Our Staff
H. David Humes, M.D.
H. David Humes, M.D., graduated from the medical school of the University of California, San Francisco, and joined the faculties of Harvard Medical School and the University of Michigan and is a board certified Nephrologist on staff at the University of Michigan. He has chaired the University of Michigan’s Department of Internal Medicine and presently holds the rank of Professor. He has published over 200 scientific articles and book chapters and was editor-in-chief of Kelley’s Textbook of Internal Medicine. Additionally, he has 70 patents issued or pending. He is an international authority in the areas of acute renal failure, stem cell biology, and tissue engineering. His laboratory has received international attention for its work in the development of the bioartificial kidney. Dr. Humes has been elected to a number of prestigious honorary scientific societies, and a number of highly acclaimed awards in Nephrology have been bestowed on him, including The President’s Award from the National Kidney Foundation and the A.N. Richards Distinguished Achievement Award in Nephrology. Dr. Humes is active in the for-profit sector. Most notably, he is the scientific founder of CytoPherx (formerly Nephrion and RenaMed Biologics, Inc.), a biotechnology company directed toward various devices to treat acute organ failure; and Innovative BioTherapies, Inc., a company developing nanofabricated replacement organs utilizing stem cells. He is also on the Medical Advisory Boards of Renal Solutions, Inc., and Natural Therapeutics, Inc. He is the Chairman of the Michigan Center for Regenerative Medicine.
Deborah A. Buffington, B.S.
Deborah A. Buffington, B.S., Chief Operating Officer of Innovative BioTherapies, Inc. Ms. Buffington holds a bachelors of science degree in Biology from the University of Michigan. She co-discovered many of IBT’s proprietary processes and co-authored many of the critical publications on the subject of tissue engineering a bioartificial kidney. Along with Dr. Humes, she co-holds several of the Company's key patents. Ms. Buffington was previously associated with the University of Michigan and the VA Medical Center. She was the Director of Research and Production Activities at Nephros Therapeutics, where she facilitated the successful submission of an IND to the FDA for clinical trial testing of a cell-based device for the treatment of acute renal failure. In 2005, she joined Innovative BioTherapies, Inc., as Vice President of Business & Research Operations. In an ongoing effort to advance IBT’s lead technologies, she has secured two SBIR Phase I grants, one SBIR Phase II grant and is co-PI on a cooperative research agreement from the U.S. Department of Defense.
Angela J. Westover, B.S.
Angela J. Westover, B.S., Research Scientist at Innovative BioTherapies, Inc., holds a bachelors of science degree in Cellular and Molecular Biology from the University of Michigan. Ms. Westover has collaborated with Dr. H. David Humes in both Nephros Therapeutics and RenaMed Biologics, Inc. She joined Innovative BioTherapies, Inc., in 2007, as a Research Scientist. Ms. Westover is inventor on the patent for the Enhanced Propagation of Cells, a key methodology toward advancing IBT’s lead product toward commercialization. She has secured one SBIR Phase I grant and one SBIR Phase II grant. Additionally, she has co-authored more than ten articles on tissue engineering and the development of a bioartificial kidney.
Kimberly A. Johnston, V.M.D.
Kimberly A. Johnston, V.M.D., Research Scientist, Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, at Innovative BioTherapies, Inc. Dr. Johnston is a board certified veterinary surgeon with extensive experience in large animal surgery. In addition to her work at IBT, she provides equine surgical and consulting services to the Oakdale Large Animal Hospital. She obtained her VMD at the University of Pennsylvania and completed an equine surgical residency at Michigan State University. During her academic career, she received prestigious awards for her scholastic achievement; these awards include the J.B Lippincott Prize, the 1930 Class Prize in Surgery, the American College of Veterinary Surgeons Prize In Large Animal Surgery, and the Charles F. Reid Sports Medicine and Diagnostics Imaging Award. Her professional associations include the American College of Veterinary Surgeons, the American Association of Equine Practitioners, and the American Veterinary Medical Association.
Peter L. Smith, Ph.D.
Peter L. Smith, Ph.D., Research Scientist at Innovative BioTherapies, has over fifteen years of general immunology, leukocyte trafficking, and molecular biology experience. After receiving his Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Washington University he joined the laboratory of Dr. John Lowe, M.D. at the University of Michigan for post-doctoral training. After being appointed to a non-tenure tract position in the Department of Pathology at the University of Michigan and to a Research Scientist position within the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Dr. Smith developed mouse models to aid the study of leukocyte adhesion and bone marrow trafficking. Dr. Smith has published more than 25 peer reviewed articles in scientific journals including Science, Cell, the Journal of Biological Chemistry and the Proceeding of the National Academy of Sciences. Dr. Smith joined Innovative BioTherapies, Inc. (IBT) in April of 2005, as the Director of Research and is currently employed as a Research Scientist.
Christopher J. Pino, Ph.D.
Christopher J. Pino, Ph.D., Research Scientist, Biomedical Engineering, at Innovative BioTherapies, Inc. Dr. Pino is an accomplished Biomedical Engineer previously affiliated with Vanderbilt University (Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Ph.D.) and Cornell University (B.S.), with experience in the design of tissue engineered and drug delivery systems. Dr. Pino has developed device designs, created new technologies, developed new assays, has been involved in data analysis and simulations. Dr. Pino was previously a member of Alpha Epsilon Bioengineering Honor Society, the Biomedical Engineering Society, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, and Materials Research Society. He has published a number of journal articles including manuscripts in Biomaterials, the Journal of Advanced Materials, Cell Transplantation, and Translational Medicine, as well as authoring a chapter in Comprehensive Biomaterials and two patents.