About

Keiki Sugimoto, Ph.D., is the Chief Executive Officer of Ricoh Biosciences and brings over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. He began his career at Otsuka Pharmaceutical, spending a decade in research before moving into executive roles at innovative biotech firms. Dr. Sugimoto holds a Ph.D. in Medical Science from Nagoya University and a B.S. in Biochemistry from UCLA. He is passionate about advancing iPSC technology, drug discovery, and translational life sciences.

Soi Ka serves as the Chief Financial Officer of Ricoh Biosciences, overseeing finance, accounting, and back-office operations. He holds an MBA from Hitotsubashi Business School and a Master’s in Management Engineering from Tokyo Institute of Technology (now Science Tokyo). Prior to joining Ricoh Biosciences, Soi held leadership positions at Ricoh Company, Ltd., where he focused on M&A, new business incubation, and global procurement. He believes in aligning financial strategy with the evolving needs of customers to drive mutual growth and success.

As Vice President of Stem Cell Biology, Tetsuya Tanaka focuses on the development of differentiation, production, and assay protocols for iPSC-derived cells. He completed postdoctoral training at the NIH and the University of Toronto, where he gained expertise in microarray analysis and genetic engineering of pluripotent stem cells (PSCs). Previously, as Assistant Professor at the University of Illinois and Research Associate Professor at the University of Notre Dame, he led research showing how substrate stiffness affects PSC fate, how GSK3β drives tumor-like growth, and how nanopores can precisely electroporate single PSCs.

Christian James is Vice President of Business Development and Corporate Strategy at Ricoh Biosciences. He brings over 20 years of experience across Big Pharma (GSK, Bayer) and Biotech (Evotec), with a career spanning discovery research and executive leadership. Dr. James earned his Ph.D. in Molecular Biology from the University of Surrey while leading discovery programs at GSK. At Ricoh Biosciences, he focuses on forging strategic partnerships and translating innovation into long-term growth and scientific impact.

Yasaman Anzabi is Principal Scientist of R&D at Ricoh Biosciences, where she leads assay development and cell model optimization for neurodegenerative disease research. With a focus on iPSC-derived neurons and Alzheimer’s disease, Dr. Anzabi develops and validates biomarker assays for target screening and drug discovery. She brings over five years of experience in iPSC research and is dedicated to translating complex datasets into actionable insights that advance therapeutic development.

As Director of Business Development at Ricoh Biosciences, Henry Hunter focuses on helping researchers harness the power of iPSC technologies to achieve their scientific goals. He holds a B.S. and M.S. in Cell and Molecular Biology from San Francisco State University, with additional training in Developmental Biology at the University of Washington. With over a decade of industry experience, Henry began as an SDR at Bio-Rad Laboratories covering genomics products and held multiple sales roles at Synthego Corporation focused on CRISPR/Cas technologies before joining Ricoh Biosciences in 2023.

Gigi McAllister serves as the Director of Business Operations at Ricoh Biosciences, bringing over 20 years of leadership experience in logistics, domestic & international shipping, procurement, and human resources. In her role, she oversees critical operational functions that drive efficiency, strengthen organizational performance, and support the company’s long-term strategic objectives.

Ryan McDonnell is Director of Marketing at Ricoh Biosciences, where he leads brand strategy, content development, and lead generation to support iPSC-based drug discovery initiatives. Before joining Ricoh Biosciences, he spent five years at marketing agencies directing digital campaigns across a variety of industries. With a background in digital marketing and a passion for clear, science-driven communication, Ryan connects researchers with the tools and technologies that power breakthrough discoveries.