Board

Arthur Lowery is an engineer, innovator and educator with a proven success record transforming ground breaking technical innovations into successful international businesses. Arthur built the global Photonic Design Automation (PDA) industry from his fundamental research in semiconductor laser modeling and today is also internationally recognized as a pioneer of optical OFDM and its applications for communications. In 1996 Arthur founded Virtual Photonics (now VPI Virtual Photonics Inc), developing a world-leading software tool for designing optical communications devices and circuits. VPI has grown to be the leading supplier of design tools for optical communication components, systems and networks. Arthur was appointed Chair of Electrical and Computer Systems Engineering at Monash University in September 2004. Arthur’s research at Monash has focused on the application of orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) to optical fiber transmission. Arthur and his Monash colleagues invented optical OFDM, and their work has been so widely recognized that the most recent international optical communications conference included two complete sessions on optical OFDM. The work of Arthur and his colleagues at Monash represents the technology foundation of Ofidium.

Dr David Lyster, PhD

David Lyster, Manager - Research Partnerships at Monash University , brings to the Ofidium board extensive experience in technology valuation and evaluation, intellectual property protection, technology development and the commercialization of early stage intellectual property. David is actively involved in the technology and biotech industries and consults widely to universities and the private sector. He is a director of several companies involved in the commercialization of early stage technologies and is responsible for the co-ordination and business development activities in the Victorian College of Pharmacy at Monash University.

Michael Panaccio is one of the founders of Starfish Ventures, a leading venture capital firm specializing in high growth information technology, life sciences, and clean technology companies. Michael was formerly Investment Manager with JAFCO Investment (Asia Pacific). Prior to joining JAFCO, Michael was Head of the Department of Molecular Biology at the Victorian Institute of Animal Sciences where he used his mix of commercial and scientific skills to build a large scientific department and raised over $5 million from multinational drug companies. Michael is the inventor on numerous patent applications, has authored or co-authored over thirty scientific publications and contributed to five books. Michael has been a Director of numerous technology businesses including SIRTeX Medical Ltd, Technico Pty Ltd, EOS Pty Ltd, Protagonist Pty Ltd and Colloidal Dynamics Group Inc. He is currently a director of NeuProtect, TeeleOstin, MuriGen, ImpediMed, NephroDynamics Pro-Active Medical and Ofidium.