Dr. John L. Gainer

Biography

Dr. John L. Gainer was Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Virginia, serving as a member of the faculty from 1966-2005. As co-founder and Chief Scientific Advisor of the Company, and the inventor of the trans bipolar carotenoid family of molecules, he plays a critical role in charting the path of their further development and commercialization. He has authored more than 100 scientific journal articles, including more than 30 published in medical journals. He has spent four decades investigating the transport properties of small molecules in solvents and biological systems. His recent research, funded by the Office of Naval Research, has focused on the use of trans bipolar carotenoid molecules to treat hemorrhagic shock, which is the major cause of death in combat, and to treat Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS.) Professor Gainer has spent two sabbaticals investigating drug actions and related research in the laboratories of major pharmaceutical companies. He has been a member of the International Society for Oxygen Transport in Tissues since its inception in 1973. He has received several teaching awards, including the University of Virginia Alumni Association’s Distinguished Professor Award and the Outstanding Teacher Award from the Southeastern Section of the American Society for Engineering Education. Dr. Gainer received his PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Delaware in 1964.

Research Interest

engineering