THE TEAM

Senior Management Team

CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER

A/Professor Mahesh Choolani

Associate Professor Choolani is the principle Founder of INEX. He served as Chairman since the company’s inception in 2006 and was a key driver in the successful development of INEX from a small biotech start-up to a leading women’s health diagnostic company. In February 2014, he continued as Founder Director and manages the strategic and scientific objectives of the company.

A/Professor Choolani leads the High-Risk Pregnancy Unit of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division at the National University Hospital (NUH), where he and his team were instrumental in the development of the breakthrough FlashFISH™ technology. FlashFISH™ is a rapid diagnostic test performed during amniocentesis that can detect Down syndrome in unborn babies within three hours. The technology put Singapore on the world map as being the first country to offer Same-Day Prenatal Diagnosis.

A/Professor Choolani received the Benjamin Henry Sheares’ Memorial Lecture Award in 2010 for his outstanding work in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He has also been awarded the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) Clinician Scientist award for his outstanding contribution to research.
A/Professor Choolani has published over 100 articles and abstracts in notable journals and currently chairs the National University of Singapore’s Leadership in Academic Medicine Clinician Scientist Unit and the National Healthcare Group’s Clinician Leadership Research programme.

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Kane Black

A seasoned technology entrepreneur, with an extensive and diverse international career in senior and executive leadership across the technology, biotechnology, medical device and healthcare investment sectors globally.

Mr. Black began his career with Tokyo Stock Exchange (Jasdaq) listed semiconductor trading company Adtec Corporation K.K (now known as AKIBA Holdings (6840:Tokyo)) becoming Director and Head of Operations for Europe, based in London U.K. In 2005 he was instrumental in the takeover of Adtec Corporation by Japanese technology company Shinden Hightex Corporation (3131:Tokyo) and remained a Director with the company, based in London.

In 2012 he co – founded Nova Satra Health to leverage the latest developments in medical technologies with a view to developing, collaborating and commercialising these cutting-edge therapies across the med tech spectrum. This led, in 2014, to the establishment of Singapore based molecular diagnostic developer Nova Satra Dx Pte Ltd.

In August 2019 Nova Satra Dx merged with another women's health focused molecular diagnostic developer, INEX Innovations Exchange in a US$72 Million deal - creating INEX Innovate.

In 2020 Mr. Black was invited to sit as Council Member of the National University of Singapore's, NUS Medicine International Council.

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER

Dexter Hue

Mr. Hue is responsible for the group financial management and reporting functions including overseeing the commercial strategy and development of the Group.

Prior to joining INEX Innovate, Mr. Hue was Director of Corporate Finance and Development of a Singapore Exchange listed medical technology group and was responsible for overseeing the strategic planning and development of the Group.

He was previously Associate Director at Ernst & Young Singapore Transaction Advisory Services, leading financial due diligence deals in diversified industries including healthcare, retail, consumer products and technology both for corporate as well as private equity clients.

Mr. Hue is a Fellow Member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants and a Member of the Institute of Valuers and Appraisers, Singapore. He qualified as a Chartered Accountant of Singapore and was admitted as a Member of the Institute of Singapore Chartered Accountants (ISCA) in 2016.

CHIEF TECHNOLOGY OFFICER

Dr. Chia Pin Chang

Dr. Chia-Pin Chang leads technical development and collaborator activities in INEX. Before joining INEX, Dr. Chang was a Principal Investigator in Agency of Science and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, where his research interests include developing biochemical sensors and in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) devices for human disease detection. Several of his works have been licensed to industry partners for commercialization.

Dr. Chang holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and a Doctor of Science degree in Computer Engineering from The George Washington University, Washington DC, USA.

LABORATORY DIRECTOR

Dr. Sherry Ho

Dr. Sherry Ho pursued her PhD in Molecular Diagnostics from the Department of Obstetrics & Gynaecology, National University of Singapore after a 4-year stint as Medical Technologist in Cytogenetics, Parkway Laboratory Pte Ltd.

She developed a strong interest and expertise in women’s healthcare, in particular, prenatal testing. Her achievements include several scientific awards in various conferences including a Young Scientist Award in Non-Invasive Prenatal Testing (NIPT), as well as two patents in the field. She was a Senior Postdoctoral Fellow for 7 years in a reference molecular diagnostic laboratory in the National University Hospital where she developed and validated several new tests for routine testing. She is also a trained CAP inspector and is lending her expertise in quality assurance within iGene Laboratory.

FINANCIAL CONTROLLER

Lee Chiang Loke

Board of Directors

PROF. STEVEN MYINT

Professor Steve Myint is a medical academic turned businessman and entrepreneur. He is a former Professor & Chairman of Microbiology & Immunology in Leicester (UK) and Dean of Medicine & Head of the Health Schools at the University of Surrey (UK). He is currently an adjunct Professor at Duke-NUS Medical School (Singapore).

In the last decade plus he has been, at first, a corporate executive in SmithKline Beecham and then the largest tech transfer group turned biotech company in the UK, BTG International (now part of Boston Scientific). He was also executive chairman of one of India’s largest vaccine conglomerates (Green SignalBio).

He has been an entrepreneur for over 30 years with 5 successful startups and then mentor of over 30 start-ups and SMEs, mainly in the deep tech space. Successful exits have allowed him to set up crowdfunding, private equity and venture capital vehicles.

He is co-chair of the EAN at the Royal College of Surgeons of England and Chairman of Golden Futures in England and he is chairman of SGVector and INEX Innovate in Singapore. He is also founder of a company and ambassador to an organisation that promote ethical values based in Slovenia.

Most recently he has been appointed the national clinical lead for AMR diagnostics by the UK government. He has been an advisor/committee chairman to several national and international bodies including A*Star and National Research Foundation in Singapore, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, National Lotteries Foundation (UK), Finnvera (Finland).

KANE BLACK

Mr. Black began his career with Tokyo Stock Exchange (Jasdaq) listed semiconductor trading company Adtec Corporation K.K and later become Director of International Markets based in London U.K.

In 2005 he was instrumental in the takeover of Adtec Corporation by Tokyo Stock Exchange listed electronic component manufacturer and trading conglomerate, Shinden Hightex Corporation.

As a seasoned entrepreneur Mr. Black has enjoyed an extensive and diverse international career as Director and Financial Advisor to numerous firms in the trading, construction, investment management and biotechnology sectors in Australia, Europe, the Middle East and across Asia.

In 2012 he co – founded Nova Satra Health with the aim to identify, research, develop and commercialise cutting edge technology in the healthcare spectrum.

Mr. Black obtained a Bachelor of International Business from Bond University, Australia.

A/PROFESSOR MAHESH CHOOLANI

Associate Professor Choolani is the principle Founder of INEX. He served as Chairman since the company’s inception in 2006 and was a key driver in the successful development of INEX from a small biotech start-up to a leading women’s health diagnostic company. In February 2014, he continued as Founder Director and manages the strategic and scientific objectives of the company.

A/Professor Choolani leads the High-Risk Pregnancy Unit of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Division at the National University Hospital (NUH), where he and his team were instrumental in the development of the breakthrough FlashFISH™ technology. FlashFISH™ is a rapid diagnostic test performed during amniocentesis that can detect Down syndrome in unborn babies within three hours. The technology put Singapore on the world map as being the first country to offer Same-Day Prenatal Diagnosis.

A/Professor Choolani received the Benjamin Henry Sheares’ Memorial Lecture Award in 2010 for his outstanding work in Obstetrics and Gynaecology. He has also been awarded the National Medical Research Council (NMRC) Clinician Scientist award for his outstanding contribution to research.

A/Professor Choolani has published over 100 articles and abstracts in notable journals and currently chairs the National University of Singapore’s Leadership in Academic Medicine Clinician Scientist Unit and the National Healthcare Group’s Clinician Leadership Research programme.

KONG HAN TAN

Mr. Tan is the President and Chief Operating Officer of Malaysian conglomerate Genting Berhad and Chief Executive of Genting Plantations Berhad. Mr. Tan has extensive experience in investment banking, leisure, gaming, real estate and medical technologies.

He is also a director of Singapore based Alzheimer’s research company TauRx Pharmaceuticals, U.K Based next generation sequencing company DNAe Group and U.S based Elevance Renewable Sciences amongst others. He was called to the English Bar (Lincoln’s Inn) in 1989 and the Malaysian Bar in 1990.

KOK HWEE SIM

Mr Sim is the Group Executive Director of Zicom Group Limited, Managing Director of iPtec Pte Ltd, and Chief Executive Officer of Zicom MedTacc Pte Ltd, a company focusing on investments and acceleration of early stage medical technologies companies. Both companies are supported by SPRING Singapore. His directorships in medtech companies include Biobot Surgical Pte Ltd, a spinoff from SingHealth and NTU that has developed a robotic platform for performing transperineal prostate biopsy; and Curiox Biosystems Pte Ltd, a spinoff from A*Star.

Mr. Sim graduated with a Bachelor in Industrial and Operations Engineering (Magna Cum Laude) from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA and a Masters in Financial Engineering from Columbia University, New York, USA.

TED TAN

Mr. Ted Tan has over 30 years of public and private sector experience in policy making, programme development, leadership, coaching and mentoring, governance, and risk management.

Formerly the  Deputy CEO of Enterprise Singapore, an agency under the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry, Mr. Tan stood down in September 2021 and is now an Enterprise Fellow of Enterprise Singapore. Additionally, Mr. Tan is the Operating Partner of Heliconia Capital Management, a wholly owned subsidiary of Temasek Holdings that provides growth capital for SMEs.

Mr. Tan has been appointed as a Board Director of Singapore SGX Mainboard-listed Q&M Dental Group, and Board Director of China Life Insurance (Singapore) – a subsidiary of China Life Insurance Group, a Fortune 500 company. He is also the Chairman of IPI that catalyses innovation and Board Director of SEEDS Capital that invests in innovative startups.

Mr. Tan has been appointed an Adjunct Associate Professor of the Nanyang Business School at Singapore’s Nanyang Technological University.

In 2012, Mr. Tan was awarded the Public Administration Medal (Silver) by the Singapore government.

PANG XUE BIN - BOARD OBSERVER

Mr Pang is a Board Observer representing shareholder Enterprise Singapore’s SEED’s Capital Pte Ltd. Mr Pang has prior experience working in various startups and had spent time developing his appreciation for deep-tech ventures within the Investments team at SGInnovate, and now, SEEDS Capital, to continue growing the deep-tech ecosystem in Singapore.

Scientific Board of Advisors

PROF. RICHARD CHOY PH.D. FIBMS, reg MT(HKMLTB)

Dr. Richard Choy brings more than 18 years of medical genetics, lab diagnostics test accreditations, business development and commercial operation in clinical laboratory services. He is an Associate Professor at Dept. of O&G, The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). Founded the CUHK Prenatal Genetic Diagnosis Centre and Pre-implanataion Genetic Laboratory (now #1 in Asia in microarray-based prenatal testing) and established the NATA-accredited  and CAP-accredited molecular and cytogenetics diagnostics laboratories.

Prof Choy is experienced in implementing a broad range of molecular diagnostic tests including cytogenetics, NIPT, CMA and  low-pass whole genome sequencing analysis for Prenatal Diagnosis and Pre-implantation genetic testing. He is a board member of the Hong Kong Society of Medical Genetics and holds the Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis License in Hong Kong.

DR. KHALIL RAZVI MBBCh BAO, LRCPI. LRCSI, MMED (O&G), FAMS, FRCOG

Dr. Khalil Razvi is a consultant gynaecological oncologist at Southend University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust. He has held leadership and administrative roles in the NHS including Clinical Director for the Obstetrics & Gynaecology department and Director for Women & Children. He is the lead Colposcopist in Southend Hospital and has led the Gynaecological Oncology service for South Essex.

He is actively involved in research with over 30 peer reviewed publications and over 50 conference publications. He is a co-inventor in 2 international patents for research into rapid diagnosis of fetal conditions and ovarian cancer. His main research interest is in Ovarian Cancer Diagnostics and Enhanced Recovery following major gynaecological surgery. He is currently involved in novel research using opto-magnetic imaging spectroscopy for cancer diagnostics.

Dr Razvi is a leading advocate in raising awareness of gynaecological cancers and has worked closely with ovarian cancer charities in the UK (Target Ovarian Cancer, Ovarian Cancer Action). He has also co-founded a gynaecological cancer charity in Essex called COPES (Cervical Ovarian Perineal Endometrial Support) which currently provides support for women who have gynaecological cancers as well as their families.

He mentors junior doctors during training especially in the performance of gynaecological surgery. He is a faculty member of the Anatomy of Complications Workshop in Singapore which trains surgeons in the prevention and management of surgical complications.

He is active in teaching and is an examiner for the MBBS exam in Queen Mary, University of London. He was previously an examiner for the National University of Singapore (MBBS, MMed exams) as well as the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists (MRANZCOG).

PROF. ARIJIT BISWAS MBBS, MD, FRCOG, FAMS

Professor Arijit Biswas obtained his basic MBBS degree from Calcutta University, India where he was awarded the Gold Medal in aggregate as well as in Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Pathology. He started his postgraduate training in Obstetrics & Gynaecology at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), India in 1981 and continued further advanced specialist training in UK from 1987. He obtained his MD in 1986 and MRCOG (UK) in 1989. He obtained the FAMS in 1999 and became a Fellow of the Royal College in UK (FRCOG) in 2001.

His current practice at the NUH includes all areas of general obstetrics & gynaecology, heading the Fetal Care Centre in the hospital. His special interest is in the areas of prenatal diagnosis, antenatal ultrasound and high-risk pregnancies. He headed the Maternal-Fetal Medicine division of the department for 24 years from 1992 till 2016 and was also the President of College of Obstetricians & Gynaecologists Singapore (COGS) from 2015 till May 2017. Prof Biswas is currently the Chairman of Residency Advisory Committee, Ministry of Health, Singapore and the Clinical Director of the department in NUHS.

He was awarded National Outstanding Clinician Award 2017 by the Ministry of Health to recognise his contributions for innovations in healthcare, patient safety, clinical quality, biomedical research as well as training and education of clinicians.

DR. SAFEDIN “SAJO” BEQAJ PHD, HCLD, CC (ABB)

Dr. Sajo Beqaj is board certified in molecular pathology and is a board certified clinical consultant. He has been practicing as a laboratory director since 2005.

He received his PhD in pathology from Wayne State University Medical School, Detroit, Michigan. He performed his post-doctoral fellowship at Abbott Laboratories from 2001-2003. He continued his career as a Research Assistant Professor at Children’s Memorial Hospital and Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois until 2005 when he joined Path Group Labs, Nashville, Tennessee as Laboratory Director in molecular diagnostics. In 2008 he joined DCL Medical Laboratories as Laboratory Director for Clinical Pathology where he was responsible for clinical laboratory operations and technical operations including development and implementation of new tests and technologies.

Although he is a board certified high-complexity laboratory director and oversees all clinical pathology operations, his field of expertise is in molecular diagnostics and genetic testing. He has served as a teacher assistant at pathology department at Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, visiting professor of molecular diagnostics at Tennessee State University, Nashville, Tennessee; and as an adjunct professor of anatomy and physiology at Nashville State Community College, Nashville, Tennessee.

Dr. Beqaj has published more than 20 medical textbook chapters and journal articles. In addition, he has presented various scientific clinical abstracts and has conducted clinical trials for several well-known pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies.

He is a member of numerous medical and scientific associations including the Association of Molecular Pathology, American Association of Clinical Chemistry and the Pan Am Society for Clinical Virology. He has served on a number of clinical laboratory regulatory and scientific committees.

PROF SAMUEL CHONG PHD, BSC

A/Prof Samuel Chong joined the Department of Paediatrics, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, NUS as Senior Lecturer in 1999, and later as Associate Professor in 2003. He is the Director of the Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis Centre at the Khoo Teck Puat – National University Children’s Medical Institute, NUH. He also serves as Scientific Advisor to the Molecular Diagnosis Centre, the Clinical Cytogenetics Service of the Department of Laboratory Medicine, NUH and INEX Innovate.

His research interests revolve around developing innovative molecular diagnostics for preimplantation, prenatal and postnatal diagnostic testing and screening of challenging genetic and genomic disorders. He has published more than 150 papers in local, regional, and international journals. He also teaches undergraduate life sciences students in human genetics and genomics.

Dr Chong graduated with a BSc degree with honours from the National University of Singapore, Later obtaining a Master’s degree at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, Canada, under a CIDA (Canadian International Development Agency) scholarship. In 1989, he moved south to the United States to pursue further scientific training at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas. While there, he studied in the field of human and molecular genetics. He successfully defended his graduate thesis and was conferred the PhD degree in 1994.

He joined the National Human Genome Research Institute, National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, as a Visiting Fellow in 1994. In 1995, he was concurrently appointed as Research Instructor at the Institute for Molecular and Human Genetics and Department of Paediatrics, Georgetown University Medical Centre, in Washington, D.C.

In 1997, Dr Chong moved to the McKusick-Nathans Institute of Genetic Medicine at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland to take up an appointment as an Assistant Professor with a joint appointment in the Department of Gynaecology and Obstetrics.