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Executive Team
Chad Testa, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
Chad joins Curza after 12+ years at Echelon Biosciences where his industrial career began. Most recently, Dr. Testa served as Senior Vice President of Research & Development after assuming positions of increasing responsibility from an initial role as Research Scientist. He has developed a diverse, multi-disciplinary chemical biology skill set, with particular emphasis on biological assay development for targeted biomarkers in antibacterial discovery, oncology and inflammatory disease pathways. Leading teams of scientists including external collaborators, Chad was responsible for administering multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary collaborations. Of particular importance was establishment of a proprietary antibacterial discovery platform targeting the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis that included development and implementation of a cascade of assays, including a whole-cell phenotypic screening platform to identify pathway-specific leads, biochemical and MIC assays that were used to identify two series exhibiting MEP pathway selectivity. Additional efforts include development of a non-invasive imaging agent to visualize tumors, numerous product launches, leading efforts that resulted in awarding of federal grants exceeding $8M and creation of synergistic relationships. Dr. Testa has served as PI or co-PI on grants awarded by NIAID, DTRA, NCI, FDA and NSF and participates as a reviewer for NIAID study sections focused on antibacterial discovery/development, the NSF SBIR program and the state of Utah. Chad received a Bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College and a Master’s degree in Chemistry studying a member of the lipoxygenase family of enzymes. His PhD in Chemistry was obtained from the University of Utah working with Prof. C. Dale Poulter studying isoprenoid pathways, including the MEP pathway.
Chad joins Curza after 12+ years at Echelon Biosciences where his industrial career began. Most recently, Dr. Testa served as Senior Vice President of Research & Development after assuming positions of increasing responsibility from an initial role as Research Scientist. He has developed a diverse, multi-disciplinary chemical biology skill set, with particular emphasis on biological assay development for targeted biomarkers in antibacterial discovery, oncology and inflammatory disease pathways. Leading teams of scientists including external collaborators, Chad was responsible for administering multi-institutional, multi-disciplinary collaborations. Of particular importance was establishment of a proprietary antibacterial discovery platform targeting the methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathway for isoprenoid biosynthesis that included development and implementation of a cascade of assays, including a whole-cell phenotypic screening platform to identify pathway-specific leads, biochemical and MIC assays that were used to identify two series exhibiting MEP pathway selectivity. Additional efforts include development of a non-invasive imaging agent to visualize tumors, numerous product launches, leading efforts that resulted in awarding of federal grants exceeding $8M and creation of synergistic relationships. Dr. Testa has served as PI or co-PI on grants awarded by NIAID, DTRA, NCI, FDA and NSF and participates as a reviewer for NIAID study sections focused on antibacterial discovery/development, the NSF SBIR program and the state of Utah. Chad received a Bachelor’s degree from Ithaca College and a Master’s degree in Chemistry studying a member of the lipoxygenase family of enzymes. His PhD in Chemistry was obtained from the University of Utah working with Prof. C. Dale Poulter studying isoprenoid pathways, including the MEP pathway.
Ryan E. Looper, PhD
Senior Vice President of Discovery
Ryan currently holds the Jon M. Huntsman Presidential Chair in Chemistry at the University of Utah, where he has developed an integrated research program at the interface of natural product synthesis, chemical biology and medicinal chemistry. He has developed new synthetic methodology to prepare compounds of significant biomedical interest, particularly as anti-cancer and anti-microbial agents. His research is noted for the synthesis of complex guanidinium ion and alkaloid natural products. Ryan has received several Honors and Awards for this research most notably the ACS Teva Pharmaceutical Scholar Award, Amgen and Eli Lilly Young Investigator Awards and has been named both a Presidential Scholar and an Entrepreneurial Faculty Scholar at the University of Utah. Ryan received a B.S. and M.S. degree in Chemistry from Western Washington University and his Ph.D. degree at Colorado State University with Prof. Robert M. Williams. After completing his Ph.D., he joined the laboratories of Prof. Stuart L. Schreiber at Harvard University and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT as an NIH postdoctoral fellow.
Ryan currently holds the Jon M. Huntsman Presidential Chair in Chemistry at the University of Utah, where he has developed an integrated research program at the interface of natural product synthesis, chemical biology and medicinal chemistry. He has developed new synthetic methodology to prepare compounds of significant biomedical interest, particularly as anti-cancer and anti-microbial agents. His research is noted for the synthesis of complex guanidinium ion and alkaloid natural products. Ryan has received several Honors and Awards for this research most notably the ACS Teva Pharmaceutical Scholar Award, Amgen and Eli Lilly Young Investigator Awards and has been named both a Presidential Scholar and an Entrepreneurial Faculty Scholar at the University of Utah. Ryan received a B.S. and M.S. degree in Chemistry from Western Washington University and his Ph.D. degree at Colorado State University with Prof. Robert M. Williams. After completing his Ph.D., he joined the laboratories of Prof. Stuart L. Schreiber at Harvard University and the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT as an NIH postdoctoral fellow.
Paul Sebahar, PhD
Senior Vice President of Medicinal Chemistry
Prior to joining Curza, Paul served as the Director of Quality for Medical Horizons, a leader in contract manufacturing of dietary supplements, where he was responsible for the implementation of quality strategy and corporate compliance with cGMP’s and federal regulations. Paul guided chemical and physical analysis of raw material, in-process samples and finished products and identified suitable test methods to elucidate active components and associated impurities and degradation products. Prior to Medical Horizons, Paul served as Scientist II in Medicinal Chemistry for Myrexis, a pharmaceutical development company, where he was the principal investigator on the Inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit epsilon (IKKε) drug recovery program. Paul helped developed 1st in-class IKKε inhibitors efficacious in a collagen-induced arthritis model utilizing structure-based drug design and synthesized compounds in support of pre-clinical IND enabling studies and was co-inventor on 3 patent applications. Dr. Sebahar was responsible for virtual screening and the streamlining of analog production through the use of predictive ADME modeling and also served as a liaison for external molecular modeling and international contract research service. Prior to his time at Myrexis, Paul served as an Investigator in the Metabolic and Virology divison for GlaxoSmithKline where was a Principal Investigator on the 2nd Generation NNRTI, CXCR4 and Human Papilloma Virus drug discovery programs. These efforts resulted in multiple patents and several co-authored manuscripts. Paul received the GlaxoSmithKline Research Excellence Award from the Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery. Paul graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from University of California, Davis and received a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Colorado State University.
Prior to joining Curza, Paul served as the Director of Quality for Medical Horizons, a leader in contract manufacturing of dietary supplements, where he was responsible for the implementation of quality strategy and corporate compliance with cGMP’s and federal regulations. Paul guided chemical and physical analysis of raw material, in-process samples and finished products and identified suitable test methods to elucidate active components and associated impurities and degradation products. Prior to Medical Horizons, Paul served as Scientist II in Medicinal Chemistry for Myrexis, a pharmaceutical development company, where he was the principal investigator on the Inhibitor of nuclear factor kappa-B kinase subunit epsilon (IKKε) drug recovery program. Paul helped developed 1st in-class IKKε inhibitors efficacious in a collagen-induced arthritis model utilizing structure-based drug design and synthesized compounds in support of pre-clinical IND enabling studies and was co-inventor on 3 patent applications. Dr. Sebahar was responsible for virtual screening and the streamlining of analog production through the use of predictive ADME modeling and also served as a liaison for external molecular modeling and international contract research service. Prior to his time at Myrexis, Paul served as an Investigator in the Metabolic and Virology divison for GlaxoSmithKline where was a Principal Investigator on the 2nd Generation NNRTI, CXCR4 and Human Papilloma Virus drug discovery programs. These efforts resulted in multiple patents and several co-authored manuscripts. Paul received the GlaxoSmithKline Research Excellence Award from the Centre of Excellence for Drug Discovery. Paul graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry from University of California, Davis and received a PhD in Organic Chemistry from Colorado State University.
Nick Skene, MBA
Vice President of Finance
Nick joins Cūrza after holding various investment banking, private equity and corporate finance roles at both large and small companies including Pfizer, Tucker Anthony and Citicorp. Nick received his undergrad and MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Nick joins Cūrza after holding various investment banking, private equity and corporate finance roles at both large and small companies including Pfizer, Tucker Anthony and Citicorp. Nick received his undergrad and MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania.
Dustin Williams, PhD
Vice President of Microbiology & New Technologies
Dr. Williams is an Associate Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Utah and Vice President of New Technologies at Curza. Dr. Williams’ publications include 17 peer-reviewed manuscripts on the development of antimicrobial strategies to treat and prevent biofilm implant-related infections as well as the development of a membrane biofilm reactor and flow cell system to model clinically relevant environments of device-related infections. Working with the late Dr. Bill Costerton, Dr. Williams has highlighted the importance of using biofilms as initial inocula in animal models of infection, as well as other systems. He has had the opportunity to assist in the development of an osseointegrated (OI) implant technology with the University of Utah and Department of Veterans Affairs, specifically as it relates to preventing infections at the percutaneous post of OI implants. The focus of his current work involves the development of bio-inspired socket prosthetic technology for patients with an amputation, the development of antimicrobial strategies to prevent biofilm implant-related infections using various animal models, and applying novel antimicrobial compounds to mitigate biofilm-related problems in industrial settings. Dr. Williams graduated with a B.S. in Microbiology from Weber State University and a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Utah.
Dr. Williams is an Associate Professor in the Department of Orthopaedics at the University of Utah and Vice President of New Technologies at Curza. Dr. Williams’ publications include 17 peer-reviewed manuscripts on the development of antimicrobial strategies to treat and prevent biofilm implant-related infections as well as the development of a membrane biofilm reactor and flow cell system to model clinically relevant environments of device-related infections. Working with the late Dr. Bill Costerton, Dr. Williams has highlighted the importance of using biofilms as initial inocula in animal models of infection, as well as other systems. He has had the opportunity to assist in the development of an osseointegrated (OI) implant technology with the University of Utah and Department of Veterans Affairs, specifically as it relates to preventing infections at the percutaneous post of OI implants. The focus of his current work involves the development of bio-inspired socket prosthetic technology for patients with an amputation, the development of antimicrobial strategies to prevent biofilm implant-related infections using various animal models, and applying novel antimicrobial compounds to mitigate biofilm-related problems in industrial settings. Dr. Williams graduated with a B.S. in Microbiology from Weber State University and a Ph.D. in Bioengineering from the University of Utah.
Executive Team
Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Scientific Advisory Board
Board of Advisors
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