ABOUT US
Diabesity Digest is managed a by an international group of biotechnology executives having extensive experience in the field of obesity and type 2 diabetes. The team combines experience in research, drug development, pharmacology, investor relations, communications, intellectual property and business/corporate development.
While working in this rapidly evolving field, we began to build our own internal databases as we were unable to find any reliable sources that were rapidly updated by industry professional. With time, these databases became larger and more reliable than any service available. Then, the idea emerged that others could benefit from this unique and specific information.
The staff from DiabesityDigest.com attends, either directly or through its network of consultants, all major obesity and type 2 diabetes conferences and has developed a global network of key opinion leaders that help keep this website as up to date as possible. In addition, DiabesityDigest.com offers consulting services related to obesity and type 2 diabetes drug development.
Weencourage you to send us your comments and feedback at contactus@diabesitydigest.com. Please come back and visit us often as additional sections and items will added to this website in the near future.
MANAGEMENT
Karen Eugeni, P.Eng., MBA
CEO
Ms. Eugeni has over 20 years of business experience, including fifteen years in the biotechnology industry and running her own business. Prior to founding Diabesity Digest, she held various positions of increasing responsibility in corporate development and communications in the biotechnology sector, including at Innodia Inc., Ecopia BioSciences Inc. and BioChem Pharma Inc. (now part of Shire Pharmaceuticals), Canada's then leading biopharmaceutical company. She has developed and implemented prize-winning communications strategies and has been involved in long-term strategic planning and corporate positioning. She has also gained significant experience in therapeutic licensing deals in various areas including diabetes, obesity, oncology and anti-infectives. Before entering the biotechnology industry, Ms. Eugeni was a project manager in the engineering field where she managed multi-million dollar turn-key projects. She holds a bachelor’s degree in microbiology and immunology and another in chemical engineering as well as a Master of Business Administration, all from McGill University.
SCIENTIFIC TEAM
Nigel Levens, Ph.D.
Scientific Editor
Dr. Levens was a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Pharmacology at the University of Virginia and was on the faculty of the Department of Physiology at West Virginia University prior to joining the pharmaceutical industry. His 25-year pharmaceutical experience has been directed towards drug discovery in the obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases area. Dr. Levens has held leading roles in metabolic diseases drug discovery as Head of Obesity Pharmacology at Novartis Pharma AG in Basel, Switzerland, Head of Metabolic Diseases Research at The Servier Research Group in Paris, France, Head of Biology at Biovitrum AB in Stockholm, Sweden, Chief Scientific Officer at Innodia Inc. in Montreal and more recently, Vice President of Research at Bellus Health. Dr. Levens also has experience in preclinical development and investigational new drug (IND) submissions gained while at Hurley Consulting Associates in New Jersey. Dr. Levens holds a doctorate in Physiology from the University of Southampton in the United Kingdom, has published widely and is the holder of 10 patents in the metabolic diseases area.
Laurent Masaro, Ph.D., MBA
Advisor
Dr. Masaro has over 10 years of experience in the biotechnology industry where he has held various positions of increasing responsibility ranging from Scientific Director to Business and Corporate Development Director for various biotech companies including Celmed BioSciences Inc. He is presently Officer, Life Sciences Technologies at McGill University – Office of Technology Transfer, where he manages a large and diverse portfolio of technologies including nutraceuticals, pharmaceuticals, biologics, diagnostics and medical devices. Dr. Masaro has successfully negotiated several licenses and helped create spin-off companies in the field of metabolic diseases for which he continues to act as a strategic advisor. He holds a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Montreal and a Master of Business Administration from the HEC Montreal.