Saskia Biskup
MD, Ph.D.
Saskia Biskup co-founded CeGaT GmbH in 2009. As a Human Geneticist, Research Scientist, and physian, she positions herself at the interface of diagnostics, research, and clinic.
She gathered international experience at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD, USA. Her research at that time revolved around LRRK2, a gene involved in Parkinson’s disease, and the development of new biomarkers to enable early prediction of neurodegenerative diseases. Saskia Biskup was among the first to discover variations in the LRRK2 gene; LRRK2 is the gene which is worldwide associated with Parkinson’s Disease (Neuron 2004). She was awarded multiple international prizes for her research.
In 2010, Saskia Biskup founded the Praxis für Humangenetik, now Zentrum für Humangenetik Tübingen (Center for Human Genetics), where she sees patients daily. Her central mission is to offer patients diagnostics that incorporate the latest scientific breakthroughs to find the genetic cause of disease. An important aspect of her work centers on characterizing cancer cells, as the identification of specific genetic changes can enable targeted treatment and the development of vaccines that empower the immune system to fight cancer cells. This resonates with the rapidly advancing field of precision medicine, where personalized treatments are developed based on accurate diagnoses and an understanding of the individual’s disease.
Biskup and her team are actively contributing to research in the field of human genetics. Together with partners, they publish about 20 scientific articles per year with a current focus on oncology. Furthermore, the achievements of CeGaT GmbH, coupled with its innovative technology platforms, have facilitated the establishment of additional subsidiary ventures, particularly in the domains of prenatal diagnostics and personalized tumor vaccines.
David D. Parker Jr.
Ph.D, Board Chair
Bio-medical research is advancing at an unprecedented pace. It is David’s goal to remove barriers between the latest scientific advancements and patient care. As an interdisciplinary scientist, he has a unique awareness of cutting-edge research across a wide range of scientific disciplines. David is especially qualified to identify promising treatment options and accurately describing these options to both medical professionals and patients. Connecting patients with treatments best suited to their needs can fundamentally change medicine and treatment outcomes. He is passionate about his work, and aims to drive change across the healthcare system and scientific community.
Dawn Brooke
Executive Director
As Executive Director of Provenance Precision Medicine, Dawn serves as development lead for the Foundation. Before joining the Foundation, Dawn worked for eight years as CeGaT’s North America National Sales Director. In that time, she worked passionately and determinedly to develop the North American diagnostic market for CeGaT and serve as client liaison and treatment facilitator for Dr. Biskup’s practice. She is honored to join Provenance Precision Medicine Foundation to help bring Dr. Biskup’s life-changing, personalized approach and therapies to the United States and make her precision medicine therapies more widely available and accessible.
Irina Sagalovskiy
PhD, Senior Consultant for Research and Program Development
As a Senior Consultant, Irina brings extensive expertise in biomedical research, specializing in oncology and immunology, to the Foundation. She is a strong advocate for a precision medicine approach to treating complex medical conditions, with a focus on translating cutting-edge scientific discoveries into accessible treatments for patients in need.
Prior to joining the Foundation, Irina held a Senior Scientist position at the Columbia University Cancer Center for seven years, where she contributed significantly to advancing translational research in pancreatic cancer. In addition, she has provided education, treatment strategies, and advocacy for patients with advanced solid tumors, autoimmune diseases, and diagnostic challenges through a private healthcare concierge service. Irina’s passion lies in improving patient outcomes by applying the latest scientific advancements in clinical practice.