Meet our Scientific Advisors
Dr. Charles L. Cooney
Dr. Steven Griffiths
Our scientific advisors are distinguished research leaders across academia with extensive industry experience. Each of them has made significant contributions to Light Pharma over the last 25 years and, like Light Pharma, has worked closely with government organizations.
Dr. Charles L. Cooney
Charles L. Cooney is the Robert T. Haslam (1911) Professor of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Emeritus in the Department of Chemical Engineering at MIT and founding Faculty Director, Emeritus of the Deshpande Center for Technological Innovation. His academic career has focused on biotech and pharma process design, operation, economics and control. He has been involved as founder, advisor or board member of over 50 companies and currently sits on the Boards of Directors of Boyd Technologies, Innovent Biologics (1801.HK), Hovione, AIM Biotech, and Levitronix Technologies. Previously, he sat on the boards of Genzyme, Astra AB, Pall Corp, Codiak, and Iterative Health. He was a member of the FDA Pharmaceutical Sciences Advisory Committee 2003-2006 and chair from 2005-2006. Prof. Cooney's most recent book is Adaptive Innovation, World Scientific 2023. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering, American Institute of Medical and Biochemical Engineers, the Fellows of the American Chemical Society, Trustee Emeritus of Boston Ballet, Advisor Emeritus of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Chairman of the Leventhal Map and Education Center.
Dr. Steven Griffiths
Dr. Steven Griffiths is Professor and Vice Chancellor for Research at the American University of Sharjah (AUS), overseeing the university’s research strategic directions and operations. Prior to joining AUS, Dr. Griffiths served as Senior Vice President for Research and Development (R&D) and Professor of Practice at the Khalifa University of Science and Technology (KU). During his tenure at KU, the university rose rapidly in international university rankings and was established as the top research university in the United Arab Emirates and one of the top 200 research universities globally. As Professor, Dr. Griffiths has a globally recognized profile through his frequently cited work on technology development and adoption within a sociotechnical systems context.
Dr. Griffiths serves as advisor to the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science, is an elected member of the Global Energy Prize International Award Committee, is on the Board of Directors of Graphene Innovations Manchester (GIM) and is a Co-Founder of GIM Starlight Miami, a leading-edge company developing advanced cooling solutions for data centers. He was a member of the Emirates Research and Development Council, the Dubai Future Council on Energy and the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Expert Group Subcommittee of the UAE Council for AI & Blockchain during the formation and establishment of each organization. He also advised the government of Alberta, Canada on provincial innovation system structuring throughout 2014 and continues to support the global advancement of research and innovation through a variety of other senior roles in regional and international research and innovation competitions and programs.
Prior to his positions at AUS and Khalifa University, Dr. Griffiths was Vice President for Research and Associate Provost at the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology. Dr. Griffiths transitioned to the Masdar Institute from his role as Executive Director of the Technology and Development Program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), which is a position he undertook while simultaneously serving as the Founding Executive Vice President and Chief Technologist of Light Pharma Incorporated.
Dr. Griffiths holds a PhD in Chemical Engineering from MIT and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Dr. Reuben Domike
Dr. Reuben Domike is a Professor of Business at the University of Prince Edward Island (Canada) and a Research Affiliate at the MIT Center for Biomedical Innovation. Prior to his academic appointments, Dr. Domike worked for GlaxoSmithKline in development and deployment of process analytical technologies. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering Practice (joint engineering and management) from MIT and an MBA from the MIT Sloan School of Management.
Dr. Domike has expertise in pharmaceutical manufacturing, quality risk management, new venture development, and innovation. His current research activities are primarily in collaboration with the US FDA and the Center for Biomedical Innovation in the MIT Engineering Systems Division and are focused on quantitative assessment of pharmaceutical products and associated manufacturing.