Scientific Advisory Board (SAB)

The Pharmanex Scientific Advisory Board brings together the wealth of experience and outstanding achievements of the world's most eminent experts in science and pharmaceutics. These leaders in their individual fields will help Pharmanex research and develop different products, and to conduct clinical tests in major universities and research institutes around the world. Without doubt, their professional recognition will be the most convincing support for the Pharmanex product lines.

Chairman
Prof. Carl Djerassi
Professor of Chemistry, Standford University
The "father of the birth control pill," Carl Djerassi, Ph.D., Chairman of the Pharmanex Scientific Advisory Board, is both an internationally renowned chemist and a prolific writer not only of scientific works but also of best-selling fiction and two autobiographical works, From the Lab into the World : A Pill for People, Pets, and Bugs (Creators of Modern Chemistry) and The Pill, Pygmy Chimps, and Degas' Horse.

A Stanford University professor of chemistry, he has written more than 1200 scientific publications and seven monographs. The recipient of numerous scientific honors, he is one of the few Americans to have received both the National Medal of Science (for creating the first "steroid oral contraceptive") and the National Medal of Technology (for promoting new approaches to insect control). Prof. Djerassi has also been awarded 17 honorary doctorates and many other prestigious honors, such as the first Wolf Prize in Chemistry, the first Award for the Industrial Application of Science from the National Academy of Sciences, and the American Chemical Society's highest award, the Priestley Medal. His fiction works, mostly in the genre of "science-in-fiction," illustrate the human side of scientists and the personal conflicts they face.

His Djerassi Resident Artists Program, founded in 1982, has assisted more than 1,000 persons in the visual arts, literature, choreography, performing arts and music.

USA
Prof. Barbara C. Hansen
Professor of Physiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine
A leading authority and lecturer on the relationships between overweight and diabetes, Barbara C. Hansen, Ph.D., is a professor of physiology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine and Director of the University's Obesity and Diabetes Research Center. Prof. Hansen is interested in preventing and treating these disorders, through her research into causes from the perspective of defective conditions in the body, its cells and even its molecules. For more than a dozen years, her research group has been conducting a study to see if a weight-control regimen can prevent middle-age diabetes and extend life span. Prof. Hansen is a member of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy of Sciences. She has served as an advisor and consultant to many other leading scientific societies and organizations, including the National Institutes of Health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences. An author of more than 100 scientific papers, her new book, released by the American Diabetes Association, is A Common Sense Guide to Weight Loss for People with Diabetes. She holds B.S. (summa cum laude, valedictorian) and M.S. degrees from the University of California at Los Angeles and a Ph.D. in physiology and psychology from the University of Washington.

Prof. Lester A.
Mitscher Distinguished Professor of Medicinal Chemistry, Kansas University
Green tea has been found to contain the strongest of all known antioxidants, in research by Lester A. Mitscher, Ph.D., at the University of Kansas, where he is University Distinguished Professor, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, and former chairman of that department. Prof. Mitscher found in some studies that the antioxidant EGCG, a substance in green tea, neutralized free radicals over 100 times more effectively than vitamin C, and 25 times better than vitamin E. Free radicals are believed to cause cell damage that triggers certain diseases, especially cancer. When Prof. Mitscher tested green, black, and oolong teas for antioxidants, he observed that green teas had by far the highest amounts of active EGCG, and he believes that is because it is harvested at the right time and immediately steamed. Prof. Mitscher holds B.S. and Ph.D. degrees from Wayne University, Detroit. In addition to Prof. Mitscher's work in academia, he has held research and consulting positions with major pharmaceutical firms. He has published extensively on drug chemistry, antibiotic synthesis and non-tradition medicine. He has written numerous scientific papers and recently co-authored The Green Tea Book- China¡¦s Fountain of Youth.

Lester Packer, Ph.D.
Director of Research Laboratory, Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Southern California at Berkeley
Dr. Lester Packer, the world's foremost antioxidant research scientist, received his Ph.D. in Microbiology and Biochemistry from Yale University and has been a Professor and Senior Researcher at the University of California at Berkeley for the past 40 years. Most recently, Dr. Packer has established an additional research laboratory in the Dept. of Molecular Pharmacology & Toxicology within the School of Pharmacy at the University of Southern California to pursue studies related to the molecular, cellular, and physiological aspects of free radical and antioxidant metabolisms in biological systems.

In addition to his membership in more than a dozen professional research societies, Dr. Packer has held offices as President of the International Society of Free Radical Research, President of the Oxygen Club of California, and Vice-President of UNESCO - the United Nations Global Network on Molecular and Cell Biology.

Dr. Packer is also the recipient of numerous scientific achievement awards and serves on editorial advisory boards for scientific journals related to biochemistry, antioxidant metabolism and nutrition.

Dr. Packer has published over 700 scientific papers and 70 books on every aspect of antioxidants and health, including the standard references "Vitamin E in Health and Disease", "Vitamin C in Health and Disease", "The Handbook of Natural Antioxidants" and "Understanding the Process of Aging:The Roles of Mitochondria, Free Radicals, and Antioxidants". The Antioxidant Miracle, published in 1999 by John Wiley & Sons, is his first book for non-scientists.

Dr. Lester Packer has an unmatched scientific record on antioxidants, now considered key components in achieving healthy aging and extending human life.

Hong Kong
Georges Halpern, M.D.
Professor Emeritus of Medicine, University of California Davis, and Distinguished Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Polytechnic University
The author of Cordyceps: China’s Healing Mushroom and of Ginkgo: A Practical Guide, Georges Halpern, M.D., Ph.D., D.Sc., has written 12 books, 50 book chapters, 118 original research papers and hundreds of scientific reviews and abstracts.

Dr. Halpern serves the Pharmanex Scientific Advisory Board in the U.S. and Hong Kong. He is a Professor Emeritus of Medicine and Nutrition, University of California, Davis, and Visiting Professor in the School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, University of Hong Kong. He has worked and/or lectured in 71 countries and is recognized worldwide for his many contributions to the field of medicine.

Born a French citizen in Warsaw, Poland, he grew up in Paris, where he attended the Sorbonne, then received his medical degree from the Faculty of Medicine of Paris. He received his Ph.D./D.Sc. degree, with highest honors and jury honors, from the Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Paris–South. Dr. Halpern is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Medicine (London) and of 26 other prestigious national, foreign and international academies and scientific societies.

Taiwan
Dr. Chang-hung Chung, M.D.
Senior Attending Physician, Department of Radiation Oncology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taiwan
Cancer prevention and treatment is the specialty of David Chang-hung Chung, M.D., D.Min., member of the Pharmanex Scientific Advisory Board, Taiwan. Described as "a venerable specialist in tumor-related medicine," he is Senior Attending Physician, Department of Radiation Oncology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taiwan, and has also served as the hospital's Vice Superintendent and the Superintendent of its Tansui branch. He also holds a number of consulting positions and is President of the Hospice Organization in Taiwan. Dr. Chung received his M.D. from the National Defense Medical Center, Taiwan, and has been a researcher at the Cancer Center, Washington University and at Webster University, St. Louis. Because he believes in the importance of combining medical and spiritual care, he studied theology and holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Cohen Theological University, California. Dr. Chung is very keen on providing cancer information to the public and has written several introductory books, offering perspectives on nutritional and spiritual aspects. He has also published some 100 clinical research papers and a sizable number of teaching materials.

Prof. Benjamin N. Chiang. M.D.
Emeritus Professor, School of Medicine, National Yang Ming University
A specialist in high blood pressure and heart disease, Benjamin N. Chiang, M.D., is a member of the Pharmanex Scientific Advisory Board, Taiwan. He is also President of the International Lipids Information Bureau, Taiwan, and of the Research Foundation of Cardiovascular Medicine of Taiwan. For 10 years, Prof. Chiang was Dean of the School of Medicine of National Yang Ming University, Taiwan, and is now Professor Emeritus. Prof. Chiang's long and distinguished career has also included positions in the U.S. and U.K. He received his medical education at the National Defense Medical College, Taiwan, and at the University of London Institute of Cardiology and the University of Michigan School of Medicine and Public Health. In Taiwan, he has served as President of the Societies of Cardiology, Lipids and Atherosclerosis and Internal Medicine. He is Editor of the journals Echocardiography (U.S.) and Journal of the American Medical Association (SE Asia Edition). Prof. Chiang is the author of some 300 scientific publications.

Prof Feng-Lin Hsu, Ph.D.
Professor and Director of Graduate Institute of Pharmacognosy Science, Taipei Medical University, Department of Hospital Pharmacy and Department of Pharmacognosy Science and Technology
Prof Feng- Lin Hsu, Ph.D. is the Professor and Director of Graduate Institute of Pharmacognosy Science of Taipei Medical University, Department of Hospital Pharmacy and Department of Pharmacognosy Science and Technology. During his years in Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan, Prof Hsu spent immense effort in the study of how polar materials (soluble Chinese Medicine ingredients) improve people's life and health. He was one of the pioneers to publish a doctorate research paper on this topic and his research method becomes a model for other researchers.

After returning to Taiwan, Dr. Hsu served as Professor of School of Pharmacy of Taipei Medical College. He was also invited to continue his research on Chinese Medicine by National Committee of Taiwan, Republic of China. In the meantime, he participated in the development of academic society of chemistry, pharmacology and clinical research. Dr. Hsu has been the research conductor of various national research projects. He has also published a sizable number of related scientific papers and articles.

Korea
Prof. Ho Cheol Shin, M.D, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of Department of Family Medicine, SungKyunKwan University / Chair of Department of Family Medicine and International Clinic, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital
Prof. Kang received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Seoul National University and holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Epidemiology. He was Secretary General of the Korea Academy of Family Medicine and is actively taking a role as President in the Korean Academy of Patient Education. His current researches and papers are focusing on chronic fatigue syndromes and obesity.

Prof Jae-Heon Kang, M.D., Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of Department of Family Medicine Seoul Paik Hospital

Prof. Jae-Heon Kang, M.D., Ph.D. graduated from Seoul National University medical college, and received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Seoul National University. He holds a Ph.D. in Epidemiology.

Currently, Dr. Kang is Professor and Chair of the Department of Family Medicine, Seoul Paik Hosptal, Inje University. At Inje University, he established two institutes; the Obesity center in 1996 and the Obesity Research Institute in 2003, and is serving those two institutions as director.

In addition to these responsibilities, Dr. Kang participates in a number of organizations. He is currently working as the vice president of the Korean Society of Clinical Genomedic Medicine, is an acting editor of the Korean Society for the Study of Obesity, is an academic board member of the Korean Society for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, and a board member of the Korean Society of Community Nutrition. In 2001, he was a visiting scholar at the Human Nutrition Unit in Sydney University for 1 year. He was also a Project Director of the Korean Academy of Family Medicine.

Japan
Prof Koji Nakanishi, Ph.D.
Centennial Professor, Department of Chemistry, Columbia University
The very first research on ginkgo biloba, 30 years ago, was the work of Prof. Koji Nakanishi, Ph.D., who isolated the active component of ginkgo extract. A scientist described as one who has "transformed the field of natural products chemistry," Prof. Nakanishi is not only one of the most honored in his field but also the mentor of so many others that a list of his former students reads like a Who's Who in research. In 1999, a group of these scientists published The Biology - Chemistry Interface: A Tribute to Koji Nakanishi, co-edited by Ray Cooper, Ph.D., Pharmanex Executive Director, Research and Scientific Affairs. Prof. Nakanishi has been on the faculty of Columbia University's Department of Chemistry for 30 years, is a former Chairman of the department and since 1980 has held the title of Centennial Professor. In what has been referred to as "an extraordinarily productive career," he has opened the doors to fuller understanding of natural products by determining the chemical structure of nearly 200 bioactive compounds and how they function to affect human, plant and animal life. He has been given awards by nearly a dozen nations and numerous scientific organizations. In an unusual international alliance, a major prize named for him, the Nakanishi Prize of the American Chemical Society and the Chemical Society of Japan. He has published 700 scientific papers and written nine books, including an autobiography, A Wandering Natural Products Scientist (1991). And, when Prof. Nakanishi appears to receive an award or present a scientific paper, the audience usually is in for an added treat - his famous talents as an accomplished magician.

Europe
Prof Hildebert Wagner, Ph.D.
Professor Emeritus, Institute of Pharmacy at the Ludwig-Maximilians University Center for Pharmaceutical Research, Munich, Germany
Author of Immunmodulatory Agents from Plants (Birkhauser Verlag, Basel, 1999), Dr. Hildebert Wagner has studied Pharmacy since 1950. He is the author of 7 other books including: Plant Drug Analysis (Springer Verlag Heidelber, 1996), and Drugs and Drug Constituents (Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Stuttgart, 1998), as well as authoring over 900 other scientific publications. Dr. Wagner was made a Full Professor of Pharmacognosy in 1965, and later served as Director of the Institute of Pharmaceutical Biology in Munich until 1999. He has been distinguished by many international scientific institutions including the Universities of Ohio, Budapest and Debrecen, Dijon, and Helsinki for his work in Pharmacy. Dr. Wagner sits on advisory/editorial boards for Phytochemistry, the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, the Journal of Natural Products, as well as serving as Editor for the International Journal of Phytomedicine.

Prof Lars Bohlin, Ph.D.
Professor, Division of Pharmacognosy, Department of Pharmacy, BCM, Uppsala University, Sweden
Bohlin has spent the last 30 years studying, researching, and teaching Pharmacy. Dr. Bohlin began his career with a Masters of Science in Pharmacy at Uppsala University in Sweden, and went on to receive his Doctor of Pharmacy there as well. He currently serves at the Deputy Head of the Department of Pharmacy at Uppsala, while maintaining his status as Professor on the faculty. He is widely consulted as an expert by both private and public organizations, and sits on numerous research councils. A native of Stockholm, Sweden, Dr. Bohlin has contributed on many levels--both his own community, serving as the Chairman of the Board for the Department of Pharmacy at Uppsala, and internationally. He sits on editorial or advisory boards for such scientific journals as Phytotherapy Research, Phytomedicine, J. Ethnopharmacology, Planta Medica, and others.

Malaysia

Tan Sri Dr. Augustine Ong, Ph.D.
Visiting Professor, Royal Society Commonwealth Bursary, University of Oxford
Dr. Augustine Ong, Tan Sri has remarkable achievements in both academic and scientific fields. A graduate of University of Malaya with Masters in Chemistry and Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at University of London King's College, he is recognized both nationally and internationally in the field of Lipid Chemistry with over 45 years of R&D experience. He has written 381 publications and 2 books, and holds 14 Patents for Chemistry and Technology of Palm Oil.

His passionate interest in sharing knowledge with his fellow researchers and general public motivated him to be an active participant both in the local and international scientific communities. He is currently the President of the Confederation of Scientific and Technological Associations in Malaysia (COSTAM), a confederation of 37 scientific and technological associations in Malaysia for the advancement of science and technology.

He is also the Chairman of the Society for Free Radical Research in ASEAN and concurrently the Chairman in the Malaysia Chapter. Their main objective is to share current knowledge on health and aging in relation to antioxidants while educating the public on effective ways to promote healthy aging.

His passionate interest in palm oil research was recognized in July 1992 when he was awarded the First Asian Achievement Award for Research and Development Asean Institute and also the Federation of Asian Chemical Societies First Award for Distinguished Contribution to Economic Advance with respect to Palm Oil.

• Founder President of the Malaysian Invention and Design Society (MINDS)
• Chairman, International Society for Fat Research (ISF) in 1997
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, London
• Fullbright - Hays Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
• Visiting Professor sponsored by the Royal Society Commonwealth Bursary, University of Oxford
• Founder President, Malaysian Oil Scientists' and Technologists' Association
• Senior Fellow of the Academy of Sciences, Malaysia
• Director of University of Malaya Board, the No. 1 public university in Malaysia
• Formerly a Dean, School of Chemical Sciences at University Science Malaysia