Dr. Johnson joined KAI in August of 2008 bringing to the company 20 years of combined experience in biotechnology, pharmaceutical, drug delivery and medical devices. Dr. Johnson served as SVP of Research and Preclinical Development for CellGate and provided leadership in R & D of novel molecular transporters and polyamine analogs for hyperproliferative diseases. Prior, Dr. Johnson was a start-up member at DURECT Corporation, successfully participating in an IPO in September 2000 (NASDAQ: DRRX) and served as Vice President of Pharmacology and Toxicology & Director of CNS Programs. At Roche Bioscience, Dr. Johnson held Department Head positions in the Neurobiology and Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry departments providing scientific leadership for drug target discovery programs for analgesia and neurodegenerative diseases. At Syntex Research, he directed R&D efforts for neurotrophic factors for CNS diseases and contributed to the development of the serotonin receptor (5-HT3) antagonist, Aloxi®. At Genentech, Dr. Johnson contributed to understanding the signaling of HER2/neu receptor that eventually helped contribute to the development of Herceptin®. Prior to industry, Dr. Johnson was Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Pharmacology, University of Virginia School of Medicine where he also did his postdoctoral fellowship. Dr. Johnson holds a Ph.D. in Biomedical Science with specialization in Pharmacology from the University of South Carolina School of Medicine, an M.A in Biology, B.S. in Zoology from California State University at Long Beach. He has authored over 110 scientific publications, abstracts and book chapters, and is an inventor on ten U.S. and international patents.