About Cizzle Bio, Inc.

Transforming Lung Cancer Detection through Pioneering Science

Who We Are

Cizzle Bio, Inc. stands at the forefront of biotechnological innovation, dedicated to revolutionizing the detection of lung cancer through groundbreaking diagnostic tools. With exclusive rights to detect the CIZ1B Biomarker in the USA and Canada, we are driven by a commitment to improve early cancer detection and enhance patient outcomes.

Meet the Team

Bill Behnke

Bill Behnke

CHAIRMAN & CEO

Entrepreneurial and performance-driven senior executive with extensive background in direct sales, marketing, sales management, and business development to CEO’s, CFO’s, CMO’S, and Boards of Directors of health insurance companies and hospitals.

Delivered revenues in excess of $100m and success in raising capital from VC, PE and private investors.

Proven track record in early stage and blue-chip business development and high-level board experience with major cancer charity and advocacy groups such as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, the AYA Cancer Foundation and the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center.

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Ron Greeno

Dr. Ron Greeno

CHIEF MEDICAL OFFICER

Dr. Ron Greeno is a veteran physician executive with 30 years of experience in the physician services management field. He was the founder of Cogent Healthcare and served as its EVP for Strategy and Chief Medical Officer until its merger with Sound Physicians. He has also served in physician executive positions at IPC and TeamHealth.

He was board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, and critical care. He is the Senior Advisor for Government Relations and a former President of the Society of Hospital Medicine, which represents the nation’s 50,000 hospitalist physicians.

In this role, he works with Capitol Hill, Medicare, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI). CMMI was created by the Affordable Care Act and tasked with designing, implementing, and testing new healthcare payment models to improve care and lower healthcare costs.

Much of Dr. Greeno’s work in federal healthcare policy has focused on innovative payment models in the nation’s healthcare system.

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Dr. Steven T. Rosen

Dr. Steven T. Rosen

SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR

Steven T. Rosen, MD, FACP, FASCO, FAIME, is the Executive Vice President, Director Emeritus of Beckman Research Institute & City of Hope, Professor, Hematology and Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation, Schwartz Endowed Professorship in Duarte, California. Following his graduation with distinction from Northwestern University Medical School’s Six-Year Honors Program in Chicago, Illinois, Dr. Rosen completed his residency in internal medicine at Northwestern and a fellowship in medical oncology at the National Cancer Institute in Maryland. He served as the Director of the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine from 1989-2014.

Dr. Rosen’s laboratory research focuses on experimental therapeutics and hematologic malignancies. He has received funding from the National Cancer Institute (NCI), American Cancer Society, Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation, Department of Defense and Rising Tide Foundation. Dr Rosen has received numerous grant awards and contracts and has published more than 500 scientific papers. He is editor-in-chief of *Cancer Treatment and Research*. Dr Rosen was the chair of the Medical Science Committee of the LLS and served on its Board. He also serves on the Board of American Society of Clinical Oncology’s Conquer Cancer Foundation. Dr. Rosen has been an advisor to more than two dozen NCI Comprehensive Cancer Centers.

He was the recipient of Northwestern University Medical School’s Alumni Achievement Award (1994), the Martin Luther King Humanitarian Award from Northwestern Memorial Hospital (1995), the Marv Samuel Award from the Chicago Baseball Cancer Charities (1996), recognition from the Woman’s Board of Northwestern Memorial Hospital for Compassionate Care (1996), and Israel Cancer Research Fund, Man of Distinction Award (2011), and Lifetime Achievement Award (2015).  Best Doctors in Chicago and Los Angeles.  American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE’s) College of Fellows (2017).  Association of American Physicians (AAP) (2019).  The Giants of Cancer Care award for 2021.  America’s Best Doctors – Top Hematologist & Oncologist – Findatopdoc.com.  The Excellence in Scientific Service Award -The Leukemia Lymphoma Society, Blood Cancer Community (2023).  Fellow, Royal College of Physicians (2023).  City of Hope Scientific Research Portrait Gallery of Honor (2024).

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Dr. Ajay Goel

Dr. Ajay Goel

SCIENTIFIC ADVISOR


Ajay Goel, Ph.D., AGAF, is a Professor and Founding Chair of the Department of Molecular Diagnostics at the Beckman Research Institute, as well as Associate Director of Basic Sciences at the City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center and also serves as Director of Biotech Innovations at the City of Hope, Duarte, CA.

Dr. Goel has spent over 25 years researching cancer and has been the lead author or contributor to over 450 scientific articles published in peer-reviewed international journals and several book chapters. His current H-index is 110, and an i10-index of 349, with more than 40,000 citations of his research work. He is also a primary inventor of over 75 international patents to develop various disease biomarkers or therapeutic targets for gastrointestinal cancers. He uses advanced genomic, epigenomic, and transcriptomic approaches to develop novel circulating, liquid biopsy-based biomarkers (e.g., cell-free nucleic acids, exosomes) for early detection, prognosis, and determining predictive responses to chemotherapy and targeted drugs in gastrointestinal cancers. In addition, his group is very interested in identifying novel therapeutic targets, particularly immune therapy, for various gastrointestinal cancers. His research also involves understanding the role of the gut microbiome, health disparities, and the prevention of gastrointestinal cancers using integrative and alternative approaches.

Dr. Goel is a member of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), and the American Gastroenterology Association (AGA). Dr. Goel is also a fellow of the American Gastroenterological Association (AGAF). He serves as the Associate Editor-in-Chief (Molecular Therapy Oncology), Executive Editor (Molecular Carcinogenesis), Senior Editor (Scientific Reports), Associate Editor (Digestive Diseases and Sciences), and as an editorial board member of more than 25 international journals, including Gastroenterology, Clinical Cancer Research, Carcinogenesis, Cancer Letters, PLoS ONE, Epigenomics, Future Medicine, Cancer Biomarkers and Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine. He is also actively involved in peer-reviewing activities for more than 100 international scientific journals and various grant review panels of national and international funding organizations.

His research has been actively funded for more than 20 years by various private and federal organizations, including funding from the National Cancer Institute (NCI) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the American Cancer Society (ACS), and many research foundations and other state organizations. He has won more than 50 national and international awards and honors and has been invited for visiting professorships by various national and international academic institutions and academic bodies.

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Dr. William Dalton

Dr. William Dalton

SENIOR CONSULTANT FOR CLINICAL TRIALS

Dr. William (Bill) S. Dalton is the Founder of M2Gen (now known as AsterInsights), a national biotechnology subsidiary of the Moffitt Cancer Center. He is the past President (2002–2012), CEO, and Center Director of Moffitt Cancer Center, an NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. Prior to joining Moffitt as Center Director in 2002, Dr. Dalton was the Dean of the University of Arizona College of Medicine.

His research interests include the development of information systems to allow aggregation, organization, and sharing of patient data in real-time to enhance the discovery and delivery of evidence-based precision medicine. While at Moffitt, he participated in the development of the “Total Cancer Care Protocol,” a prospective study designed to follow patients throughout their lifetime, with patients consenting to donate their clinical data, tissue, and molecular data to support precision medicine.

In 2014, the Moffitt Cancer Center partnered with the James Cancer Center at Ohio State University to form ORIEN, a cancer center alliance of eighteen cancer centers dedicated to data sharing and collaborative research. The number of patients who have consented to the Total Cancer Care Protocol is now over 325,000.

Dr. Dalton’s basic and translational research interests focus on molecular mechanisms of drug resistance and drug discovery. He has authored over 200 publications, served on several editorial boards, and holds twelve patents in the fields of drug discovery and computer/information networking.

He has served on numerous not-for-profit boards and is the past Chair of the Personalized Medicine Coalition (personalizedmedicine.org) and past President of the Association of American Cancer Institutes (aaci-cancer.org). He is also the past Chair of the Pharmaceutical Sciences Section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (aaas.org) and is the current Board Chair of the Institute of Human and Machine Cognition (ihmc.us). Additionally, he is the current Chair of the American Association of Cancer Research (aacr.org) Trust in Science Task Force.

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Mary Jimenez

Mary Jimenez

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT OF BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Passionate, performance-driven executive leader with extensive experience in biotech, diagnostic sales, and business development with Fortune 500 companies and start-ups. She joined the initial sales team at Genentech, where she held various leadership roles.

Later, she joined Caris as VP of Strategic Account Management, where she worked with executive leadership from top NCI-designated cancer centers, hospital networks, and group practice organizations on comprehensive molecular profiling, standardization of workflows, and protocols.

She’s currently consulting for several start-ups, including HealthGates, Cizzle Biotechnology, and Syantra. She has served on a national panel for Women Who Conquer Cancer at the American Society of Clinical Oncology and was recognized as one of San Antonio’s Top 25 Technology Leaders in 2022.

She’s the past president of The Health Cell, UT Mays Cancer Center Advisory Board, San Antonio Medical Foundation’s Community Health & Education Committee, ThriveWell Board, and Alamo Breast Cancer Foundation. Past board positions include Genentech Women’s Professionals and Vice President of the Healthcare Businesswomen’s Association.

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Yolanda Heiberger

Yolanda Heiberger

VICE PRESIDENT OF COMMUNICATIONS & PATIENT EDUCATION


Yolanda Heiberger, M.A., is an experienced healthcare communications professional with expertise in developing and executing comprehensive communications strategies. She has extensive clinical, educational, and promotional writing expertise in a broad range of therapeutic areas for physician, scientific, patient, and donor audiences on behalf of diverse healthcare entities and biotechnology companies including Cardinal Health; the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Heersink School of Medicine; UAB Medicine; Children’s Tumor Foundation; HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology; CSI Laboratories; Surgical Affiliates; Southern Research; and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Skilled in storytelling and engaging with patient and clinical audiences, she is also adept in fostering collaborative relationships with physicians, scientists, and clinical thought leaders. Her work has earned national recognition, including a Gold-Level National Health Information Award from Web Health and an Honorable Mention in Print and Digital Publishing from the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Group on Institutional Advancement Awards for Excellence. Yolanda holds a B.A. in Journalism and an M.A. in Mass Communication/Public Relations, both from the University of Alabama.

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Dr. Steve Henderson

Dr. Steve Henderson

SENIOR CONSULTANT GRANT WRITING & RESEARCH

Dr. Steve Henderson is a medical writer—primarily focusing on grant writing—and biomedical researcher for Cizzle Bio. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of California at San Diego and San Diego State University, where he taught as an adjunct professor.

He has worked on clinical trials for Alzheimer’s Disease, co-authored research and book chapters on neurological injury and treatment outcomes, edited journal articles and books, written and edited grants and clinical trial protocols, and written blogs on cancer clinical trials.

He enjoys creatively and collaboratively solving problems, simplifying complicated concepts, and supporting team efforts to reach challenging goals. He has used this skill set to serve on numerous boards and steering committees.

Outside of work, Dr. Henderson has played keyboards for a variety of bands as a creative outlet.

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Jennifer Hinkel

Jennifer Hinkel

SENIOR CONSULTANT ECONOMICS & COMMERCIALIZATION

Jennifer Hinkel, MSc, is a market access and health economics expert with over 15 years of experience in HEOR, RWE, pricing, and commercialization, with a particular focus on oncology and diagnostics.

With a background spanning leadership roles at Genentech, Caris Life Sciences, and McGivney Global Advisors, Jennifer has successfully guided biopharma and medtech companies in navigating regulatory landscapes, payer engagement, and expansion to global markets.

Jennifer holds an MSc in International Health Policy from the London School of Economics and is currently pursuing a DPhil in Evidence-Based Health Care at the University of Oxford, focused on cancer outcomes.

A cancer survivor and patient advocate, she is passionate about bridging innovation, policy, and patient access to accelerate the impact of transformative healthcare solutions.

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Daniela Kuok

Daniela Kuok

DIRECTOR OF MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS

Derek Schriver

Derek Schriver

EXTERNAL FINANCIAL OFFICER


Dedicated and highly skilled CPA with a strong foundation in accounting and business advisory services. After earning both a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Accounting from the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA), he became licensed as a Certified Public Accountant in 2009.

In 2010, he launched his own full-service CPA firm, providing comprehensive tax compliance, assurance, and business advisory services to a diverse range of clients. As the son of a retired Army veteran, he brings a disciplined and service-oriented approach to his work, always aiming to help businesses achieve financial success and regulatory compliance.

He is also committed to giving back to his community and profession, serving as the Board Chair for UTSA’s Accounting Advisory Board, where he helps shape the future of the industry by guiding the next generation of accountants. Additionally, he serves as Treasurer for Students of Service, a nonprofit dedicated to fostering leadership and civic engagement in youth.

Married and a proud father of three children, he balances his thriving career with a deep commitment to family and community. His leadership and expertise continue to make a significant impact in both the professional and civic spheres.

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Sai

Sai

DIRECTOR OF WEB & IT

Meet our Board of Directors

Bill Behnke

Bill Behnke

BOARD CHAIRMAN

Entrepreneurial and performance-driven senior executive with extensive background in direct sales, marketing, sales management, and business development to CEO’s, CFO’s, CMO’S, and Boards of Directors of health insurance companies and hospitals. Delivered revenues in excess of $100m and success in raising capital from VC, PE and private investors. Proven track record in early stage and blue-chip business development and high-level board experience with major cancer charity and advocacy groups such as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Conquer Cancer, the ASCO Foundation, the AYA Cancer Foundation and the South Texas Blood and Tissue Center.

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Ron Greeno

Dr. Ron Greeno

BOARD MEMBER

Dr. Ron Greeno is a veteran physician executive with 30 years of experience in the physician services management field. He was the founder of Cogent Healthcare and served as its EVP for Strategy and Chief Medical Officer until its merger with Sound Physicians. He has also served in physician executive positions at IPC and TeamHealth. He was board certified in internal medicine, pulmonary medicine and critical care. He is the Senior Advisor for Government Relations and a former President for the Society of Hospital Medicine which represents the nations 50,000 hospitalist physicians. In this role he works with Capital Hill, Medicare, and the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (“CMMI”). CMMI was created by the Affordable Care Act and tasked with designing, implementing, and testing new health care payment models to improve care and lower healthcare costs. Much of Dr. Greeno’s work in federal healthcare policy has focused on innovative payment models in the nations healthcare system.

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Joseph Kelley

Joseph Kelley

BOARD MEMBER

Seasoned senior executive with over 25+ years of business, public policy and regulatory experience. Joe served as Vice President of Eli Lilly & Company’s Global Government Affairs organization responsible for integrating company strategic objectives with priority policy initiatives in the state, federal and international markets. He was a member of Lilly USA and the Global Diabetes Business Executive Committees.

Since retiring, he has worked as an advisor/consultant to the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers Association (PhRMA), as a member of the Board of Directors for Nanotomer Bio and the Business Advisory Board of AZ Therapies. Mr. Kelley currently sits on the Board of Hessian Labs a privately held biotech company and offers strategic advice as a members of Xylyx Bio’s Business Advisory Board.

For personal reasons, Joe became engaged with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) in 2002. He established a foundation to support research to find new treatments for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The foundation raised significant resources for LLS’s Beat AML initiative. He also participated as a member of the National Board of Directors for the (LLS) for nine years where he chaired the Board”s Public Policy Committee and as a members of the Board Development Committee.

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Our Journey and Technology

Born from a partnership with Cizzle Biotechnology PLC, we utilize patented technologies that have set new standards in the early detection of lung cancer. Our research and development efforts have culminated in proprietary monoclonal antibodies specific to CIZ1B, paving the way for the development of our first market-ready tests.

Leadership in Innovation

Under the leadership of Dr. Allan Syms and Professor Dawn Coverley, our team combines decades of expertise in cancer biology and cell biology, respectively. This blend of skills ensures that Cizzle Bio remains at the cutting edge of cancer diagnostics, driving innovations that promise better survival rates for patients worldwide.

The Critical Need for Early Detection

Annual Diagnoses

Over 2.2 million individuals are diagnosed with lung cancer each year globally.

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Mortality and Prevalence

In 2020, cancer claimed 10 million lives worldwide, with lung cancer accounting for nearly 20% of these fatalities - more than any other cancer.

Late-Stage Diagnosis

Approximately 75% of lung cancer cases are diagnosed at a late stage, drastically reducing survival rates and emphasizing the need for early detection.

Survival Rates

The survival rate for lung cancer increases dramatically when diagnosed early. However, less than 20% of cases are caught in these early stages.

Screening Rates

Only 5.8% of the eligible 14.2 million people have been screened for lung cancer as of 2021, pointing to a significant gap in preventive healthcare.

The majority of lung cancer cases are diagnosed too late, with devastating consequences. Our mission is to change this narrative by providing a reliable, non-invasive, and easily accessible testing option that can dramatically improve survival rates.

Strategic Partnership for Greater Impact

Guided by Bill Behnke, a veteran healthcare executive, we actively cultivate strategic partnerships across the healthcare spectrum—from cancer centers to insurance companies. These relationships enhance the reach and effectiveness of our diagnostic solutions, ensuring they benefit a wide and diverse patient population.

Innovation at Our Core

Our commitment extends beyond traditional methods. We are developing point-of-care tests that could be as routine as checking your blood pressure, making early detection a regular part of medical care.

Learn more about the CIZ1 B Biomarker.

Educating and Empowering Communities

At Cizzle Bio, we believe in empowering individuals to take proactive steps towards managing their health. Through educational initiatives and community outreach, we raise awareness about the benefits of early lung cancer detection and encourage widespread participation in screening programs.

Our Vision for the Future

Our vision is clear: a future where lung cancer is detected early enough to be treated effectively, drastically reducing late-stage diagnoses and mortality rates. Every innovation, every partnership, and every test we develop is a step towards this future.