About

Professor Ben obtained his undergraduate degree in Biochemistry from Laurentian University (Sudbury, ON) in 1990 and obtained his PhD in synthetic organic chemistry at the University of Ottawa 1994. After a postdoctoral position at the University of Toronto from 1994-1996 he accepted a Research Associate position at the Steacie Institute of Molecular Sciences (SIMS) at the National Research Council of Canada in Ottawa. In 1998, he started his independent research career as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the State University of New York (SUNY) at Binghamton. During the summer of 2003, he was recruited to the Chemistry Department at the University of Ottawa with a Canada Research Chair in Medicinal Chemistry. In 2013, he became Director for the Biopharmaceutical Science (BPS) and Biomedical Science (BMS) programs at the University of Ottawa and was promoted to Full Professor in 2015.

His research interests are interdisciplinary in nature (organic synthesis, bioorganic chemistry, carbohydrates, peptides, cryobiology) with the focus being the medicinal chemistry/rational design and synthesis of new cryoprotectants that function by inhibiting ice recrystallization during cryopreservation or vitrification. These agents improve the cryopreservation of cells and tissues, which is vital for regenerative medicine and cellular therapies.

In 2017, Professor Ben co-founded PanTHERA CryoSolutions Inc., a Canadian company dedicated to translating his ice recrystallization inhibitor (IRI) technology from academic research into clinical and research applications. In 2021, PanTHERA secured $6 million USD in funding and partnerships, including a co-development deal with BioLife Solutions and Casdin Life Sciences. In 2025, PanTHERA was acquired by BioLife Solutions. Currently, PanTHERA manufactures GMP-compliant small molecule inhibitors of ice recrystallization for research and clinical applications and is launching its first formulated product globally within the next three months.