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Gregory D. Kunst is an award-winning biotechnology executive, board chairman, and strategic advisor with more than 25 years of experience in life sciences, ophthalmology, and regenerative medicine. Throughout his distinguished career, he has founded and scaled innovative biotechnology companies, raised hundreds of millions of dollars in venture capital, and led the development and commercialization of groundbreaking therapies across global markets. Widely recognized for his visionary leadership, Greg has received numerous prestigious accolades, including the Prix Galien Award, often referred to as the Nobel Prize of the pharmaceutical industry, the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and the Puget Sound Business Journal Healthcare Leader of the Year Award. As the Founder of Aurion Biotech, he successfully built the company into a global regenerative medicine pioneer, leading it to become the first organization in history to secure regulatory approval for an allogenic cell therapy in Japan while also achieving FDA Breakthrough Therapy and RMAT designations in the United States. Under his leadership, Aurion raised over $200 million in venture financing and was ultimately acquired by Alcon in a landmark transaction that accelerated the development of its lead therapy. Prior to Aurion, Greg held senior leadership positions at Glaukos Corporation and Alcon, where he led global commercialization, market access, business development, and strategic growth initiatives across more than 20 countries. Today, he serves as Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of Valitor, a biotechnology company developing long-acting therapies for retinal diseases, and as Board Chairman of Biomimetix, while also advising several innovative healthcare and life sciences organizations. Holding an MBA from Vanderbilt University and a Bachelor of Science in Economics from Brigham Young University, Greg is widely respected for his ability to transform breakthrough science into commercial success while remaining committed to improving patient access to life-changing treatments worldwide.