Marco A. Chacon, PhD., is the Founder & President of IRAZÚ BIO, a company dedicated to early stage technology development, while bridging the uncertainty divide between academic research and drug development. Leveraging innovative biochemical mechanisms described in hypoxia tolerant and neuroprotective phenotypes, including caloric restriction models, newborn mammals and hibernators, IRAZÚ is developing indications to promote survival, prevent disease and improve quality of life in old age. The company is also developing technology in the fields of immuno-oncology and gene therapy.Formerly, Chacon served as Assistant Vice President of Industry Alliances at the University of Maryland, Baltimore.Chacon is also the Founder and former Chairman of Paragon Bioservices, Inc., a contract development and GMP manufacturing organization (CDMO) that specialized in process development and GMP manufacturing of viral vectors for gene therapy. In May of 2019, Paragon was acquired by Catalent Pharma Solutions—a global CMO—for $1.2 Billion. The combined organization occupies ~ 2K square feet of space at three sites in Maryland, including The University of MD BioPark, Anne Arundel County and Gaithersburg. It is estimated that the company will have ~1K employees by the first quarter of 2020.Dr. Chacon’s academic interests include energy metabolism, oxygen homeostasis and the regenerative potential of tissues and organs. His educational background includes a Bachelor of Science degree from Youngstown State University and a Ph.D. in Nutritional Sciences from the University of Maryland. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of the University of Maryland Foundation and was appointed in 2016 to the Life Sciences Advisory Board by Governor Lawrence J. Hogan, Jr. Additionally, Dr. Chacon is the founding chair of The Board of Visitors of the University of Maryland Graduate School.