Board of Directors

Professor Richard Superfine

Co-founder and Executive Chairman was lead inventor of Redbud Posts. Prof. Superfine is the Taylor-Williams Distinguished Professor of Physics at UNC-Chapel Hill, where he studies the physics of life, including molecular motors, DNA, cells and microfluidic-based tissue models. He develops and applies new techniques for these studies using optical, scanning probe, electron and magnetic force microscopes, all within his leadership of the NIH National Center of CISMM. Most recently, Prof. Superfine was named the Chair of Applied Physical Sciences at UNC Chapel Hill, the first new department in UNC’s College of Arts and Sciences in over 40 years. Prof. Superfine earned his PhD in Physics at Berkeley and BS in Engineering Physics at Lehigh University.

Mr. West is co-founder and CEO at Baebies, a molecular diagnostics company focused on newborn screening. The Baebies core technology, digital microfluidics, was developed at Advanced Liquid Logic, which Mr. West also lead as CEO through its eventual acquisition by Illumina, Inc. Previously, Mr. West was founder and CEO of TriVirix, a venture-funded medical equipment contract manufacturer that he and his team grew to over 500 employees and Adigy, a medical wireless company. He also spent 15 years in the aerospace industry in program, sales, marketing and engineering management. Mr. West also serves on the Board for the Council for Entrepreneurial Development, as an Executive-in Residence for First Flight Venture Center, and as an adjunct faculty in entrepreneurship at Duke University.

Mr. West is co-founder and CEO at Baebies, a molecular diagnostics company focused on newborn screening. The Baebies core technology, digital microfluidics, was developed at Advanced Liquid Logic, which Mr. West also lead as CEO through its eventual acquisition by Illumina, Inc. Previously, Mr. West was founder and CEO of TriVirix, a venture-funded medical equipment contract manufacturer that he and his team grew to over 500 employees and Adigy, a medical wireless company. He also spent 15 years in the aerospace industry in program, sales, marketing and engineering management. Mr. West also serves on the Board for the Council for Entrepreneurial Development, as an Executive-in Residence for First Flight Venture Center, and as an adjunct faculty in entrepreneurship at Duke University.

Kenneth P. West, PhD

Director has spent more than thirty years in executive leadership at half a dozen medical device and life science companies. Mr. West has served as CEO of Polarean, Inc, and is now a Director and COO, of Polarean Imaging, Ltd. a public company which developed and manufactures a highly effective lung diagnostic. Previously, he was the founding President of TEM Systems, Inc., the US distributor of the ROTEM hemostasis analyzer, later acquired by Instrumentation Laboratory, a Werfen company. Earlier roles include positions as President of Curusan, Inc., COO of VetInsite (acquired by MediMedia), COO of Biolex (acquired by Synthon), and VP of Sales, Marketing, and Business Development at Embrex (acquired by Pfizer / Zoetis). Mr. West earned an MBA at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and a BS in Chemical Engineering from Cornell University.

Richard Spero, PhD

Chief Executive Officer is a co-founder of Redbud Labs. Since stepping into the CEO role in 2015, Redbud Labs launched its category-defining microfluidic components, MXR and STR. Under Dr. Spero’s leadership, Redbud established its RTP manufacturing operations and attracted more than $9 million in funding. Previously, Dr. Spero served as Redbud’s Vice President of Product Development. He received his PhD and MS in Physics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his BS in Physics at Middlebury College.

Richard Spero, PhD

Chief Executive Officer is a co-founder of Redbud Labs. Since stepping into the CEO role in 2015, Redbud Labs launched its category-defining microfluidic components, MXR and STR, and taken industry-leading position enabling cartridge-ready product development. Under Dr. Spero’s leadership, Redbud has grown from two employees, established its RTP manufacturing operations, and attracted more than $9 million in funding. Previously, Dr. Spero served as Redbud’s Vice President of Product Development. He received his PhD and MS in Physics at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his BS in Physics at Middlebury College.”