Mission Statement
WAO strives to reduce mortality and improve quality of life in patients suffering from End Stage Renal Disease by providing a dialysis device that can filter the blood slowly, continuously, and effectively like a natural kidney would. In doing so, WAO will provide a treatment that is significantly more economical than the current treatments, requires fewer resources to operate and saves billions of dollars each year in dialysis related expenses by eliminating the need for many drugs, surgeries and hospital stays.
Company History
WAO Staff:
Dr. Victor Gura MD - Inventor, CEO
Dr. Gura is a nephrologist with more than 50 years of clinical and research experience. He is a worldwide expert in dialysis technology and a clinical professor at UCLA's Geffen School of Medicine.
Stephen R. Broadhead - CFO
Mr. Broadhead has more than 30 years of experience in the financial field, including Private Equity and commercial capital funding.
Stephen Schneider Member of the Board of Directors
Mr. Schneider is an early CEO who founded or managed multiple Silicon Valley companies.
Dr. Carlos Manuel Orantes-Navarro
Research Scientist
Dr. Orantes is an internationally recognized expert in kidney disease research. He was a consultant to the World Health Organization, head of the renal research unit at the Salvadoran National Institute of Health, and professor of physiology at the University of El Salvador School of Medicine.
Arieh Halpern - VP Regulatory and Quality Control
Engineer and inventor with decades of experience in the medical device industry. Mr. Halpern invented and co-invented dozens of medical devices in use today.
Daniela Koiman JD - Project Manager
In more than 25 years of legal practice, Ms. Koiman garnered extensive experience working with multiple federal agencies and regulations.
Alexey Lyzlov - Laboratory manager
Biochemist with extensive research and laboratory management experience
Scientific Advisory Board
Dr. Joseph V. Bonventre, MD PhD
Past president, American Society of Nephrology; Professor of medicine, Harvard Medical School; Chief, Renal Division, Brigham and Women's Hospital; Professor of Health Science and Technology, MIT
Dr. Andrew Davenport, MD
President, International Society of Hemodialysis; Secretary, Council of the European Renal Association - European Dialysis Transplant Association (ERA-EDTA) European Working Group (Eu-Dial); Director, Dialysis Research, UCL Centre
Dr. Thomas A. Golper, MD
Professor of Medicine (Nephrology), Vanderbilt University.
Dr. Andre A. Kaplan, MD FACP FASN (Farmington Conn.)
Professor of Medicine, University of Connecticut Health Center
Dr. Nathan W. Levin, MD
Beth Israel Medical Center; Clinical Professor of Medicine and Nephrology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine; Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Dr. Susanne B. Nicholas, MD PhD
Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Nephrology, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Hypertension, Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA.
Dr. Rebecca J. Schmidt, DO
Past President, Renal Physicians Association; Professor of Medicine and Assistant Dean, West Virginia University School of Medicine.