects patient options by giving preference to one-size-fits-all treatments that fail to consider unique patient circumstances.
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Foundation Medicine names new CEO
Cambridge-based cancer diagnostics startup Foundation Medicine Inc. appointed former GE Healthcare head Michael Pellini as president and CEO. He replaces founding CEO Alexis Borisy, who will take the role of chairman of the board of directors.
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Welch Allyn president & CEO to join U.S. Commerce Innovation Advisory Board
U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke named Julie Shimer, president and CEO of Welch Allyn and a member of the Advanced Medical Technology Assn.’s board, to an Innovation Advisory Board assigned to develop a study of America’s innovative capacity and global economic competitiveness. Over the weekend Shimer was also tapped by New York governor Andrew Cuomo to chair the Empire State Development Corp.
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University of the Sciences board of trustees elects two new members
The USciences Board of Trustees elected Marvin Samson, CEO of Samson Medical Technologies, as chairman and Richard Howard, CEO of Advanced Pharmacy Services, as vice chairman. The election follows the recent retirement announcement of chairman Dr. Delbert Payne, who was subsequently elected emeritus trustee.
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Stem cell startup iPierian axes top execs
San Francisco-based stem cell startup iPierian, with high-profile backers including GlaxoSmithKline, Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, Google Ventures and Biogen Idec, terminated several members of the excutive team over the last month. The departures have not been publically announced, but roles have been updated on the company’s website.
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Abiomed board member steps down
Desmond O’Connell Jr., an Abiomed (NSDQ:ABMD) board member since 1995, announced that he will not stand for reelection at the company’s 2011 stockholders’ meeting.
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Echo Therapeutics appoints new CFO
Christopher Schnittker joined Echo Therapeutics Inc. (OTC:ECTE) as CFO, taking over from COO Harry Mitchell.
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Angeion announces new CFO and VP of engineering
Angeion Corp. (NSDQ:ANGN) named Rob Wolf as CFO and Mark Gryzwa as vice president of engineering, effective today. Wolf and Gryzwa report to Angeion president and CEO Phil Smith.
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How gas and liquid valves improving medtech performance and efficiency
While the miniature solenoid valves might be simple in their core technology, their continued evolution makes them valuable and effective components for controlling the flow, direction and pressure of gases and fluids in today’s medical devices. Paul Gant, Emerson Automation Solutions With automated functions, excellent reliability and long life, it’s no surprise that gas and liquid… […]
Astrodyne TDI and Digi-Key Electronics join forces
Power supply and EMI filter manufacturer Astrodyne TDI announced today that it has joined Digi-Key Electronics’ DK+ Marketplace, a new B2B electronics sales site open to suppliers and distributors to offer their products and services on DigiKey.com. This new venture will make Astrodyne TDI’s medical and industrial power solutions available for immediate delivery to Digi-Key’s engineering… […]
How to meet challenges with innovative machining
CNC is a technique for automating control of machine tools using software rooted in a microcomputer affixed to the tool. It is frequently used in manufacturing for machining metal and plastic parts. John Cross, Micro Data drive the accuracy and efficiency of the computerized numerical control (CNC) machines coming onto the market today. The latest… […]
Vexos to manufacture 10,000 ventilators for Canadian COVID-19 patients
Electronics manufacturer Vexos said this week that it has signed an agreement with the government of Canada to manufacture 10,000 mechanical ventilators for COVID-19 patients in that country. The LaGrange, Ohio-based company said it will build the ventilators, known as Mechanical Ventilator Milano (MVM), under an exclusive license agreement with Elemaster Group for the Americas. Vexos said… […]
Merck eyes tiny patches as a vaccine delivery method
Merck has exercised its option to use Vaxxas‘ High Density Microarray Patch (HD-MAP) platform as a delivery platform for a vaccine candidate, the companies announced today. The companies did not disclose what the vaccine candidate is supposed to treat. But Merck this month announced two COVID-19 vaccine development efforts: a collaboration with IAVI and plans… […]
Qioptiq to build new plant in Germany
Qioptiq announced today that it has begun construction on a new factory in Germany. A subsidiary of Excelitas Technologies, Qioptiq will invest about $27 million in the project. Located in the Göttingen Science Park industrial estate, the new site has an initial acreage of approximately 193,750 sq. ft. and will house state-of-the-art ISO 5 cleanrooms… […]
Pioneer Metal Finishing launches surface tech resource
Pioneer Metal Finishing (Green Bay, Wis.) recently announced the launch of Surface Engineering Academy (SEA), an expert-level resource for surface engineering and modification advancement. SEA’s focus on surface engineering and modification stems from the company’s goal to further develop and apply optimized product surfaces. Legacy technologies such as anodizing, plating, adhesives and coatings continue to… […]
Texas-based team seeks EUA for 3D printed emergency ventilator
A team of physicians and engineers developed a hands-free resuscitator bag compression device that can be utilized as an emergency ventilator during the COVID-19 pandemic. As the pandemic goes on and a shortage of vital equipment, including ventilators, continues, a number of companies and research teams from all over have worked to create alternative options. One… […]
Webinar: When is medical power backup essential?
Tuesday, June 9, 2020 2 p.m. Eastern time / 11 a.m. Pacific time When it comes to medical devices, backup power is arguably more important than ever before as the COVID-19 pandemic stretches hospital resources to the breaking point. Our life sciences executive editor Chris Newmarker hosts experts from Astrodyne TDI as we explore… […]
MIT researchers may have invented a safer way of splitting ventilators
MIT and Brigham and Women’s Hospital researchers say they have a way of splitting ventilators which could address many of the safety concerns — potentially boosting the supply of ventilators amid the COVID-19 pandemic. They have demonstrated their concept’s effectiveness in the lab — but they still caution it should be used only as a… […]
What is a pulse oximeter — and how does it work?
If you’re recovering from a respiratory problem — including COVID-19 — chances are you may have had your oxygen levels checked with a pulse oximeter. Pulse oximetry is the non-invasive measurement of oxygen saturation (SpO2). Oxygen saturation is defined as the amount of oxygen dissolved in the blood, based on the detection of Hemoglobin, Hb,… […]