FOUNDING TEAM
JOSEF M. (JOE) MILLER
Cofounder, Chief Scientist
Joe is a neuroscientist and a world leader in the field of inner ear research.
He’s the Lynn and Ruth Townsend Professor of Communication Disorders at
the University of Michigan and an Adjunct Professor at the Karolinska
Institutet, Sweden. He’s worked in the area of hearing sciences for more than
30 years, authoring more than 300 peer-reviewed papers. He is the author of
the draft federal legislation that established the National Institute on Deafness and Other
Communication Disorders (NIDCD) at the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH). His major area
of research interest is in the neuroscience of the auditory system, including studies on the cochlear
prosthesis, blood flow to the inner ear, prevention of noise-induced deafness, and prevention of
degeneration and promotion of regrowth of the auditory nerve. He has led major research teams
under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Program Project support and for all of his career has
held RO-1 funding for research on studies of the inner ear and CNS. He’s responsible for
developing research laboratories and major collaborative research programs between the USA and
Europe on studies of tissue engineering of the inner ear and training programs for graduate
students and medical residents.
Most recently Joe is the editor of the book, Free Radicals in ENT Pathology, Springer 2015.
BARRY SEIFER
Cofounder, CEO
Barry is a former brand strategist, business architect, entrepreneur, consultant and executive in the
USA and Europe. He has held design, strategy and management positions at large brand
consultancies and ad agencies Landor Associates, Ogilvy & Mather, JWThompson, Omnicom and
Interbrand, then operated as independent executive consultant for a dozen years. He holds a
Bachelor of Humanities in Philosophy from the University of California at Berkeley, a Master in
Fine Arts from Cranbrook Academy of Art, and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts, London.
PAUL AALBERTS
After his studies at the Haarlem Business School, Paul joined as one of the early employees of IMG
Holland, the first online trading brokerage company in the Netherlands, where he held positions in
business development, manager of online customer service and wealth management adviser. After
that he joined an Amsterdam commercial real estate company, where he closed many transactions
and created a large network of high-net-worth clients and broad experience with many companies
in different sectors.
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FATIH KAHYAOGLU
After his economic study at Erasmus University Rotterdam and Michigan State University Fatih
started his career as a management trainee at the Dutch Government, which was followed by
positions within FMCG companies Red Bull, Diageo and British American Tobacco. In 2007 Fatih
joined ID&T and became a shareholder, serving as Chief Commercial Officer for ID&T and
Managing Director of Sensation International, one of the leading EDM brands owned by ID&T.
During Fatih’s tenure, ID&T grew to be the world’s largest electronic dance music event producer,
with events in 28 countries and annual ticket sales of more than 6 million. ID&T’s online music
portal beatport.com has more than 50 million unique visitors and more than 15,000 DJs. ID&T is
now owned by SFX Entertainment (Nasdaq: SFXE).
TACO VAN DER FELTZ
Following qualification as Medical Biologist with Honors (Cum Laude) and Medical Doctor (MSc
MD) at the University of Utrecht, Taco joined Procter & Gamble Pharmaceuticals in Brand
Management. In Holland and Belgium he launched the first in the world bisphosphonate treatment
approved for osteoporosis, then moved to P&G Pharmaceuticals (P&GP) in the USA as Medical
Director Bone to co-lead the North America product launch. As Global Brand Manager
collaborating with R&D teams he was responsible for global commercial strategy on projects
ranging from discovery stage to Phase III clinical development. He returned to Holland to lead
P&GP’s national sales and marketing organization.
In 1997 Taco was appointed as Director of Corporate Marketing for Royal Numico (acquired by
Danone in 2007). He led the brand and product portfolios in Baby Food, Medical Nutrition, and
Vitamins & Minerals, reporting the CEO and supervising international strategy formulation and
implementation. When Royal Numico restructured Taco left to join SNS Reaal as Director
Marketing & Communication, then joined Russell Reynolds Associates in Amsterdam as a member
of the Global Healthcare Team. He consulted to pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, medical
technology, product and platform companies, suppliers and services providers, venture capital
companies and their portfolio companies. In 2006 he was elected Managing Director and Partner
and set up a new office in Zurich, Switzerland.
CECILIA SCOLARO
Cecilia develops communication strategies with a focus on digital media. After her studies in
Communication design and video making in Milan, she worked in different agencies in guerrilla
marketing and digital communications. In 2008 she moved to Holland where she is still supporting
startups and corporate companies in various roles that including strategy, branding, marketing,
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social media, online communications, campaigns and product management. In 2014 she became an
independent consultant and founded Ensembls, the first Collective Social Media platform.
MARIEKE HENDRIKSEN VAN DONGEN
After her economy and management study she enriched her marketing skills with a Nima C degree.
She started her career in the pharmaceutical industry in 2003 with Schering-Plough (MSD) as a
hospital account manager. After two years in Sales she moved to Marketing and worked for Pfizer
and Abbott Laboratories. As of April 2012 she became Management Team Member and served as
Head of Marketing and Customer Relations for the Abbott Diabetes Care Division. In this position
she managed 9 FTE and launched two medical devices. With 11 years experience and a proven
track record of successful innovative strategies she became an independent consultant in 2013. For
the European Head office of Omron Healthcare, she created and implemented the medical
marketing campaign in 70 EMEA markets. Most recently she served as a Customer Solution
Manager for Merck (MSD).
ADVISERS
HOWARD HU, M.D., M.P.H., M.S., SC.D.
Dr. Hu is Dean and Professor, University of Toronto Dalla Lana
School of Public Health. He is a physician-scientist, trained as an
internist, occupational and environmental medicine specialist, and
epidemiologist. Previous to his July 1, 2012 appointment at U Toronto, Dr. Hu had been Professor
at the Harvard School of Public Health and the Channing Laboratory of the Brigham & Women's
Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts (1988-2006) and the NSF International Chair of the Department
of Environmental Health Sciences and Professor of Environmental Health, Epidemiology & Internal
Medicine at the University of Michigan (2006-2012).
Dr. Hu is the founder of an environmental epidemiology research group that, since 1990, has grown
into a multi-institutional and international team of scientists devoted to gaining new insights into
the impacts of exposure to potentially toxicants that are of critical importance to public health and
medicine. The team applies multi-disciplinary and novel methods for assessing environmental
exposures, genetics/genomics, epigenetics, nutrition, psychosocial factors and clinical
measurements in epidemiologic studies of child development and adult chronic disease in
populations around the world. With Principal Investigators and major collaborations based mainly
at the Harvard School of Public Health, the University of Michigan, the National Institute of
Mexico, Sri Ramachandra University (Chennai, India), the Mount Sinai School of Medicine and now
the University of Toronto, Dr. Hu and colleagues have a number of on-going projects.
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Dr. Hu has published over 240 original papers in the scientific literature and served as the
Founding and now Associate Medical Editor of Environmental Health Perspectives, the official
journal of the U.S. National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS). His work has won
a number of awards, such as the 1999 NIEHS Progress and Achievement Award, the 2006 Harriett
Hardy Award, the 2009 Linus Pauling Lifetime Achievement Award, and the 2011 Award of
Excellence from the American Public Health Association. Dr. Hu has also served on four factfinding missions and on the Board of Directors for Physicians for Human Rights, and he was the
Chair of the Research Commission for the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear
War. He currently serves on the National Advisory Environmental Health Sciences Council for the
U.S. National Institutes for Health.
Dr. Hu received his Sc.B. from Brown University, his M.D. degree from the Albert Einstein College
of Medicine and his M.P.H. and Sc.D. degrees (Epidemiology) from the Harvard School of Public
Health. He trained in internal medicine at Boston City Hospital and in occupational/
environmental medicine at Harvard.
JAMES MULLEN
CEO, PATHEON PHARMACEUTICALS
Mr. Mullen joined Patheon Inc. in 2011 as CEO and has continuously contributed to the company’s
growth. Mr. Mullen led Patheon in 2012 as it acquired Banner Pharmacaps, a market leader in soft
gelatin capsule technology. As a result of this acquisition, all of Banner’s manufacturing sites were
structured under Patheon’s existing CMO business, aligning to the rest of its global network. In
2013, he led Patheon in a $2.6 billion transaction that merged Patheon with DSM Pharmaceutical
Products, creating DPx. Mr. Mullen is also an Officer of DPx Holdings B.V.
Prior to joining Patheon, he served as CEO and President at Biogen Idec Inc. from 2003 to 2010, one
of the world's largest biotechnology companies. Mr. Mullen was responsible for the merger of
Biogen and Idec Pharmaceuticals, serving as CEO and President of Biogen from 2000 to 2002, and
Chairman, CEO and President of Biogen until the merger was complete in 2003. Additionally, Mr.
Mullen held various operating positions at Biogen prior to becoming CEO, including Vice
President, Operations, and several manufacturing and engineering positions over a nine-year
period at SmithKline Beecham.
Mr. Mullen possesses over 30 years of industry experience, ranging from biotechnology,
pharmaceuticals to specialty chemicals, as well as extensive expertise in pharmaceutical and biotech
manufacturing, engineering, sales, marketing, mergers and acquisitions. Currently, he serves on the
Board of Directors for Perkins Elmer Inc. and as a trustee of The Rivers School. He previously
served as Chairman of the Biotechnology Industry Organization. Mr. Mullen holds a Bachelor of
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Science in chemical engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a Master of Business
Administration from Villanova University.
RICHARD ZIJLMA
Richard Zijlma is CEO, Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE). ADE is the world’s leading electronic
dance music conference and the biggest club festival for electronic music. Founded sixteen years
ago, ADE first came to light in 1996 as a small conference with a few hundred music professionals
and a festival program in 3 clubs with 30 DJs. ADE has grown to become the ultimate platform to
meet international business partners, introduce businesses to a worldwide audience and get in
touch with new people, new music and new trends. The annual 5-day ADE Festival in Amsterdam
attracts more than 350,000 visitors, 5,000 professionals, 2,500 artists and 460 journalists. The digital
reach is in the billions.
HERMAN VAN DER ZWAN
Herman is an accomplished Dutch music industry executive, starting in 1970 as a marketing
manager for the music labels Telefunken (Germany) Barclay (France) and CNR (Dutch). In 1980 he
joined WEA (Warner/Elektra/Atlantic joint venture) as A&R Director to build their national artist
roster. In 1984 he joined John de Mol Produkties as Managing Director of the artist management
company Total Management. From 1987 through 1993 he was Head of the National A&R
Department at Phonogram (Universal), heading a team of 8 promotion and marketing people
signing and building acts such as De Dijk, The Scene, Laura Fygi, Valensia, BZN, Gerard Joling and
the world famous Andre Rieu.
RESEARCH COLLABORATORS
COLLEEN GARBE LE PRELL PH.D.
Dr. Le Prell is Professor and Program Head at University of Texas at Dallas
Dr. Le Prell is principal collaborator with Dr. Miller and others in NIH-funded research translating
potential therapies from animal models to human trials directed at prevention of noise-induced
hearing loss, to identify and prevent the progression of biochemical processes that lead to inner ear
cell death. In her role as Dr. Miller’s principal translational research collaborator, Dr. Le Prell was
the lead scientist of the initial clinical trials of the technology that became Soundbites.
Dr. Le Prell earned her BA in Psychology from the University of Minnesota, and her M.A. and
Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Michigan. She was Research Investigator at University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan (Department of Otolaryngology, Kresge Hearing Research
Institute) after completing her postdoctoral training there. She is author of more than two dozen
peer reviewed scholarly journal articles, contributor to six book chapters, and co-inventor on four
patents.
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GLENN E. GREEN M.D.
Medical Supervisor
Dr. Green is Clinical Associate Professor of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, Division of
Pediatric Otolaryngology, University of Michigan. He is co-investigator on NIH-NIDCD U01
DC008423-01A2, “Micronutrient Intervention to Reduce Noise-Induced Hearing Loss", with
Principal Investigator Dr. Miller. He collaborates with Dr. Miller on ongoing laboratory and
epidemiological studies involving Soundbites.
SOPHIA E. KRAMER, PHD
Hearing Research
Dr. Sophia E. Kramer is Professor in the department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery,
section Audiology, EMGO+ Institute at the VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, and full
professor on the University Research Chair (URC) Auditory Functioning and Participation, after
her studies in Neuropsychology and her PhD in Audiology from the VU University in Amsterdam.
Her major research interests are in the psychosocial and cognitive aspects related to hearing and
hearing impairment in adults, the innovation and evaluation of aural rehabilitation services and the
development of methods to measure listening effort. Sophia Kramer is mainly involved in research
activities, but is also engaged in clinical work (patient care) at the University Audiology Center of
VU Medical Center Amsterdam. She is the principal investigator of the National Longitudinal
Study on Hearing (NL-SH).
Dr. Kramer has published papers, a book and book chapters on psychosocial, occupational and
cognitive aspects of hearing impairment and self-reported outcome measures. She is editorial board
member of Trends in Amplification, the International Journal of Qualitative Studies of Health and
Wellbeing and Audiology Research and a past-president of the International Collegium of
Rehabilitative Audiology (ICRA).
RICHARD (RICK) NEITZEL, PHD, CIH
Noise Exposure Scientist
Rick Neitzel is an exposure scientist and Assistant Professor in the University of Michigan
Department of Environmental Health Sciences and its Risk Science Center. His research focuses on
the characterization of exposures to noise, heavy metals and other ototoxins, psychosocial stressors,
and injury risk factors, as well as a range of adverse health effects associated with these exposures.
His work, and the work of his lab team takes place in occupational and community settings both
domestically and abroad. He is particularly interested in incorporating new methodologies and
exposure sensing technologies into research, and also has a strong interest in translating his
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research findings into occupational and public health practice. He has been a Certified Industrial
Hygienist (CIH) since 2003 and was named a Fellow of the American Industrial Hygiene
Association in 2015.
MICHAEL SANTUCCI, AUD
Dr. Santucci is founder and president of Sensaphonics; audiologist to many top music performers;
and former trustee of American Academy of Audiology Foundation (AAAF).
As an ardent music lover, Michael’s life’s work is helping preserve hearing for those whose
professions involve exposure to high sound pressure levels. Dr. Santucci invented the in-ear
monitor and provides audiological consultation and customized hearing protection to many of
today’s top music performers. Dr. Santucci’s in-ear monitors are also used by NASA and the Secret
Service, racing drivers and commodities traders. His articles on hearing health have been published
in over 40 periodicals. Dr. Santucci has given talks at Columbia School of Audio Engineering,
Northwestern University, University of Chicago, the American Academy of Audiology, the Audio
Engineering Society, the US Air Force, the GRAMMY® organization (NARAS), American Academy
of Dispensing Audiologists, and others.
In 1999, his fellow Audiologists voted him to be the first recipient of the Larry Mauldin Award for
Excellence in the Hearing Healthcare Field for “exemplifying the highest standards and
commitment to the hearing care profession and for pioneering new ideas that change peoples
lives.” In 2006, Dr. Santucci was awarded the Natalie Stukas Hearing Conservation Award by the
Illinois Academy of Audiology (ILAA) for his untiring dedication to the cause of hearing
conservation. He is the past Director of Membership and executive board member of the National
Hearing Conservation Association (NHCA). He was a trustee of American Academy of Audiology
Foundation (AAAF) from 2008 - May, 2011.
MARISKA STAM, PHD
Hearing Research
Mariska Stam started working as a PhD student at the department of Otolaryngology-Head and
Neck surgery, section Ear & Hearing of VU University Medical Center Amsterdam/EMGO+
Institute in September 2010 on the second wave of the National Longitudinal Study on Hearing
(NL-SH). The aim of the NL-SH prospective cohort study is to examine the longitudinal
relationship between hearing impairment and various aspects of life, such as work, psychosocial
health, quality of life and use of health care. Dr. Stam was awarded her PhD in June 2015 on the
dissertation entitled "How hearing impairment may impact adult life: Baseline and 5-year followup results of the NL-SH study.” The thesis covers a series of studies each providing news insights
into how hearing impairment may impact the lives of adults, and into the determinants and
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consequences of a deterioration in speech recognition ability over time. It is the first time that
deterioration of speech intelligibility in noise over years was investigated at such a large scale.
Currently, Mariska continues her scientific work at the department of Otolaryngology-Head and
Neck Surgery, section Ear & Hearing of VU University Medical Center as a post-doctoral researcher
co-supervising the NL-SH study and as a Soundbites epidemiological studies co-investigator.
ProHearing Consortium Principal Investigators
ProHearing is funded by a €5 million grant from the European Commission
Public Health Programme. The objective of the grant is to launch an EU SME
that successfully commercializes the Soundbites technology throughout the
EU and beyond so as to measurably reduce the social and economic burdens
associated with hearing loss in the general population. Joe Miller is chief scientist of the ProHearing
Steering Committee. Hearing Health Science is the ProHearing SME.
JOSE M. (PEPE) JUIZ GOMEZ M.D., PH.D.
Dr. Juiz is Professor, Medical Faculty, UCLM, and Director, Neurological
Disability Research Institute. Dr. Juiz holds an MD degree from the University of
Madrid (Universidad Complutense) and further pursued research training,
earning a Ph.D. in Medicine from the University of Alicante in 1987, with a
doctoral dissertation on toxic excitatory neuronal death in the cochlea. He has
been involved in hearing health research for more than 20 years and has authored more than 50
publications, including journal articles, book chapters and books in the field of auditory
neuroscience.
THOMAS LENARZ, MD, PH.D.
Dr. Lenarz is the director of the ENT clinic at Hannover
Medical School, Hannover, Germany, with about 150
employees in the clinic and/or in the corresponding research department. His major research area
is the auditory system with focus on auditory prosthesis, hearing preservation, auditory nerve
regeneration, and the pharmacology of the auditory system. He is a member of
national/international societies of otolaryngology, audiology and skull base surgery and of the
Editorial Board of the American Journal of Otology, Otology & Neurotology, Laryngo-RhinoOtology. Prof Lenarz has more than 200 publications in national and international journals.
HEIKO VON DER LEYEN, M.D., PH.D.
Dr. von der Leyen is Professor of Internal Medicine, managing director and
co-founder of HCTC. From 1998 to 2005 Prof. von der Leyen had several
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top management positions in the biotechnology industry with focus on the clinical development of
advanced therapy medicinal products (tissue engineering, gene therapy, DNA medicine).
MATS ULFENDAHL, PH.D.
Dr. Ulfendahl is Professor of Experimental Audiology and Otology at Karolinska
Institutet. Has published >120 scientific reports on inner ear function, the last decade
primarily related to mechanisms underlying deafness and novel therapeutic
approaches. Director of the Center for Hearing and Communication Research at Karolinska
Institutet 2002-2010. Since 2010 Secretary-General for Medicine and Health at the Swedish Research
Council.
PARTNERS
PATHEON PHARMACEUTICALS | Partner since 2010
Patheon is the world’s leading provider of contract drug development and manufacturing services
with an integrated network of facilities across North America, Europe and Australia. To date,
Patheon’s labs in Cincinnati, Ohio USA, Milton Park UK, Bourgoin (Lyon) France and Tilburg,
Holland have developed and produced four dosage formats and enabled the company to register
two dosage forms as clinical medicines in the USA and Germany.
IAN BICKERTON
HUIJSKENSBICKERTON | Partner since 2013
Ian Bickerton is partner and co-owner at HuijskensBickerton, an independent, specialist
communications consultancy in Amsterdam. Ian joined the agency in 2007 from the Financial
Times, where he was Netherlands’ correspondent for eight years. Ian and has more than 25 years’
experience as a reporter, including with the Sunday Correspondent and Observer. Ian was a
contributing editor to Drapers Record, the international retail fashion trade magazine, and before
that a songwriter and recording artist with BMG/RCA records, releasing critically acclaimed works
in the UK and US. He currently provides strategic advice to Boards and senior executives at public
and private international corporations, including those active in healthcare, retail, financial services
and technology.
EDWIN SCHMIDHEINY/ACCENT BRANDS | Partner since 2013
Edwin Schmidheiny is a brand designer with international experience developing and managing
corporate design systems in the USA, Europe, Middle East, and Asia. He has served as Creative
Director at Interbrand and Landor Associates, lived and worked in San Francisco, Moscow, Dubai
and Zurich. He has had major roles in brand programs for Nespresso, Esso/Exxon, Fuji, Intel,
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BMW, UBS, BASF, Lufthansa, Japan Airlines, Swissair, Korean Air and Thai Airways. He
foundedAccent Brand Consultants AG in 2012. The Hearing Health Science and Soundbites brands
were developed by Accent.
KESSELSKRAMER
Partner since 2014
Established in 1996, KesselsKramer is an independent communications agency in Amsterdam,
London and now in Los Angeles with about 50 people of 10 different nationalities. They produce
some of the most original and engaging work in cross-border business and culture, taking
measured risks to make relevant yet irreverent communications that helps drive business, build
loyal communities and reshape minds. Seriously.
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