AID Accelerator

Biography

William Ju, M.D., is a physician-scientist with decades of leadership experience in the biopharmaceutical sector. His career spans startups, Fortune 100 companies, and nonprofits.

Dr. Ju co-founded and serves as president and trustee of Advancing Innovation in Dermatology, Inc., a nonprofit dedicated to accelerating new therapies and technologies. He was chief executive officer and president of Follica, Inc., and chief operating officer at PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTCT). He also held key leadership positions at Pharmacia (acquired by Pfizer), Merck, and Hoffmann-La Roche, where he contributed to the development of notable therapies such as SUTENT®, CANCIDAS®, CRIXIVAN®, and TRANSLARNA™.

Dr. Ju has built extensive networks through co-founding the Dermatology Summit and Dermatology Innovation Forum, connecting entrepreneurs, industry leaders, and investors. Having served on the advisory council for Princeton University’s Keller Center for Entrepreneurship he has guided the formation and advancement of startups.
Prior to his industry roles, he was a senior staff fellow at the National Cancer Institute (NIH), working under Dr. Douglas Lowy. A board-certified dermatologist (DABD) and Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology (FAAD), he has published in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Ju completed his M.D. at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine (Alpha Omega Alpha) and earned his A.B. in biology from Princeton University (Phi Beta Kappa).

He brings technical background in dermatology, oncology, infectious disease, rare diseases, clinical pharmacology, and clinical trials. Combined with his experience as a founder and track record in product development, and executive management, he provides strategic and operational insight to support entrepreneurs aiming to advance and commercialize innovative life science discoveries.

Biography

Steve Xu is a physician-engineer, board certified dermatologist, and entrepreneur. Dr. Xu has authored more than 120 peer-reviewed publications, which include works in Nature, Science, The New England Journal of Medicine, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Furthermore, he is an inventor on 15 pending and granted patents in the fields of digital health, medical device development, and medical innovation as an MIT 35 Under 35 honoree. He is an NIH, DoD, FDA, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Wellcome LEAP funded investigator. He is the CEO of Sibel Health where he is also a co-founder and board member. As of 2025, Sibel has launched advanced monitoring systems and AI algorithms in more than 20 countries for both clinical care and clinical trials, obtained multiple FDA 510(k) clearances, and monitored more than 17,000 individuals with a focus on maternal and neonatal health. He serves as a Board Member of Advancing Innovation in Dermatology and advises several privately held healthcare companies.

Biography

Jamie Breslin is the Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer of Advancing Innovation in Dermatology and the founder of Breslin Consulting LLC, an independent consultant firm to biopharma and nonprofit organizations in the areas of business development and operational strategy.

Trained as a virologist, Dr. Breslin began her career at PTC Therapeutics, Inc. initially as part of the antiviral research team, and subsequently within corporate development. Within corporate development she helped build the Alliance Management function and as Director of Business Development supported licensing and technology transactions with leading pharma and biotech organizations. She also supported private and public financing events behind the company’s growth from a discovery organization to a global commercial entity.

Dr. Breslin received her B.S. in Molecular Biology from Florida Institute of Technology, her Ph.D. in virology from North Carolina State University, and studied as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center.

Biography

Brian N. Cunningham, M.D., has been extensively involved in business strategy, finance, and transaction execution within the life sciences industry for over 20 years. Most recently, Dr. Cunningham was the Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chairman of the Board for RxThat. RxThat’s software and services were focused on providing prescription price transparency through mobile applications. Dr. Cunningham was previously the co-founder and Chief Financial Officer of KloudScript, Inc. a company devoted to improving the lives of patients treated with specialty therapeutics by enabling independently owned retail pharmacies to provide higher quality care locally. Before founding KloudScript, Dr. Cunningham served in various senior management roles for a number of start-up companies and non-profit organizations, including Founder, Chief Business Officer and SVP of Finance at Madrigal Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: MDGL) and Chief Financial Officer at the Felidae Conservation Fund.

Dr. Cunningham was a Venture Partner at Bay City Capital, serving in various operational roles for several Bay City Capital portfolio companies. Dr. Cunningham was instrumental in the execution of numerous collaborations and licensing deals, provided oversight of portfolio company financial functions and advised on clinical development strategies. Before Bay City Capital, Dr. Cunningham worked as a principal for The Pritzker Organization where he oversaw investments within the life sciences sectors, managed a publicly traded portfolio and served as a liaison for certain Pritzker family interests.

Prior to joining The Pritzker Organization, Dr. Cunningham was a consultant with L.E.K. Consulting, focusing on strategy development in the biopharmaceutical and medical device sectors. Preceding joining L.E.K., Dr. Cunningham was a Research Fellow at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation in the Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.