Cymbeline Culiat, Ph. D.
Founder, Chief Scientific Officer and Chairman of the Scientific Advisory Board
Dr. Cymbeline (Bem) Culiat studied the genetic and molecular basis of early mammalian development for nearly a decade as a senior scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Her studies led to the discovery of the role of the NELL1 signaling protein in pathways controlling the growth and maturation of the musculoskeletal and cardiovascular systems. This discovery is the foundation on which NellOne Therapeutics (NellOne) was established in 2008. Dr. Culiat is the inventor on various patents related to the clinical applications of the NELL1 protein in skeletal muscle wound healing and treatment of cardiovascular disorders. These patents were exclusively licensed to NellOne on a worldwide basis.
While on the ORNL R&D staff (1999-2009), Dr. Culiat was deeply involved in technology innovation and commercialization through her longtime participation in the seed grant, invention disclosure and technology maturation programs. She was also an adjunct faculty member of the College of Arts and Sciences, Graduate School of Genome Sciences and Technology at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
In 2010 Dr. Culiat became a scientific consultant to NellOne, as well as the chairman of the company’s Scientific Advisory Board. On Jan.1, 2011, she became a full-time employee and NellOne’s chief scientific officer.
Born, raised and educated in the Philippines, Dr. Culiat taught biology (1981-1994) at the University of the Philippines in Laguna, from which she earned a B.S. degree in cell biology (cum laude) and an M.S. degree in genetics. In 1994, Dr. Culiat received her doctorate in biomedical sciences from ORNL-University of Tennessee as a full scholar of ORNL and the Hilton-Smith Fellowship. She was also awarded the Chancellor’s citation for Professional Promise. Dr. Culiat completed postdoctoral work in molecular genetics and genomics at ORNL in 1999, as an awardee of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) prestigious Alexander Hollaender Distinguished Postdoctoral Fellowship (1996-1999).
Formerly employed by UT-Battelle, LLC, the entity established by the University of Tennessee and Battelle Memorial Institute to co-manage ORNL for the DOE, Dr. Culiat has been widely recognized for her groundbreaking work, including Oak Ridge YWCA Woman of Distinction in Health, Science and Technology (2008), Biosciences Division Individual Achievement and Significant Event Award (2008), Federal Lab Consortium Excellence in Technology Transfer (Honorable Mention, 2008), Technology Transfer Key Contributor Award and from the ORNL-DOE Office of Science, the Outstanding Mentor Award (2006).
Tracy Warren
Chairman, CEO and Founder
Tracy Warren is the CEO and Founder of NellOne. She is also a a general partner of Battelle Ventures and Innovation Valley Partners, for which she focuses on investments in health & life sciences and emerging energy technologies. Tracy led the investment that spun out NellOne Therapeutics from ORNL.
Tracy works closely on identifying promising technologies, projects and synergies with the National Laboratories that sole limited partner Battelle manages or co-manages for the U.S. Department of Energy around the country. She serves on Battelle Memorial Institute’s Commercialization Council, which works to enhance technology transfer and commercialization policies and mechanisms within Battelle and the National Labs. Tracy has led investments in several institutional spin-outs, including Endovalve (Cardiovascular Devices / University of Pennsylvania; merged into Microinternational Devices 2011), and BioNano Genomics (DNA sequence analysis / Princeton University). As a strong syndicate partner, she also led the funds’ investments in NuPathe (IPO 2010).
With the funding of Endovalve, Tracy pioneered the fund’s virtual company investment model, in which typical infrastructure expenses are minimized during a company’s initial high-risk phase. She also uses this capital-efficient model with NellOne.
Tracy started in venture capital in 2001 after being an analyst and associate at SG Cowen, Securities & Health Care Mergers and Acquisitions and Corporate Finance divisions. She holds a B.S. degree from New York University Stern School of Business and an MBA from Columbia Business School.
