With over 30 years of leadership in both enterprise and startup settings, Pierre Chauvineau brings extensive experience in guiding deep tech startups through product development and commercialization. Pierre began his career at Medtronic, dedicating 20 years to roles such as country manager and head of regional business units. In 2010, he joined California-based Cameron Health, a venture-backed company, and remained with them through their acquisition by Boston Scientific (BSC) in June 2012. He subsequently led BSC’s Heart Rhythm Management business unit in EMEA for five years, playing a strong role in launching the Watchman left atrial appendage occlusion franchise in Europe. He has also advised various startups, served on boards, and acted as an academic advisor to European universities on business and innovation.”

Christine Blanchette, former Vice President of Product Development for Pacemakers and Defibrillators and former VP of Research, Development, and Quality for Atrial Fibrillation (AF) Ablation Systems at Medtronic, brings deep expertise in developing and commercializing medical devices. Christine’s outstanding leadership in shortening development cycles and enhancing project schedule predictability earned her Medtronic’s prestigious Wallin Leadership Award. She was also honored with three Star of Excellence Awards, Medtronic’s highest quality award. Christine now supports AuriGen across technical, quality, and strategic areas, applying her extensive experience to accelerate our development and commercialization efforts.

Clinical Advisor

Professor Felix Mahfoud is the Professor of Cardiology at the University of Basel and serves as Chief of Cardiology at the University Hospital Basel. As Chairman of the University Heart Center Basel. Professor Mahfoud brings a wealth of expertise to AuriGen’s clinical advisory board. He has since built extensive experience in LAAO procedures and led major clinical trials in innovative cardiac devices, including the pivotal Symplicity Ren al Denervation Trial. Since 2017, Professor Mahfoud has also served as Vice Chairman of the European Society of Hypertension’s ‘Working Group on Interventional Hypertension Treatment’ and was a Committee Member of the 2018 Hypertension Guidelines. His groundbreaking work continues to advance interventional cardiology, providing new hope to patients with complex cardiovascular conditions and supporting AuriGen’s mission to innovate in this field.

Professor Christian Ukena, MD, serves as a clinical advisor to AuriGen and is a Professor specializing in Electrophysiology and Structural Heart Disease at Ruhr University Bochum. He is also a Principal Investigator in AuriGen’s First-in-Human (FIH) study, lending his expertise to advance our clinical research. Professor Ukena’s research focuses on electrophysiology, particularly the effects of the stress nervous system on cardiac arrhythmias, and explores innovative treatment options, including telemedicine. His unit is a designated training center for left atrial appendage (LAA) closure and a study site for novel LAA closure and ablation devices. Additionally, he is expanding clinical research in the cardiology department at Marien Hospital Herne, contributing valuable experience in LAA therapies to AuriGen’s clinical team.

Dr Sandeep Panikker, Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist at University Hospitals Coventry and Honorary Consultant at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London, serves as a clinical advisor to AuriGen. With a PhD from Imperial College focused on atrial fibrillation and the left atrial appendage, Dr Panikker has contributed to several high-impact publications and received numerous awards in his field. As joint lead for the left atrial appendage closure training program at the Royal Brompton, Dr Panikker brings extensive experience mentoring and training consultants across the UK and Europe. His leadership in the left atrial appendage closure program at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire further highlights his commitment to innovation and excellence in AF and stroke prevention strategies, making his insights invaluable to AuriGen’s clinical advancements.